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Even if that were true (which it isn't), one third of Chicago is about 80 sq miles. That's double the size of Paris proper and 4 times the size of Manhattan. How much city do you need?
As for Toronto teeming with vibrancy, this is the kind of streetscapes you have not even one mile from Yonge street:
Downtown Toronto may be booming but the drop in density is staggeringly precipitous by big city standards. That, I suspect, is why people who have been to both cities say that Toronto feels much more small-scale and provincial by comparison.
The neighbourhoods just outside the downtown core (such as the one shown in your link) have densities in excess of 20,000 people per square mile, and the street you linked to might seem quiet, but it's mere steps away from Spadina Ave. which is an extremely busy and solidly built-up urban thoroughfare and the heart of the city's main Chinatown. Kensington market and Baldwin village are also just minutes away on foot. The whole area around that street is full of life and activity.
You go one mile West of the Loop in Chicago and you'll find desolate streets full of boarded up buildings and empty lots, how is that more urban or big city? Ok, not all of the areas outside the loop or the North side are desolate and crime ridden, but much of the West and South sides of Chicago definitely do fit that description.
The neighbourhoods just outside the downtown core (such as the one shown in your link) have densities in excess of 20,000 people per square mile, and the street you linked to might seem quiet, but it's mere steps away from Spadina Ave. which is an extremely busy and solidly built-up urban thoroughfare and the heart of the city's main Chinatown. Kensington market and Baldwin village are also just minutes away on foot. The whole area around that street is full of life and activity.
You go one mile West of the Loop in Chicago and you'll find desolate streets full of boarded up buildings and empty lots, how is that more urban or big city?
You and Chandler must have been separated at birth. I show a typical streetscape in toronto within minutes walk of your Main Street that looks like hicksville and you hit me with density figures.
Go ahead, show me something less than a mile from Michigan Avenue that looks like Alabama. I'd love to see it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Atticman
Ok, not all of the areas outside the loop or the North side are desolate and crime ridden, but much of the West and South sides of Chicago definitely do fit that description.
Oh not all now... So why did you say all in the prior post? Mindless bluster?
You can't get a feel for those streets from looking at them on street view. Walking along them is a totally different experience, and not for a second do they seem like Alabama hicksville.
You and Chandler must have been separated at birth. I show a typical streetscape in toronto within minutes walk of your Main Street that looks like hicksville and you hit me with density figures.
Go ahead, show me something less than a mile from Michigan Avenue that looks like Alabama. I'd love to see it.
Oh not all now... So why did you say all in the prior post? Mindless bluster?
Simple arithmetic. Chicago is divided into three sectors, North side, West side, and South side. West side + South side = two thirds.
The neighbourhoods just outside the downtown core (such as the one shown in your link) have densities in excess of 20,000 people per square mile, and the street you linked to might seem quiet, but it's mere steps away from Spadina Ave. which is an extremely busy and solidly built-up urban thoroughfare and the heart of the city's main Chinatown. Kensington market and Baldwin village are also just minutes away on foot. The whole area around that street is full of life and activity.
You go one mile West of the Loop in Chicago and you'll find desolate streets full of boarded up buildings and empty lots, how is that more urban or big city? Ok, not all of the areas outside the loop or the North side are desolate and crime ridden, but much of the West and South sides of Chicago definitely do fit that description.
one mile west of the loop would be in the west loop or greek town, which is full of expensive lofts and some of the best restaurants in the city off Randolph...It might have been like that 20 years ago... not now.
south of that is little italy and uic... so still fine there...
Past that is the RUSH and the Medical District, which is also fine.
if you move over south west off roosevelt and canal you'll find whole foods, dsw, Pet Smart.
South Michigan and Indiana down to 18th are lined with high rise condos
The west side doesn't get bad until past the united center around Damen, which is 2000 W 2.4 miles west of state/madison. But just north of there is Ukranian Village
The "west side" of Chicago is technically quite small and half of that is technically the "north side" ... so no, not 2/3 of the city.
one mile west of the loop would be in the west loop, which is full of expensive lofts and some of the best restaurants in the city off Randolph...It might have been like that 20 years ago... not now.
Still, it seems pretty clear that Fitzrovian was cherry-picking yet again. This street scape is less than one mile from the Willis Tower: 1027 south canal street chicago - Google Maps
Accurate representation of Chicago? Probably not.
Anyway, I was "wandering" around that neighborhood in Toronto--I must admit, it looks damn nice. Reminds me of a few outer San Francisco nabes, sans hills and way leafer. Coral Gables clearly searched out the least structurally dense street he could find, and passed it off as a "typical" Toronto street. The guy is shameless.
Here's a recent pic of downtown Toronto, Fitzrovian. The street you linked to on streetview is hidden in the trees just above the cluster of buildings immediately to the right of the CN Tower.
By Christina Karchevskaya on Flickr
Simple arithmetic. Chicago is divided into three sectors, North side, West side, and South side. West side + South side = two thirds.
And the entirety of the West side and the South side aren't bad, desolate or boarded up, and the West side is a relatively small part of the city, so it's not "two thirds" as you claim. Besides, most of the sensationalized crime is located to small pockets in different parts of the West and South sides.
Still, it seems pretty clear that Fitzrovian was cherry-picking yet again. This street scape is less than one mile from the Willis Tower: 1027 south canal street chicago - Google Maps
Accurate representation of Chicago? Probably not.
Anyway, I was "wandering" around that neighborhood in Toronto--I must admit, it looks damn nice. Reminds me of a few outer San Francisco nabes, sans hills and way leafer. Coral Gables clearly searched out the least structurally dense street he could find, and passed it off as a "typical" Toronto street. The guy is shameless.
Definitely not accurate you are about to enter the rail road yards at that point and a power plant. But there is a whole foods 1 block away, so certainly not terrible, it just isn't residential, it's industrial with commercial districts to serve the west and south loop communities with big box stores.
There is also a gigantic abandoned post office near there. As is the main new post office facilities.
That area is actually extremely packed on the weekends do the shopping and they close down the street for Maxwell Street market.
This is that same area on the weekend... http://www.explorechicago.org/city/e...et_market.html
Chicago has a massive urban/industrial area near the cbd which brings in food/trains/etc, similar to LA.
Still, it seems pretty clear that Fitzrovian was cherry-picking yet again. This street scape is less than one mile from the Willis Tower: 1027 south canal street chicago - Google Maps
Accurate representation of Chicago? Probably not.
Anyway, I was "wandering" around that neighborhood in Toronto--I must admit, it looks damn nice. Reminds me of a few outer San Francisco nabes, sans hills and way leafer. Coral Gables clearly searched out the least structurally dense street he could find, and passed it off as a "typical" Toronto street. The guy is shameless.
It's actually pretty interesting how different of a feeling even Google street view has if the pictures are taken during winter/early spring (like the Chicago picture) or during summer (like the Toronto picture). Interestingly, I don't see much wrong with that Chicago picture you posted, especially given that it is sandwiched by a huge rail yard just to its East and 90/94 to its West.
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