Chicago vs New York from street level (largest, Los Angeles, schools)
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Although I would never argue how impressive the Manhattan skyline is, I've always found Chicago's to be more "uniform" for lack of a better word. The architecture seems to blend more with its environs to me than does NYC's.
Much has to do with their respective geographical locations and limitations, but Chicago always appeared beautifully organized, even if it is a basic radial/grid. Personal opinion, of course.
New York is so much more beautiful and interesting to walk around than pedestrian looking Chicago with it's wide, boring streets. Chicago looks bland and it felt no different than being dropped in the middle of [insert random city's downtown]. It's simply bigger and taller than that random city.
New York -- better scenery, more impressive, more stylish/beautiful people which makes for better people watching, more vibrant, much better retail, much better restaurants, more "quaint" neighborhoods like the Village. There is no SoHo of Chicago. It's just so different and "plain". Chicago's skyscrapers used to feel impressive to me, but these days Chicago is just stagnant/declining and New York is crushing them with even taller and more impressive buildings. So New York is definitely the taller city now. There is a reason New York is a far more desirable and iconic than Chicago.
Chicago was one city I went to once and never felt the need to return (though, i've had to return a few more times for events). I would never in my life just go there for leisure. If I someone handed me an free airline ticket and hotel accommodations to go to Chicago this weekend I wouldn't use it. New York, on the other hand? I would take off from work at this moment. It's an amazing city and love going there for leisure. Chicago isn't a bad city by any means, but it's just not New York.
Last edited by jack sparrow; 09-18-2015 at 01:29 PM..
New York is so much more beautiful and interesting to walk around than pedestrian looking Chicago with it's wide, boring streets. Chicago looks bland and it felt no different than being dropped in the middle of [insert random city's downtown]. It's simply bigger and taller than that random city.
New York -- better scenery, more impressive, more stylish/beautiful people which makes for better people watching, more vibrant, much better retail, much better restaurants, more "quaint" neighborhoods like the Village. There is no SoHo of Chicago. It's just so different and "plain". Chicago's skyscrapers used to feel impressive to me, but these days Chicago is just stagnant/declining and New York is crushing them with even taller and more impressive buildings. So New York is definitely the taller city now. There is a reason New York is a far more desirable and iconic than Chicago.
Chicago was one city I went to once and never felt the need to return (though, i've had to return a few more times for events). I would never in my life just go there for leisure. If I someone handed me an free airline ticket and hotel accommodations to go to Chicago this weekend I wouldn't use it. New York, on the other hand? I would take off from work at this moment. It's an amazing city and love going there for leisure. Chicago isn't a bad city by any means, but it's just not New York.
"If I someone handed me an free airline ticket and hotel accommodations to go to Chicago this weekend I wouldn't use it. "Oh my.
eh, they're the two best cities in the U.S., and frankly, by a wide margin. When you look at these two cities, each additive attribute makes them stand out further and further from the crowd. These two are unique when combining the following and are typically 1-2 or at least 1-4 in all of them (NYC is 1 or 2 in all): urban density, public transit-oriented, vibrant, great culture (museums, music), architecture-driven, dining, business capitals, world cities, etc.
From a size/vibrancy standpoint, NYC is an absolute behemoth, and I think any rational Chicagoan who has visited NYC on enough occasions realizes just how much bigger NYC is than Chicago. NYC is an absolute beast, Chicago is merely "massive". That said, NYC pisses me off as much as I enjoy it, with the ridiculous garbage on the sidewalks (this is a *real* problem), horrible COL and general overcrowding. That said, NYC is quite easily the second best city in the U.S. and one of the top 4 in the World.
I think when you look at a broad spectrum of different things, categories, and amenities that New York is handily superior to Chicago. There is not one thing Chicago has, save for perhaps a more striking waterfront and more Mexican food, over New York. Everything Chicago is good at, New York is great at.
Also, Chicago a top 4 world city? Over Tokyo? Chicago is certainly a great world city and it deserves more attention than it gets on the global level but it is not a top 5 city, probably not top 10 city in the world either. Chicago fanatics, the fifth most out-of-touch with reality people on City-versus-City after the Philadelphia boosters, Atlanta boosters, Toronto and San Francisco boosters.
Last edited by Trafalgar Law; 09-18-2015 at 02:05 PM..
I think when you look at a broad spectrum of different things, categories, and amenities that New York is handily superior to Chicago. There is not one thing Chicago has, save for perhaps a more striking waterfront and more Mexican food, over New York. Everything Chicago is good at, New York is great at.
Also, Chicago a top 4 world city? Over Tokyo? Chicago is certainly a great world city and it deserves more attention than it gets on the global level but it is not a top 5 city, probably not top 10 city in the world either. Chicago fanatics, the fifth most out-of-touch with reality people on City-versus-City after the Philadelphia boosters, Atlanta boosters, Toronto and San Francisco boosters.
It's actually quite sad. I feel sorry for Chicago these days, and was so close to letting the Chicago fanboys wallow in their delusions by ignoring this thread, but I think a dose of reality is needed here.
Chicago just isn't sophisticated enough to be New York. Or London. Putting them in the same sentence as if they were equal is just laughable.
I think when you look at a broad spectrum of different things, categories, and amenities that New York is handily superior to Chicago. There is not one thing Chicago has, save for perhaps a more striking waterfront and more Mexican food, over New York. Everything Chicago is good at, New York is great at.
Also, Chicago a top 4 world city? Over Tokyo? Chicago is certainly a great world city and it deserves more attention than it gets on the global level but it is not a top 5 city, probably not top 10 city in the world either. Chicago fanatics, the fifth most out-of-touch with reality people on City-versus-City after the Philadelphia boosters, Atlanta boosters, Toronto and San Francisco boosters.
That's a pretty abrasive response. I think what I posted is pretty safe -- Chicago being in the top 2 cities in the US (at least for the criteria suggested). I also think you probably take things a bit too seriously. As far as the top 4 cities in the world, Chicago is certainly in mine, and certainly as an opinion. Even beyond an opinion, some would find this defensible.
It's actually quite sad. I feel sorry for Chicago these days, and was so close to letting the Chicago fanboys wallow in their delusions by ignoring this thread, but I think a dose of reality is needed here.
Chicago just isn't sophisticated enough to be New York. Or London. Putting them in the same sentence as if they were equal is just laughable.
LOL - you've been here before. New poster...I highly doubt it.
Why do you doubt it? Were you born on CD with 1,000+ posts?
Not at all...I just didn't come out swinging, nor did I have it out for certain cities. I just thought it was fun, and interesting to see what everyone wanted to talk about. I even started threads, but they were threads that were based on interests of mine. It wouldn't have occurred to me to come out bashing right away. But whatever. Not that it matters, but people who consistently bash certain cities, lose their relevance...at least to me.
Chicago has a better waterfront and is definitely cleaner in the high rise areas than NYC with a higher percentage of more modern looking high rises. The street level itself though, other than being cleaner in Chicago - NYC has more of everything. Denser, more business, etc. However, Chicago is quite enjoyable too - just not as "holy crap there's literally 1000 stores one after another on this street for the longest time." Chicago has nice amount of streets with tons of shops, restaurants, bars, etc on them, but in NYC it's many more places and denser, and usually longer.
One of my friends from NYC was in Chicago for the first time a few weeks ago - he really knew nothing about it and even said he'd get a rental car. He had no idea how walkable it is in many areas with public transit. He really enjoyed his time. He still likes NYC more of course, but his comments by the end were how great of a city it is and "Definitely the #2 city in the country behind NYC" which is something I'd agree with.
Both in the US are good on the street level though. Just depends on what you prefer with density. Even though Chicago is fairly dense with its buildings in tons of areas, NYC is kind of on another level in a higher percentage of areas, especially Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, Queens, etc. Anybody who thinks Chicago looks 'pedestrian' on the street level hasn't the slightest clue of what they're talking about either. At least downtown and on much of the north side (as well as part of the west side like Wicker Park and parts of the South Side like Hyde Park, Beverly, etc) it's very clean and nice for a decently large, fairly urban city. Depends on where you are though - an area like SoHo is really enjoyable at the street level for the most part and I find it more enjoyable to go through the business areas there than an area like Lincoln Park or Lincoln Square in Chicago for sure. However, if you were to ask me whether I find certain parts of Midtown more enjoyable than places in downtown Chicago from a pure street level? I'd pick Chicago for that in certain downtown areas. I pick an area like SoHo for others. I enjoy some parts of Queens too like Astoria, Woodside, Flushing, etc or parts of Brooklyn like various parts of Williamsburg, though I wouldn't call them any more or less nice at the street level than a good Chicago neighborhood on the street level of things.
Last edited by marothisu; 09-18-2015 at 04:20 PM..
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