America's Top 10 Downtown's (state, better, people, size)

[Pelham3]

greenville sc has a nice downtown

[BitofEndearment]

Originally Posted by Nafster

They said that five years ago.

And have you happened to notice the incredible changes in the past 5 years alone? Two completely different places. I'd say it's a success so far.

[slo1318]

I'd go more like :

1-NYC
2-San Francisco
3-Chicago
4-Boston
5-Philly
6-Seattle
7-DC
Then a host of other contenders including LA to round out the top 10.

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by Pelham3

greenville sc has a nice downtown

A good point that there a lot of mid size downtowns that are strong...

[CityofBroLove]

Originally Posted by slo1318

I'd go more like :

1-NYC
2-San Francisco
3-Chicago
4-Boston
5-Philly
6-Seattle
7-DC
Then a host of other contenders including LA to round out the top 10.

I don't think I can agree with this list. My list would be:

1-NYC
2.Chicago
3. Philly
4. San Francisco
5. Boston
6. Seattle
7. DC
8. LA
9. Baltimore
10. Minneapolis

[animatedmartian]

I'm curious how New Orleans fits into to anyone's list. Obviously there's a lot of good things said about the French Quarter, but outside of that, how would the rest of the downtown area fair?

Looking around Streetview, most of the vibrancy does seem focused in the French Quarter, but visually the rest of Downtown NO actually looks pretty good. At the very least it seems better than cities of similar size. I'd at least put it as a lot more interesting than Minneapolis' downtown.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

I'm curious how New Orleans fits into to anyone's list. Obviously there's a lot of good things said about the French Quarter, but outside of that, how would the rest of the downtown area fair?

Looking around Streetview, most of the vibrancy does seem focused in the French Quarter, but visually the rest of Downtown NO actually looks pretty good. At the very least it seems better than cities of similar size. I'd at least put it as a lot more interesting than Minneapolis' downtown.

The CBD and the Warehouse is pretty vibrant as well with new condos, apartments, restaurants, a new supermarket, etc.

Anyways I included New Orleans in the top ten because it is one of the few downtown areas in the US to offer amenities such as drug stores, supermarkets, movie theaters, clothing/department stores, etc that cater to residents in addition to restaurants and bars which are open 24/7. Very few cities outside of New York City, Miami, or Chicago can compete with that.

[pgm123]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

You don't think Union Station is downtown? It's on H Street and in NOMA. You don't think the Capitol Building is downtown? It's across the street from NOMA. Is there an imaginary line that defines downtown D.C.? I have often wondered since all the buildings are the same height, where does downtown stop?

Mass Ave NE and 1st St NE, imo. Though, if I say, "I'm going downtown," I probably mean a more narrow pentagon that goes from about 19th NW to 9th NW west to east and constitution on the south and Rhode Island and Mass to the north, but that's what I refer to as downtown rather than what I think the extent of the downtown is.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by blue bird

Don't forget Downtown Houston. It trounces Downtown Minneapolis.

Downtown Houston is an office park for the most part.

You must have a grudge against Minneapolis or something.

[GatsbyGatz]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Downtown Houston is an office park for the most part.

You must have a grudge against Minneapolis or something.

Texans make a stance at every chance they get to promote their pathetic lackluster downtowns. Rustbelt cities have more vibrant downtowns than Houston...