7 Wonders of North America: 7 Most Urban Cores in North America? (best, compare)

[jessemh431]

Originally Posted by the resident09

Government buildings and all DC still has a much larger extensive urban core overall than Seattle and Vancouver. The downtown size is much larger than most cities being discussed here.

IMO, even if the DC urban area spreads further out, it doesn't equate in quality. Quality>quantity for me. Vancouver has a very solid, dense, urban core. So does DC, but it isn't as intense or high-quality as Vancouver.

[mhays25]

Some of those DC areas go beyond a six-square-mile area. Give DC 8-10 square miles and it has a better case.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by jessemh431

I would add in Philadelphia just above or just below SF. Idk enough about Guadalajara or Monterrey to comment, but I was definitely curious how they would fit in on here. I have't been there so I wouldn't want to comment.

Yea, you're right.

I think my list stays the same, but now with Philadelphia also as a potential candidate that kicks out one of the lower ones like San Francisco.

Definitely:
NY
Mexico City

Probably:
Santo Domingo
Chicago

Possibly:
Toronto
Montreal
San Francisco

^That's seven

Also possibly:
Guadalajara
Monterrey
Havana
Port-au-Prince
Philadelphia

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

That used to be true a decade ago, but that is completed false now in 2020. NOMA, Union Market, Mt. Vernon Triangle, Logan Circle, Navy Yard, SW Wharf, Dupont Circle, and Mid City have very high population densities. Many have census tracts between 80k-100k people per sq. mile in 2020. DC has added over 100,000 people since 2010 mainly in the neighborhoods I just listed.

Yea anybody referring to just DC being downtown and whatever buildings are there, haven't visited recently. The city's core is much more expansive and still impresses well outside of downtown, and in all four quadrants of the city.

Originally Posted by mhays25

Some of those DC areas go beyond a six-square-mile area. Give DC 8-10 square miles and it has a better case.

Well that's been my whole point in this thread? What is being defined as urban core?

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Yea, you're right.

I think my list stays the same, but now with Philadelphia also as a potential candidate that kicks out one of the lower ones like San Francisco.

Definitely:
NY
Mexico City

Probably:
Santo Domingo
Chicago

Possibly:
Toronto
Montreal
San Francisco

^That's seven

I think that is the correct 7, but Montreal I would slot above Toronto and maybe bump SF above it too.

Santo Domingo is intriguing in that, there is a metro subway etc on a Caribbean island, and is Miami like in look and feel, but significantly more dense. Hard to say if I would place it above Chicago, but it is in the top 7.

[NOLA101]

Guadalajara and Monterrey don't have particularly large or vibrant cores. GDL is bigger/better, but still not in the conversation.

[tion91]

When I say CORE I'm talking about the city center at its peak urbanism. Basically I'm asking what cutues core gas the highest level of urbanity (ex: lower level urbanity being LA and Oakland densities,,,highest urbanity being hongkong, midtown manhattan densities)

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by tion91

When I say CORE I'm talking about the city center at its peak urbanism. Basically I'm asking what cutues core gas the highest level of urbanity (ex: lower level urbanity being LA and Oakland densities,,,highest urbanity being hongkong, midtown manhattan densities)

So you are asking about population density, not the built environment? An area with 1-story buildings that have 5 people per bedroom would be the highest level of urbanity based on your definition when compared to an area that’s mixed use with highrise’s and retail with extreme vibrancy, but a lower population density because the people per bedroom max is lower?

Downtown NYC, for instance, is very urban, but has much lower population density than other lower intensity parts of Manhattan because there isn’t as much residential development and some other places are almost all residential.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by tion91

When I say CORE I'm talking about the city center at its peak urbanism. Basically I'm asking what cutues core gas the highest level of urbanity (ex: lower level urbanity being LA and Oakland densities,,,highest urbanity being hongkong, midtown manhattan densities)

The easiest way to compare urban cores is the structural build environment and vibrancy. The use of buildings changes with time and really has nothing to do with vibrancy. First floor retail facing the street near heavy rail transit stations is usually the most important combination for vibrancy. You should rate these cities on the size of their urban cores based on a cutoff when they drop off (consistently) to lower intensity development. Combine that with how vibrant is that entire area on average.

[mhays25]

Downtown NYC has HUGE population density. They're just mostly office workers rather than residents. Population doesn't always mean resident population.