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Milwaukee is probably the mid-sized city that is most like Chicago. They're 75 miles from each other; both share beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline (which unlike, say, Lake Erie at Cleveland and Buffalo, has a shallow, level shoreline making it more attractive to beaches and less to industry -- like Cleveland's and Buffalo's shorelines). Milwaukee also has a downtown river off the lake that is nearly identical to the Chicago river in it's narrow width, low drawbridges downtown and river walks.
Also Milwaukee's Lower East Side echoes Chicago's Lincoln Park with old and new luxury mid-to-high rise apartments and lively walking districts.
I think Cleveland's resurgence in recent years downtown and in close in areas like Ohio City and, further east, University Circle/Little Italy, has the old neighborhood street presence and foot traffic that echoes Chicago albeit on a smaller scale. Cleveland's University Circle and Chicago's Hyde Park look and feel a lot alike to me -- dense, old (once old-line wealthy) neighborhoods centered around prestigious universities, museums and hospitals adjacent to tough neighborhoods...
Also Cleveland is the only other Midwest City outside Chicago that has an older rail transit network that has helped boost downtown and some in-city neighborhoods like Shaker Square, Ohio City and University Circle. Cleveland's innovative BRT line (dubbed the "Health Line" after sponsorship from Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital) has pumped much life into the Euclid Ave corridor, esp at Playhouse Sq and CSU's campus.
... and on the West Side, the Edgewater neighborhood (Cleveland) and its neighboring Gold Coast (in Lakewood), together feel like Chicago neighborhoods on the farther North Side.
Milwaukee is probably the mid-sized city that is most like Chicago. They're 75 miles from each other; both share beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline (which unlike, say, Lake Erie at Cleveland and Buffalo, has a shallow, level shoreline making it more attractive to beaches and less to industry -- like Cleveland's and Buffalo's shorelines). Milwaukee also has a downtown river off the lake that is nearly identical to the Chicago river in it's narrow width, low drawbridges downtown and river walks.
Also Milwaukee's Lower East Side echoes Chicago's Lincoln Park with old and new luxury mid-to-high rise apartments and lively walking districts.
I think Cleveland's resurgence in recent years downtown and in close in areas like Ohio City and, further east, University Circle/Little Italy, has the old neighborhood street presence and foot traffic that echoes Chicago albeit on a smaller scale. Cleveland's University Circle and Chicago's Hyde Park look and feel a lot alike to me -- dense, old (once old-line wealthy) neighborhoods centered around prestigious universities, museums and hospitals adjacent to tough neighborhoods...
Also Cleveland is the only other Midwest City outside Chicago that has an older rail transit network that has helped boost downtown and some in-city neighborhoods like Shaker Square, Ohio City and University Circle. Cleveland's innovative BRT line (dubbed the "Health Line" after sponsorship from Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital) has pumped much life into the Euclid Ave corridor, esp at Playhouse Sq and CSU's campus.
... and on the West Side, the Edgewater neighborhood (Cleveland) and its neighboring Gold Coast (in Lakewood), together feel like Chicago neighborhoods on the farther North Side.
The problem with Cleveland is it is way too shelled out. That's how it looks like a big city on a map and even in some commercial districts but there are vast districts of essentially hood or emptiness. Chicago has that too, but its mostly on the southside and west of the Loop.
What we are seeing is millennials are preffering mid sized southern cities which are more compact. While they may not have transit or historic cultural institutions such as University Circle or Playhouse Square, they make up for it in user friendliness and their compact design creating a more "vibrant feel."
The problem with Cleveland is it is way too shelled out. That's how it looks like a big city on a map and even in some commercial districts but there are vast districts of essentially hood or emptiness. Chicago has that too, but its mostly on the southside and west of the Loop.
What we are seeing is millennials are preffering mid sized southern cities which are more compact. While they may not have transit or historic cultural institutions such as University Circle or Playhouse Square, they make up for it in user friendliness and their compact design creating a more "vibrant feel."
I agree that perhaps the arts and culture stuff is oversold when in reality it has more of a niche appeal. But the emptiness of Cleveland, like Chicago, is largely on one side of town. I would definitely advise any potential young movers to Cleveland to move to the west side.
Milwaukee is probably the mid-sized city that is most like Chicago. They're 75 miles from each other; both share beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline (which unlike, say, Lake Erie at Cleveland and Buffalo, has a shallow, level shoreline making it more attractive to beaches and less to industry -- like Cleveland's and Buffalo's shorelines). Milwaukee also has a downtown river off the lake that is nearly identical to the Chicago river in it's narrow width, low drawbridges downtown and river walks.
Also Milwaukee's Lower East Side echoes Chicago's Lincoln Park with old and new luxury mid-to-high rise apartments and lively walking districts.
I think Cleveland's resurgence in recent years downtown and in close in areas like Ohio City and, further east, University Circle/Little Italy, has the old neighborhood street presence and foot traffic that echoes Chicago albeit on a smaller scale. Cleveland's University Circle and Chicago's Hyde Park look and feel a lot alike to me -- dense, old (once old-line wealthy) neighborhoods centered around prestigious universities, museums and hospitals adjacent to tough neighborhoods...
Also Cleveland is the only other Midwest City outside Chicago that has an older rail transit network that has helped boost downtown and some in-city neighborhoods like Shaker Square, Ohio City and University Circle. Cleveland's innovative BRT line (dubbed the "Health Line" after sponsorship from Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital) has pumped much life into the Euclid Ave corridor, esp at Playhouse Sq and CSU's campus.
... and on the West Side, the Edgewater neighborhood (Cleveland) and its neighboring Gold Coast (in Lakewood), together feel like Chicago neighborhoods on the farther North Side.
I completely agree with your Milwaukee/Chicago comparisons. Here are some pics of their downtown rivers. Having lived in both cities, I know there are definite similarities.
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