Is Brooklyn more like other East Coast cities than New York as a whole? (state, compare)

[TheFriendlyGod]

It seems to me that Brooklyn, considered as a city on its own (which it kind of is but mostly is not) kind of seems more comparable to cities like Philadelphia and Boston than New York as a whole. Mainly this is because it's only got one million more residents than Philly instead of six and a half (!) but it's also more neighborhood-oriented than Manhattan; it's not one huge downtown like Manhattan kind of is. It does pull together as a city more than Queens or the Bronx, though, because it has a single downtown and surrounding regions. How do you think it compares to other East Coast cities in terms of neighborhoods, architecture, geography, and overall "feel"? (Amenities and such it mostly shares with New York as a whole.)

Some pictures:

A celebration around DUMBO:


http://www.treehugger.com/brooklyn-chairs-balloons-bikes-children-adults-photo.jpg (broken link)


Downtown, around the Fulton St. Mall, can get pretty crazy:






In Brooklyn Heights, two classically Brooklyn architectural styles meet-- Brownstone townhouse and brown-brick Art Deco apartment buildings:



In Prospect Heights, looking toward the Williamsburg Bank building and downtown:

http://www.nybrooklyn.com/images/flatbush_homes_for_sale.jpg (broken link)

The Brooklyn Museum:


Grand Army Plaza by Prospect Park:



The ritziest part of Park Slope:




And its main drag, 7th Avenue; this is a little south of 9th St:



Cortelyou Road in the Ditmas area:



Houses in Ditmas are huge and look like this:

http://curbed.com/uploads/2008_12_2008.jpg (broken link)

These oddly shaped rowhouses are VERY Brooklyn characteristic. They are located in East Flatbush:





More East Flatbush:




Bay Ridge has a hell of a restaurant row:








I'm sorry, I really went OD on the pictures and yet I still feel like I'm missing quite a lot. This collection is skewed toward the "Showcase" neighborhoods of Brooklyn...but there are more where they came from!

[Infamous92]

I think it has a lot in common with Philadelphia & Baltimore.

I feel it has more in common with Harlem, and the urban parts of Queens and the Bronx.

[nycricanpapi]

Brooklyn looks the same as The Bronx.

[OyCrumbler]

I agree that Brooklyn is more like other notable East Coast cities than any of the other boroughs. It also feels more like its own vibrant city than any of the other outer boroughs since it has its own downtown and notable world-class institutions (with the possibility of its own Brooklyn-identifying major league sports franchise in the future). This is especially evident in the MTA subway maps where Brooklyn is the only other borough with its own nexus of subway lines converging in downtown and then radiating outwards (the Bronx has most of its lines separating in Manhattan before even reaching the borough; Queens is served mostly with a single main trunk that splinters at the ends; Staten Island has their one line and that's it).

As for Brooklyn looking the same as the Bronx--that's true for some areas especially in regards to the architecture, but certainly there are neighborhoods (and not just the architecture) that are far different from anything in the Bronx.

[nycricanpapi]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

I agree that Brooklyn is more like other notable East Coast cities than any of the other boroughs. It also feels more like its own vibrant city than any of the other outer boroughs since it has its own downtown and notable world-class institutions (with the possibility of its own Brooklyn-identifying major league sports franchise in the future). This is especially evident in the MTA subway maps where Brooklyn is the only other borough with its own nexus of subway lines converging in downtown and then radiating outwards (the Bronx has most of its lines separating in Manhattan before even reaching the borough; Queens is served mostly with a single main trunk that splinters at the ends; Staten Island has their one line and that's it).

As for Brooklyn looking the same as the Bronx--that's true for some areas especially in regards to the architecture, but certainly there are neighborhoods (and not just the architecture) that are far different from anything in the Bronx.

Finally we agreed on something lol

[eek]

off topic but i wish they'd expand service into queens a lot more. its long over due.

on topic, bk still feels very ny to me...but i agree with the OP.

[bizchick86]

I can see where Brooklyn looks like the Bronx along Fulton St and Broadway, but Brooklyn is so vast it really is like its own city, unlike other burroughs. You've got all those beaches and natural scenery to the south, downtown to the northwest, suburbs further east and south east, and of course its own museum, an extensive library system, and basically everything else that would make it an independent city.

Brooklyn is too diverse to really compare to one east coast city. It's got similarities to many. A little Philly, Boston, and D.C, with suburban features with its ocean fronts and natural reserves. BK is definitely a treasure!

[Melchior6]

It reminded of some parts of Boston and it's surrounding areas like Chelsea and Lynn..

Here is downtown Lynn

[K.O.N.Y]

The bronx has huge worldclass institutions aswell. Colleges, sports,entertainment (etc)
A downtown area in the the hub and the grandconcourse
variety of neighborhoods. Soundview to riverdale to woodlawn to city island
Its own beach and massive parks

Its not as big as brooklyn thats all.

[Infamous92]

I think the same could be said for all boroughs though, every one of them is very unique to be it's own city, they all have at least something in common with each other though.