Rank these urban cores: Chicago, Philly, Boston, DC, San Francisco, & Toronto

[Differential]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Exactly. I think people confuse urban core street-level density, walkability, attractions, etc., with size and population. Having a ton of high-rise condos will give you lots of residents and an impressive skyline, but it won't necessarily give you a vibrant, walkable, lively urban core. I use Miami as a prime example of this: impressive skyline with lots of high-rises, but a very small and unimpressive urban core at street level (I hear this is set to change, but currently, this is my view of it.)
Downtown Philly isn't BIG, nor does it have an impressive skyline full of gigantic towers, but I can see where one would rank its core above the likes of Chicago and Toronto in certain categories.

Toronto is not Miami, those highrises are being built in an already established urban core, much like if you had a highrise boom in downtown Philly or Boston.

[url]https://i.imgur.com/88LoofL.jpg

It's also not Chicago. The bulk of Chicago's highrises are commercial office towers on large blocks. For Toronto this is only limited to the financial district.

Downtown Toronto streets are bursting at the seams struggling to accommodate all the pedestrians and traffic, and it's becoming a real problem with a recent string of cyclist and pedestrian deaths. Liveliness is not a problem. If anything the city needs to start taking a page out of Montreal's book and make certain streets pedestrian only, at least during the summer.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Differential

Toronto is not Miami, those highrises are being built in an already established urban core, much like if you had a highrise boom in downtown Philly or Boston.

[url]https://i.imgur.com/88LoofL.jpg

It's also not Chicago. The bulk of Chicago's highrises are commercial office towers on large blocks. For Toronto this is only limited to the financial district.

Downtown Toronto streets are bursting at the seams struggling to accommodate all the pedestrians and traffic, and it's becoming a real problem with a recent string of cyclist and pedestrian deaths. Liveliness is not a problem. If anything the city needs to start taking a page out of Montreal's book and make certain streets pedestrian only, at least during the summer.

I couldn't agree more. One thing I love about Montreal as a whole (not just downtown) is how pedestrian-friendly it is. They noticed long ago that there is a major problem with traffic and the lack of space available to build new roads/widen existing, and they have adjusted. I find Washington DC to be similar in terms of walkability.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by Differential

Toronto is not Miami, those highrises are being built in an already established urban core, much like if you had a highrise boom in downtown Philly or Boston.

[url]https://i.imgur.com/88LoofL.jpg

It's also not Chicago. The bulk of Chicago's highrises are commercial office towers on large blocks. For Toronto this is only limited to the financial district.

Downtown Toronto streets are bursting at the seams struggling to accommodate all the pedestrians and traffic, and it's becoming a real problem with a recent string of cyclist and pedestrian deaths. Liveliness is not a problem. If anything the city needs to start taking a page out of Montreal's book and make certain streets pedestrian only, at least during the summer.

I wouldn't wish NYC crowds for any city to get oversaturated with. Too much of a good thing is just that. Can be too much. But lways seems for Toronto to be highlighted ... Chicago needs to be downplayed in some aspect. Chicago clearly has big footprint towers especially like the Willis (Sears) Tower that takes up a whole block and getting a big lower levels make-over to retail and more. But it has its variety for sure. Most high-rises and skyscrapers under-construction are residential or hotel and residential. Most on podiums and some small footprints and all sizes and looks from so many eras. No one size fits all or need for super-slender towers due to cost of land and availability like in NYC. Some newer towers keep getting more slender it seems, especially the next batch coming.

It never gets accused of cookie-cutter high-rises. Though some newer less storied ones seem to be falling more into a similar look as other cities do.

The Separatist Movement and its consequences.... of much of Montréal's once dominance in many key Canadian sectors like banking (even the bank of Montréal left). Most high-tailed it directly to Toronto starting in the mid-70s. Toronto gained it all pretty easily and not the racial issues that hurt so many American cities that era. Its rise was just growing pains, and Canada's immigration points system to gain educated immigrants and professionals Canada desired most its biggest source of growth. Over half the city are immigrants.

But loosing dominance in the process ..... left Montréal to maintain its French character and charm and not the mass of high-rises Toronto then got. I doubt Montréal regrets its choice, that had it loose status as Canada's première city and a different city of high-rises today like TO boomed with. It could have been it much more. Good for it in many ways!

[Differential]

Originally Posted by DavePa

I wouldn't wish NYC crowds for any city to get oversaturated with. Too much of a good thing is just that. Can be too much. But lways seems for Toronto to be highlighted ... Chicago needs to be downplayed in some aspect. Chicago clearly has big footprint towers especially like the Willis (Sears) Tower that takes up a whole block and getting a big lower levels make-over to retail and more. But it has its variety for sure. Most high-rises and skyscrapers under-construction are residential or hotel and residential. Most on podiums and some small footprints and all sizes and looks from so many eras. No one size fits all or need for super-slender towers due to cost of land and availability like in NYC. Some newer towers keep getting more slender it seems, especially the next batch coming.

It never gets accused of cookie-cutter high-rises. Though some newer less storied ones seem to be falling more into a similar look as other cities do.

I kind of prefer smaller blocks, even Toronto's blocks are too large in places. Smaller blocks make the city more accessible to pedestrians and less intimidating.

The Separatist Movement and its consequences.... of much of Montréal's once dominance in many key Canadian sectors like banking (even the bank of Montréal left). Most high-tailed it directly to Toronto starting in the mid-70s. Toronto gained it all pretty easily and not the racial issues that hurt so many American cities that era. Its rise was just growing pains, and Canada's immigration points system to gain educated immigrants and professionals Canada desired most its biggest source of growth. Over half the city are immigrants.

But loosing dominance in the process ..... left Montréal to maintain its French character and charm and not the mass of high-rises Toronto then got. I doubt Montréal regrets its choice, that had it loose status as Canada's première city and a different city of high-rises today like TO boomed with. It could have been it much more. Good for it in many ways!

Toronto's population growth outpaced Montreal since the 1940s, the population overtook Montreal in the 1970s, but it was inevitable.

The separatist movement wasn't good for Montreal at all, its economy grew slower than other major Canadian cities for over 30 years after, and you can see the result at street level today in the form of greater urban decay.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Differential

I kind of prefer smaller blocks, even Toronto's blocks are too large in places. Smaller blocks make the city more accessible to pedestrians and less intimidating.



Toronto's population growth outpaced Montreal since the 1940s, the population overtook Montreal in the 1970s, but it was inevitable.

The separatist movement wasn't good for Montreal at all, its economy grew slower than other major Canadian cities for over 30 years after, and you can see the result at street level today in the form of greater urban decay.

Agreed on the smaller blocks. That's why I find Montreal to be so much more accessible on foot, versus most other cities, including the larger Toronto.

The separatist movement could have been handled much better. The way it was done scared and ran off lots of English corporations and professionals, and with that, the economy became rather stagnant, until recent years, where it is now picking up significantly.