Philadelphia surpasses Chicago as the 2nd largest downtown in the US! (beach, development)
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It's not about Chicago falling behind but more of Philly doing well. After reading all these pages it's clearly obvious that some can't give Philly credit for anything. I wish more people realized that Philly has changed a lot since the 1970's. smh
The problem is your homer attitude and misleading post. It seems like a lot of people on this forum from Philadelphia are very insecure. Threads like this one are why I spend very little time posting in the 'city vs city' forum.
Philly might have a more dense population downtown, but its downtown sucks compared to Chicago. If most of Philly's downtown was taken up by dense business districts (like Chicago), its density would be much less. I found Philly's downtown to be mediocre at best. Chicago's was much more vibrant, busy, and with much more to do. Plus, it was cleaner, felt safer, and had the beautiful lakefront to accentuate the amazing architecture. The riverboat architectural tour was world class, as were the museums. Philly's downtown was... meh. Just meh.
The problem is your homer attitude and misleading post. It seems like a lot of people on this forum from Philadelphia are very insecure. Threads like this one are why I spend very little time posting in the 'city vs city' forum.
First of all, I don't have a homer attitude. Secondly, where are all these so called insecure Philly posters that you claim? The only one that was acting out of line was that troll from San Jose pretending to be from the Philly area.
Nice try. Either way Philly is now more populated that downtown Chicago even if you only look at the CBD.
As far as population in general for both cities, they are actually pretty close when given fair metrics involving population over a given area. Both cities have remained among in the top 5 largest cities for over 100 years now. At the metro level the Delaware Valley already has more to offer than Chicagoland. If Philly ever did annex more land, it could easily catch up to Chicago in city population.
Nice try at what?? All I said was that Philly has always had a larger downtown resident population than Chicago and made fun of the title because it was misleading and kinda pointless. Hence my comment about the USA now having a larger economy than France reference.
I don't know how many times it has to be pointed out. The numbers make it very obvious. People are celebrating Philly for having a larger downtown population than Chicago.
IT
ALWAYS
HAS
THIS
ISN'T
NEW
What I am mildly curious about is the trends between them. Philadelphia has always been quite a bit ahead of Chicago, but it's been pointed out that the area around downtown Chicago has increased from 80,000 to 125,000 from 2000 to 2010 and 16,000 housing units have been built since then. Going by community areas (not quite downtown, but vaguely close) it's around 130,000 now and again, those 16,000 housing units in the past 5 years would apply there as well.
What are the recent building trends and downtown population trends in Philadelphia at the moment and over the past 20 years? Chicago has grown by around 45,000 people from 2000 to 2010 and potentially by 20,000+ since 2010.
I only care as much as I do about this thread because the title says one thing, but I almost wonder if Philly is starting to lose its hold on being #2 in downtown resident population as opposed to increasing in ranking (which the title implies but isn't true).
Nice try at what?? All I said was that Philly has always had a larger downtown resident population than Chicago and made fun of the title because it was misleading and kinda pointless. Hence my comment about the USA now having a larger economy than France reference.
How are you defining downtown Chicago because if your going by the info I provided then you are wrong.
How are you defining downtown Chicago because if your going by the info I provided then you are wrong.
Going by just including the three community areas, which isn't really accurate as it includes everything up to North Ave (not really downtown) while ignoring the immediate quick growing areas just west of the river, which are very much part of downtown:
If you look at the census tracts from Division Street to the river, the areas around the main train stations down to around McCormick place, which is a tighter area but would be what most everyone would call the core of "downtown":
2000: 81,000
2010: 125,000
What are Philadelphia's growth rates and historical downtown population. What is your info that shows I'm wrong.
Are you saying it was that much lower in 2000? That's the sticking point. I don't think Philly was below Chicago at any point, and I've seen research that shows Chicago is actually adding downtown population faster than any other city.
Wait, I just looked up "downtown" being used in these numbers for Philadelphia.
Tasker Street up to Girard.
This area is block after block after block of residential housing, this isn't "downtown" as most Americans would define. Of course you have 180,000 people, you're taking in tons of residential neighborhoods.
Going by just including the three community areas, which isn't really accurate as it includes everything up to North Ave (not really downtown) while ignoring the immediate quick growing areas just west of the river, which are very much part of downtown:
If you look at the census tracts from Division Street to the river, the areas around the main train stations down to around McCormick place, which is a tighter area but would be what most everyone would call the core of "downtown":
2000: 81,000
2010: 125,000
What are Philadelphia's growth rates and historical downtown population. What is your info that shows I'm wrong.
Are you saying it was that much lower in 2000? That's the sticking point. I don't think Philly was below Chicago at any point, and I've seen research that shows Chicago is actually adding downtown population faster than any other city.
The census report showed about 20K people added from 2000 to 2010
Based on the census release Chicago led all in add during this time
Then I think Manhattan (DT which they consider Lower Manhattan)
Philly
DC
SF
the next 4 after Chicago were close on absolute adds in the 20K range. I believe Chicago was like 50% greater during the time period in absolute adds
need to track down the link but think am pretty accurate on the numbers
Wait, I just looked up "downtown" being used in these numbers for Philadelphia.
Tasker Street up to Girard.
This area is block after block after block of residential housing, this isn't "downtown" as most Americans would define. Of course you have 180,000 people, you're taking in tons of residential neighborhoods.
Yep Tasker is not DT by any stretch of the imagination
Technically the article does not call it DT - it uses an extended DT moniker which is the core plus 1 mile extended - the catalyst was a study the CCD commissioned on DTs with the i believe the Brooking s Institute
This was more of press snippet from a recent report the CCD released. The CCD is a group that has actually done wonders to improve the Philly DT and looks like they are eyeing expanding their footprint - to me a very good thing. The CCD may have been one of the best City associations anywhere over the last 25 years actually
on this thread - their intent was never to say the Philly "DT" is the second largest. Its the population within the DT and 1 mile extended including many residential neighborhoods. There is comparative data in their report
Here is the original report - some interesting stats on many cities
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