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It's funny, when I last visited San Francisco, I said it reminded me of a hybrid Boston and New York. The streets aren't as crooked/twisted as Bostons (more long and straight like New York), but it doesn't cover nearly as much of an area as New York (similar in size to Boston's central core). In all, it reminds me more of Boston(and sure, Philly) in terms of scale and size. Walking along Market Street in central S.F. is very similar to walking along Boylston in Central Boston with high-rises, similar stores, similar transit access (green line runs under Boylston and it's VERY similar to SF's Muni Metro which runs under Market), etc. Each city has large sections of high-rise buildings (Financial Districts of sorts) surrounded by more human scale neighborhoods loaded with unique shops, restuarants, bars, etc. Both cities have key ethnic neighborhoods abutting the commercial centers (North Beach is SF's Little Italy while North End is Boston's. Chinatown in Both cities is right next to the city center). The almost seamless transition while walking from neighborhood to neighborhood was eerily similar too. I find that San Francisco is much more similar to Boston(and Philly) than it is to Chicago.
The compact nature and walkability of both the dense central cores and the surrounding residential areas is VERY similar.
Philly seems very provincial and not very 21st century. SF, Boston, and even Chicago seem to attract people from around the nation rather than merely retain locals. Philly seems like a big local city and not very cosmopolitan in comparison. I don't live there, but have visited on business.
Philly seems very provincial and not very 21st century. SF, Boston, and even Chicago seem to attract people from around the nation rather than merely retain locals. Philly seems like a big local city and not very cosmopolitan in comparison. I don't live there, but have visited on business.
Philadelphia may be provincial as a whole when compared to Boston and SF because it seems those two cities have all but lost their local "flair", which is ashame.
However, Center City Philadelphia is made up of mostly transplants from all over the country and world. Please stop trying to downplay Philly's downtown. It has the third largest population of any downtown in the country and is filled with history, world-renowned schools and institutions and more cultural institutions and museums than most cities in the country.
Why is it Boston/Philly? Center City sucks compared to downtown Boston, Manhattan, or the Balt. Inner Harbor. San Francisco is most like Boston, but I would choose the former.
The vote is turning into a blood bath, more or less as I expected. In hind sight, I wish I had added a 3rd option for "in between." I get the sense that SF has a little more going on than Bos/Philly, even if doesn't rival Chi.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpterp
Why is it Boston/Philly? Center City sucks
I chose Bos/Philly because they seemed similar in terms of size and activity. Both are vibrant beyond office hours and have lots of retail/residential. Boston is of course ritzier, but IMO that doesn't matter for this discussion.
I don't get all the Center City bashing. Obviously is not as spruced up as the other big urban cities. But, it has been making a come back and it remains one of the few true mixed use DTs in the county. Outside the cities on the post, only DC and Sea can rival it, IMO.
I don't get all the Center City bashing. Obviously is not as spruced up as the other big urban cities. But, it has been making a come back and it remains one of the few true mixed use DTs in the county. Outside the cities on the post, only DC and Sea can rival it, IMO.
Some retail sections of Center City admittedly could use some sprucing up but the residential and cultural quadrants of Center City are flawless.
People automatically assume vibrancy begins at a lofty per capita income level. Thats nonsense. Philadlephia may be less affluent than SF and Bos but that doesnt make it any less vibrant , there is a ton of energy and diversity here. Center City is the real deal which is what 2em51 was alluding to. It hasnt completely lost its soul to commercialization and the whitewashing/yuppification of most successful downtowns.
Downtown SF/Boston are full of BMW's/Mercedes/Range Rovers where Mom/Dad Buffy +Biff get lost in a sea of posers . Center City Philly streets are full of real people riding bicycles,scooters,skateboards, pocket rockets.
Why is it Boston/Philly? Center City sucks compared to downtown Boston, Manhattan, or the Balt. Inner Harbor. San Francisco is most like Boston, but I would choose the former.
Are you serious with that one? The Inner Harbor is nice, but surely NOT on the same level as the two aforementioned downtowns and certainly not Philadelphia, as well.
Re: the rest of the ignorant comments on the thread regarding Philly's DT, here are some actual facts.
CC Philadelphia:
- Lies at the heart of the 4th largest retail market in the U.S with 2,400 downtown retail shops.
- Has experienced a 234% increase in fine dining restaurants since 1992 with 217. There are also 205 outdoor cafes, 59 bars and nightclubs and 49 coffeehouses.
- Is home to an estimated 92,000 residents, the third largest downtown population in the U.S., with a wide range of housing options from modern apartments to historic townhouses to converted lofts
- Is home to 13 institutions of higher education, with over 28,000 students. Another 68,000 college students live in adjacent neighborhoods.
- Is the hub of 62 bus, trolley, regional and high–speed rail lines that efficiently carry more than 296,000 passengers each workday.
-Has 39.7 million square feet of competitively priced Class A and B office space, averaging $30 per square foot in a wide variety of state–of–the–art office buildings within quick walking distance of transit stops, parking garages and high–quality restaurants and retail.
- Is home to nearly 9,000 businesses—the highest concentration of firms in the Philadelphia region, with a high percentage of businesses in financial, insurance, real estate, engineering and legal services.
With these figures, comparing Philly to Boston or SF is certainly not off base and definitely places it a couple notches above cities like Seattle and Baltimore.
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