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It's funny - all these other threads get so much attention, but this one really captures 2 urban cities in every sense of the word. I'd choose St. Louis overall, just because the neighborhoods offer more, but downtown Cincinnati is better than downtown St. Louis. This is a good one, no doubt.
Can you explain how the neighborhoods offer more? I dont disagree with you i was just wanting to know a little bit more about what you said.
This is probably the most evenly matched city vs city thread.
Walkability: St. Louis - like someone else mentioned the hills really are a minus, but Cincinnati is still highly walkable.
Vibrancy: Cincinnati - because Cincinnati has the advantage of having two major universities located within the city limits otherwise they would be about even
Downtown: Cincinnati - even though St. Louis has made great strides towards revitilizing it's downtown, Cincinnati's is further along, but not too far ahead of St. Louis
Neighborhoods: Tie- Each city has its fair share of amazing neighborhoods, but also have neighborhoods that are decent and horrible so this is a tie.
Architecture: Tie - Both have great architecture so this just comes down to personal choice, which really means nothing to anyone
Shopping and Grocery Stores: Tie - Both cities have the same shopping and grocery. Neither city is Chicago or New York
Arts, Theatre, and Museums: St. Louis - Just for the fact that most of St. Louis's cultural amenities are free to the public, and also because St. Louis has the City Museum.
Diversity: St. Louis - Because St. Louis has a larger Asian community and if I'm not mistaken gets more immigrants.
Character: Tie - Both have great character and unique qualities about them.
Nightlife: Tie - Both have about the same amount of nightlife like clubs, bars, music venues etc.
Overall: St. Louis - Only because it's home, but would be just as happy in Cincinnati.
This is probably the most evenly matched city vs city thread.
Walkability: St. Louis - like someone else mentioned the hills really are a minus, but Cincinnati is still highly walkable.
Vibrancy: Cincinnati - because Cincinnati has the advantage of having two major universities located within the city limits otherwise they would be about even
Downtown: Cincinnati - even though St. Louis has made great strides towards revitilizing it's downtown, Cincinnati's is further along, but not too far ahead of St. Louis
Neighborhoods: Tie- Each city has its fair share of amazing neighborhoods, but also have neighborhoods that are decent and horrible so this is a tie.
Architecture: Tie - Both have great architecture so this just comes down to personal choice, which really means nothing to anyone
Shopping and Grocery Stores: Tie - Both cities have the same shopping and grocery. Neither city is Chicago or New York
Arts, Theatre, and Museums: St. Louis - Just for the fact that most of St. Louis's cultural amenities are free to the public, and also because St. Louis has the City Museum.
Diversity: St. Louis - Because St. Louis has a larger Asian community and if I'm not mistaken gets more immigrants.
Character: Tie - Both have great character and unique qualities about them.
Nightlife: Tie - Both have about the same amount of nightlife like clubs, bars, music venues etc.
Overall: St. Louis - Only because it's home, but would be just as happy in Cincinnati.
LOL you put everything as a tie, i couldnt find anything on cincinnati's immigration population but i found st. louis immigration population it is 126,000.
This is probably the most evenly matched city vs city thread.
Walkability: St. Louis - like someone else mentioned the hills really are a minus, but Cincinnati is still highly walkable.
Vibrancy: Cincinnati - because Cincinnati has the advantage of having two major universities located within the city limits otherwise they would be about even
Downtown: Cincinnati - even though St. Louis has made great strides towards revitilizing it's downtown, Cincinnati's is further along, but not too far ahead of St. Louis
Neighborhoods: Tie- Each city has its fair share of amazing neighborhoods, but also have neighborhoods that are decent and horrible so this is a tie.
Architecture: Tie - Both have great architecture so this just comes down to personal choice, which really means nothing to anyone
Shopping and Grocery Stores: Tie - Both cities have the same shopping and grocery. Neither city is Chicago or New York
Arts, Theatre, and Museums: St. Louis - Just for the fact that most of St. Louis's cultural amenities are free to the public, and also because St. Louis has the City Museum.
Diversity: St. Louis - Because St. Louis has a larger Asian community and if I'm not mistaken gets more immigrants.
Character: Tie - Both have great character and unique qualities about them.
Nightlife: Tie - Both have about the same amount of nightlife like clubs, bars, music venues etc.
Overall: St. Louis - Only because it's home, but would be just as happy in Cincinnati.
I thought St. Louis had Washington university and SLU?
LOL you put everything as a tie, i couldnt find anything on cincinnati's immigration population but i found st. louis immigration population it is 126,000.
Like I said it's the most even thread LOL! Plus neither city win hands down in any category.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis
I thought St. Louis had Washington university and SLU?
I was only comparing city limits. Only about a 1/6 of Wash U is in St. Louis the majority of it is in U City, and plus even if all of it was in the city it's to far west to make St. Louis seem more vibrant. Also Wash U students mainly hang out in the Delmar Loop, which most is in U city anyway. SLU kinda instills a don't hang out around campus after hours. Outside of a couple establishments Midtown/Grand Center are pretty dead on non-event nights even with SLU right in the middle.
For those of us more or less unfamiliar with both cities, which are the top five or so urban neighborhoods in each as far as showcasing architecture (with both commercial and residential), vibrancy and overall feel- the best places to live for urban/architecture junkies? NOT the suburbs outside of either.
As an architect and living in a cool urban neighborhood myself both of these cities have a lot of appeal to me and would like to know where to explore if I ever find myself finally there.
For those of us more or less unfamiliar with both cities, which are the top five or so urban neighborhoods in each as far as showcasing architecture (with both commercial and residential), vibrancy and overall feel- the best places to live for urban/architecture junkies? NOT the suburbs outside of either.
As an architect and living in a cool urban neighborhood myself both of these cities have a lot of appeal to me and would like to know where to explore if I ever find myself finally there.
For your criteria and in my opinion these are the top neighborhoods for St. Louis (Excluding Downtown and in no particular order)
1. Central West End
2. Soulard
3. Tower Grove South
4. Lafayette Square
5. Skinker-Debaliviere
Cincinnati wins this one. Overall the two cities have a lot in common though.
Cincinnati feels more compact, with a lot of what the city is within walking distance. St. Louis metro is bigger with overall more to do, but Cincinnati is not as cut up by freeways
A good example is in St. Louis metro, the most vibrant neighborhood, Central West End is a couple miles from downtown. St. Louis wins in the more vibrant inner ring suburbs, with University City and Clayton, but thats just it, Clayton is as big as downtown St. Louis.
Cincinnatis suburbs are physically and structurally more "country", but there is nothing in St. Louis like the proximity of downtown Cincy + OTR + Clifton/CUF/UC + Mt. Adams + Hyde Park + Newport and Covington across the river. St. Louiss waterfront is still run down away from the arch, and across the river on the Illinois side is a war zone.
So, in terms of compactness, walkability, the definitions that many on C-D use, Cincinnati wins this one. It is the most east coast-feeling midwest city.
I'd probably take Cinncy. Both cities have great architecture and interesting neighborhoods. But somehow I get the impression that St. Louis has more crime. North St. Louis reminds me of North Philly. Rough looking area.
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