Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
what the heck are you even talking about? why would Chicago be jealous of Philadelphia? Do I suggest that because there is anything wrong with Philly or that is not a great city? hell, no. Philly is a great place.
Could be a variety of reasons ranging from location, architecture, higher education, or local cuisine for example. Who knows, that's why I said maybe.
Quote:
no, I suggest it because why would Chicago be jealous of any city? I say that because we Chicagoans know our city is incredibly great, its greatness doesn't come from comparison to any other place; its greatness comes from what the city is. NYC's downtown (or basically 2 CBD's, downtown and midtown) are considerably larger than Chicago's CBD. So what? Chicago in no way is trying to be NYC, although we fully recognize how great NYC is. NYC and LA are both larger than Chicago, will always be larger than Chicago, are fantastic cities……and nobody in Chicago gives a damn. Indeed, we Chicagoans can look at the greatness of other great cities (places like NYC, DC, Boston, LA, SF), appreciate that greatness, and thoroughly enjoy those places with no need for us to compare…..because we are secure in how we see our city.
If population statistics weren't a big deal then why are so many of you getting so bent out of shape about Philly having a larger downtown population than Chicago?
Quote:
In fact, the thing that makes Chicago so great to me is not what outsiders think of it (although my own experience is that the out-of-towners think the city is fabulous). No, what makes Chicago so great to me is how great Chicagoans think the city is. we're homers….and damned proud of it.
You and other posters who have commented on my thread have certainly clarified that loud and clear.
Quote:
so, gwilly, you can be thrilled all you want about the prospect of Philly's downtown passing Chicago in size just like the fools down in Houston are salivating in anticipation to that marvelous day when Houston passes Chicago in population.
Houston is so suburbanized that you can't really compare it to other major cities like NYC, Philly, Chicago, etc.
Quote:
in your own northeast corridor, you have a similarly self secure city, Boston, a city a fraction of Philly's size…..but a Bostonian would consider it joke to suggest that Boston is in Philly's shadow.
It would even be a stretch to suggest that New York City overshadows Boston.
But Chicago and Paris have something in common? Yeah right. I never said that Philly and Paris have a lot in common. Also, what I said is exactly true. "Philly and Paris have one thing in common, they are both more compact and walkable than Chicago". I also obviously never said that any part of Philly is comparable to or on the same level as Paris. The most urban parts of Chicago are still less walkable than the most urban parts of Philadelphia and a continuous of 135 sq miles of Chicago is still less compact and walkable than Philadelphia. Will the slice of 135 sq miles of Chicago be more dense than Philadelphia overall? Yes. But that doesn't mean anything. For example, if you slice out a continuous 227 square miles of LA it would be more dense and larger than Chicago but does that mean that LA is more walkable or urban than Chicago? No. There you have it.
How could anyone actually think Chicago is a more walkable city than Philly. Philly's infrastructure alone proves that it is the more walkable city. Cities in the Northeast on a different level of walkability compared to cities in other regions of the country. The only other major city that can compete is San Francisco. Walks scores change every year, so I don't those scores seriously.
Could be a variety of reasons ranging from location, architecture, higher education, or local cuisine for example. Who knows, that's why I said maybe.
If population statistics weren't a big deal then why are so many of you getting so bent out of shape about Philly having a larger downtown population than Chicago?
You and other posters who have commented on my thread have certainly clarified that loud and clear.
Houston is so suburbanized that you can't really compare it to other major cities like NYC, Philly, Chicago, etc.
It would even be a stretch to suggest that New York City overshadows Boston.
C'mon man Philly still has the 3rd largest downtown. Stop boosting. That report is BS. Center city is spring garden or vine street to south street north to south, and Delaware river to Schuylkill river east to west. Thats it. Born, raised and current Philadelphian speaking here.
C'mon man Philly still has the 3rd largest downtown. Stop boosting. That report is BS. Center city is spring garden or vine street to south street north to south, and Delaware river to Schuylkill river east to west. Thats it.
It's not boosting. Go back and read my statistics. Even without the "Greater Center City" boundaries, it's still more populated than the traditional boundaries of downtown Chicago(aka Chicago loop). So either way, downtown Philly is still more populated than downtown Chicago.
Quote:
Born, raised and current Philadelphian speaking here.
I just want to make one thing clear. No one who lives in Philadelphia who I know thinks of Center City as anything other than South to Spring Garden (or Vine), River to River. To say an area as far south as Tasker or as far north as Girard is Center City is ridiculous. They are bother clearly deep into South and North Philadelphia. This new made up boundaries for "Center City" are nothing but a marketing ploy.
Seriously, I sometimes wonder if this is a reason for landlords in the area to have an excuse to jack up rents, because magically their properties are now in Center City. I chose South Philadelphia over Center City to live in because it was a lot cheaper but I could hop on the subway and be in Center City in just 1 or 2 stops.
ok, gwillyfromphilly, we all admit that Philadelphia is "The Greatest City The World Has Ever Known". And I admit that Chicago is heartbroken we lost our vaunted "second biggest downtown" title to Philly. now can we end this insane thread.
Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
2,535 posts, read 3,291,683 times
Reputation: 1483
WOW What a Day in C-D .... But I did enjoy everyone's post ALL were CIVIL and Butt-hurt was confined to Moderate Towel Slaps in the Locker Room...
Also GREAT POST AND BEST IN THE THREAD TO "edge25"
Quote:
Originally Posted by edsg25
what the heck are you even talking about? why would Chicago be jealous of Philadelphia? Do I suggest that because there is anything wrong with Philly or that is not a great city? hell, no. Philly is a great place.
no, I suggest it because why would Chicago be jealous of any city? I say that because we Chicagoans know our city is incredibly great, its greatness doesn't come from comparison to any other place; its greatness comes from what the city is. NYC's downtown (or basically 2 CBD's, downtown and midtown) are considerably larger than Chicago's CBD. So what? Chicago in no way is trying to be NYC, although we fully recognize how great NYC is. NYC and LA are both larger than Chicago, will always be larger than Chicago, are fantastic cities……and nobody in Chicago gives a damn. Indeed, we Chicagoans can look at the greatness of other great cities (places like NYC, DC, Boston, LA, SF), appreciate that greatness, and thoroughly enjoy those places with no need for us to compare…..because we are secure in how we see our city.
In fact, the thing that makes Chicago so great to me is not what outsiders think of it (although my own experience is that the out-of-towners think the city is fabulous). No, what makes Chicago so great to me is how great Chicagoans think the city is. we're homers….and damned proud of it.
so, gwilly, you can be thrilled all you want about the prospect of Philly's downtown passing Chicago in size just like the fools down in Houston are salivating in anticipation to that marvelous day when Houston passes Chicago in population. You can "write off" Chicago all you want….so many others have done so, but like the energizer Bunny, we always bounce back. and personally, I don't want to write off any city
gwilly, have you ever heard of a city called "San Francisco" (it's in California, if that helps you). well, SF is the 4th largest city in California, and not only that, it is only the 2nd largest city in its own metro area, the Bay Area, behind San Jose (with SJ being above a million people and SF being below a million people).
now, do you think any San Franciscan gives a damn about those statistics? they don't. what San Franciscans think is that SF is "everybody's favorite city" or, to them, a place that is simply known as "The City" and they don't feel in competition with anybody.
and can Chicago "bleed" population? yes, it can and it has. but what Chicago is losing is low income population, largely African American and that is part of what goes in my city that truly stinks: Chicago is more and more a home for the wealthy and others are disposable.
in your own northeast corridor, you have a similarly self secure city, Boston, a city a fraction of Philly's size…..but a Bostonian would consider it joke to suggest that Boston is in Philly's shadow.
if you think Philly is a great city (which it is), you don't need any competition of pecking order with other places to realize its greatness.
But I do DISAGREE. That Chicago is less Walkable. That some were posting ......I mean.... it has HUGE TREELINED NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. Throughout the City. You do not have to walk on a narrow sidewalk and in so many blocks of Philly. SEE NO GRASS AND MANY BLOCKS NO OR FEW TREES. Chicago is GREEN.... WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO THE PARK. TO SEE MUCH GREEN? IN SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS.
Even Chicago's BUNGALOW BELT HAD GREAT FRONT LAWNS TO THE SIDEWALKS. THEN MORE TO THE STREET. YOU CAN WALK WITHOUT VIIEWING THE POWER LINES because they are in back in the Alleys. You don't have to have your garbage in front each week. It is kept in the Alleys too. No one needs to put their Grill in front.. They All have Back yards.
I like Pictures..... But 360° Streetviews. Are AWESOME TO COMPARE... and THEY TOO BACK-UP YOUR CLAIMS.
Philly has some GREAT COLONIAL AREAS and Some Row home areas even in Center City that being gentrified and restored.. can give you a step back in time.
But walking in these Chicago neighborhoods.
I find perfect to walk. TREES TREES TREES
it is only the 2nd largest city in its own metro area, the Bay Area, behind San Jose (with SJ being above a million people and SF being below a million people).
SF is very much the largest city in it's metro area. It's the 2nd largest city in it's CSA, which combines multiple metro areas.
Some great logic being passed around in this thread.
The 50k suburb in FL my parents live in is more walkable than Chicago because there are more trees around the streets...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
WOW What a Day in C-D .... But I did enjoy everyone's post 
ALL were CIVIL and Butt-hurt was confined to Moderate Towel Slaps in the Locker Room... 
