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Location: Austin, TX/Chicago, IL/Houston, TX/Washington, DC
10,138 posts, read 16,053,483 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fashionguy
Apart from downtown, Chicago has far fewer real vibrant urban clusters than Los Angeles. Besides Chicago downtown really isn't that great during weekends especially Sundays. That's a problem existed for most downtown retail and restaurants in the US. Non-downtown business usually is less affected by weekends and operates later into the night.
Unlike most other large cities, Chicago is trying to find ways to make it's downtown area more lively. And besides it has the second most lively CBD area in the US only after NYC. I don't think it has much to prove in this category. Chicago's downtown speaks for it's own.
The real debate should be between city of LA versus Chicago. LA has a lot of prominent locations compared to Chicago's being around Lake Michigan in it's CBD.
Apart from downtown, Chicago has far fewer real vibrant urban clusters than Los Angeles. Besides Chicago downtown really isn't that great during weekends especially Sundays. That's a problem existed for most downtown retail and restaurants in the US. Non-downtown business usually is less affected by weekends and operates later into the night.
one big lie, theres plenty of vibrant neighborhoods..however i agree downtown on a sunday aint all that.
If your criterion is which downtown is taller, larger and denser, then there is no surprise that you drew such conclusions. But the reality is, most people don't give a damn about the downtown of a city except for showing off pictures. 80% of US downtowns are increasingly becoming dead office parks. That doesn't mean those cities are shrinking too. What's the difference between hanging out at the first floor of those tall office towers and hanging out at a place which consists only of the first floors? The first floors are the ones that matter anyways. I don't see much difference, unless you are five years old and automatically feel you are in a "city" if surrounded by tall buildings and in a "suburb" if not.
I shouldn't even have to begin to explain the cultural, social, and economical aspects of Downtowns in large cities compared to suburbs.
How can you make that conclusion? That most people don't give a damn about a downtown? I guess people don't give a damn about their jobs or much of where their city's Tax Base comes from.
Your stat is cute, but it's not official. As a professional in the Urban Planning field, I can tell you that the trend towards dying downtowns is over with. Cities, organizations and business groups are active in almost every downtown in America to ensure that that doesn't happen. Many downtowns are building Residential structures so they have a built-in consumer and employee base.
And, Chicago's downtown was anything but dead. I was there May of last year and one could have mistaken the foot traffic for Manhattan.
Unlike most other large cities, Chicago is trying to find ways to make it's downtown area more lively. And besides it has the second most lively CBD area in the US only after NYC. I don't think it has much to prove in this category. Chicago's downtown speaks for it's own.
The real debate should be between city of LA versus Chicago. LA has a lot of prominent locations compared to Chicago's being around Lake Michigan in it's CBD.
What are you talking about? Every major city in the USA is at least ATTEMPTING to revive, revitalize, grow, expand, develop or clean-up their downtowns. Set aside from their municipal help, there are generally Downtown Councils, or Downtown organizations that bring business owners, city officials, residents and other interest groups together to increasy vibrancy downtown.
Location: Austin, TX/Chicago, IL/Houston, TX/Washington, DC
10,138 posts, read 16,053,483 times
Reputation: 4047
Quote:
Originally Posted by knke0204
What are you talking about? Every major city in the USA is at least ATTEMPTING to revive, revitalize, grow, expand, develop or clean-up their downtowns. Set aside from their municipal help, there are generally Downtown Councils, or Downtown organizations that bring business owners, city officials, residents and other interest groups together to increasy vibrancy downtown.
I worded it wrong, what I meant was that unlike most other cities Chicago is very successful in revitalizing it's downtown. Not that it needed to do much work for it anyways.
Other cities still have to fight suburban sprawl, but they are making an effort, yes.
Most people who say "What? How can you even compare LA and Chicago??!" I can guarantee have never felt the Chicago experience.
I have been to Chi over 20 times and have spent significant time there, and I've been to LA about 3 times, so I may be biased, but to me I felt that Chicago was much more of a 'big city' than LA. I was blown away at how dense Chicago's downtown is. LA didn't seem as big.
To me, I feel
Chicago > LA > Philadelphia > Dallas > Minneapolis > San Diego in terms of size of the 'big city feel' of places I've not just been to, but have 'experienced'
Chicago is not on LA's level. Chitown may have LA beat on the CBD activity, but other than that, Chicago has nothing on LA. It's about 1/2 a notch below LA.
If your criterion is which downtown is taller, larger and denser, then there is no surprise that you drew such conclusions. But the reality is, most people don't give a damn about the downtown of a city except for showing off pictures. 80% of US downtowns are increasingly becoming dead office parks. That doesn't mean those cities are shrinking too. What's the difference between hanging out at the first floor of those tall office towers and hanging out at a place which consists only of the first floors? The first floors are the ones that matter anyways. I don't see much difference, unless you are five years old and automatically feel you are in a "city" if surrounded by tall buildings and in a "suburb" if not.
Chicago is a more important and influential city according to Forbes when it comes to the American and World economy. Chicago is also giving LA a run for its money in terms of culture. It is a better dining city, and is stealing a lot of film business.
Chicago is a more important and influential city according to Forbes when it comes to the American and World economy. Chicago is also giving LA a run for its money in terms of culture. It is a better dining city, and is stealing a lot of film business.
Ha!
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