Greater downtown Toronto vs. Greater downtown Atlanta (best, cost, state)

[Alberta_Born]

For Toronto consider the entire downtown (Bathurst to Don River, Lake Ontario to Dupont/Davenport/Church/Bloor East streets) PLUS the Yonge Street corridor up to say Lawrence Avenue.

For Atlanta, consider downtown PLUS midtown PLUS the "core" of Buckhead (anything close to Peachtree Street up to about "Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE". Hell, you can throw in Atlantic Station if you want even though it's across the freeway.

These areas are similar in many ways. They both include a "traditional downtown" at the south end, connected to a "midtown/uptown" area further north by a subway line (Atlanta also has a freeway connecting these areas, Toronto does not). The both include the regions most noteable areas for office towers, nightlife, "urban shopping/dining", and highrise living. The Yonge Street corridor north of downtown Toronto is much wealthier than the region on average, and I suspect Atlanta's corridor also has a much higher average income than the city as a whole.

Compare:

-cityscape/architecture
-"urban living"
-shopping
-dining
-nightlife
-safety
-pedestrian friendliness (which includes continuity of pedestrian friendliness along the corridor)
-which street pattern you prefer (Toronto's strict north-south/east-west grid with shorter blocks vs. Atlanta's meandering streets with huge blocks)
-transit (public transit, bike lanes/paths, ease of catching a cab)
-anything else you find relevant

[btownboss4]

Toronto wins in Most catagories But none by a landslide, I do Prefer Atlantas street pattern better because it adds character to the city.

[john_starks]

T.o

[WorldCapital]

Toronto

[MiamiRob]

No question it's Toronto.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Born

For Toronto consider the entire downtown (Bathurst to Don River, Lake Ontario to Dupont/Davenport/Church/Bloor East streets) PLUS the Yonge Street corridor up to say Lawrence Avenue.

For Atlanta, consider downtown PLUS midtown PLUS the "core" of Buckhead (anything close to Peachtree Street up to about "Peachtree Dunwoody Road NE". Hell, you can throw in Atlantic Station if you want even though it's across the freeway.

These areas are similar in many ways. They both include a "traditional downtown" at the south end, connected to a "midtown/uptown" area further north by a subway line (Atlanta also has a freeway connecting these areas, Toronto does not). The both include the regions most noteable areas for office towers, nightlife, "urban shopping/dining", and highrise living. The Yonge Street corridor north of downtown Toronto is much wealthier than the region on average, and I suspect Atlanta's corridor also has a much higher average income than the city as a whole.

Compare:

-cityscape/architecture
-"urban living"
-shopping
-dining
-nightlife
-safety
-pedestrian friendliness (which includes continuity of pedestrian friendliness along the corridor)
-which street pattern you prefer (Toronto's strict north-south/east-west grid with shorter blocks vs. Atlanta's meandering streets with huge blocks)
-transit (public transit, bike lanes/paths, ease of catching a cab)
-anything else you find relevant

Atlanta.

[dee936]

I would think it would be Atlanta,ga but only if they didn't have that big gap in it lol!!!!!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!

[cabasse]

clearly toronto, on all points mentioned in the OP. i do much prefer the weather here though, but that's about all.

[pignchick]

Toronto is aesthetically prettier than Atlanta, but Atlanta has some of the lowest cost of living for a large city, and the climate is much better in Atlanta than Toronto.

Atlanta is simply designed differently than Toronto because there is no large river or lake running through Atlanta. The Chattahoochee River does not count. Atlanta is about the same size of Toronto, but much more sprawled out.

Downtown Toronto feels much larger and condensed than downtown Atlanta. Downtown Toronto appears to be thriving with massive amounts of condo construction. Downtown Atlanta is decaying with mostly government institutions remaining. It appears that Georgia State is expanding though, and probably buying nearby buildings for very little. Midtown (Atlanta)/Buckhead is much nicer and is comparable to Midtown (Toronto) and North York. Vinings to Sandy Springs on 285 is similar to Mississauga. Most parts west of downtown Atlanta and south of I-20 are avoided by most middle-class families. West End, Bankhead, English Avenue, etc. are worse versions of Jane & Finch, Rexdale, Flemingdon Park, etc.

For the average cost of a home in Toronto, you could easily afford a nice home in Buckhead or Sandy Springs (the best parts of Atlanta) and still have some play money. Yes, Atlanta is less safe than Toronto, but crime in both Toronto and Atlanta is usually centered in specific low-income neighborhoods, which are usually avoided.

Also, cost of living is generally a lot cheaper in Atlanta compared to Toronto (generally lower taxes, lower perishable and durable good prices, and most importantly lower cost for beer (now you can even buy on Sundays) because there is no government-controlled liquor monopoly (LCBO & Beer Store). Utilities are about the same. The only budget item that is directly more expensive is healthcare if you don’t have access to affordable employer-sponsored healthcare.

Toronto and Atlanta both have public transit, although MARTA (Atlanta) is a joke and almost no one uses it. TTC is not practical for many people in Toronto either because their job is not directly on the subway/bus line. A car is generally required in both cities. However, car insurance is 3x more expensive in Toronto than Atlanta. How can that be, when Atlanta has more property crime overall? Similar cars will also sell for much more and retain more resale value in Canada due to the high cost of transferring ownership. Also, Atlanta residents have access to a much larger domestic used car market compared to Toronto. Importing a car from the United States to Toronto is full of bureaucratic tape and import duties that it is generally unpractical for most people to get through.

Both Toronto and Atlanta have serious traffic issues. Toronto made a big mistake for giving up their 407 sovereignty for many years. Atlanta and Fulton County has had a hard time convincing anyone to increase taxes for new road projects. They finally decided to complete the 85/400 interchange next year; the project started in the early 1990’s.

[qc dreamin]

Gotta go with Toronto