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But Oakland is the core of a metropolitan division, not its own MSA separate from San Francisco.
Baltimore and Washington form one CSA but remain separate MSAs.
I'm not denying they're different, but there are still a lot of similarities between the two. And I don't think 18Montclair's comparison of Seattle - Tacoma is better. I actually think it's worse. Tacoma does not have any of its own sports teams, national culture, individual airport, etc.
Yup. Downtown Oakland's location and proximity to Downtown SF is almost borough-like.
Yup. All you have to do is cross a bridge. A six-mile-long bridge that crosses an island midway through, but a bridge nonetheless.
It might be more as if Brooklyn were still a city separate from New York. (Brooklyn doesn't have an airport, nor does Manhattan - the airports are in Queens *- but it does have its own NBA team, and it did once have an MLB team too - it relocated to LA.)
And like Brooklyn and Manhattan, San Francisco and Oakland share one rapid transit system. In fact, the way that system is designed, Oakland, not San Francisco, is the system's hub.
*THen again, San Francisco's airp;ort is in Daly City. Oalkland's lies within its boundaries.
Yup. All you have to do is cross a bridge. A six-mile-long bridge that crosses an island midway through, but a bridge nonetheless.
It might be more as if Brooklyn were still a city separate from New York. (Brooklyn doesn't have an airport, nor does Manhattan - the airports are in Queens *- but it does have its own NBA team, and it did once have an MLB team too - it relocated to LA.)
And like Brooklyn and Manhattan, San Francisco and Oakland share one rapid transit system. In fact, the way that system is designed, Oakland, not San Francisco, is the system's hub.
*THen again, San Francisco's airp;ort is in Daly City. Oalkland's lies within its boundaries.
But they're still different cities. I do see the similarities. But they're entirely different cities.
The biggest way Oakland differs from being "borough-esque" in comparison to Brooklyn is the tax base and city resources. Brooklyn didn't have many nice or "cool" neighborhoods for a while, especially in the areas now considered "cool." I'm not an expert, but I'm sure Manhattan's taxes and the city's resources have been a factor in what has improved Brooklyn. OTOH, as SF gentrified, it kept all its money because Oakland is a separate city, not a borough. They can't share resources in the same way that Manhattan and BK can. They both have BART, yes, but they have separate internal public transit authorities so you can't use a MUNI pass in Oakland. Technically MARTA serves DC, but taking local public transit within DC and Bmore requires separate passes.
Also, since they're both separate cities, Oakland has its own respective suburbs. They've been enveloped by the SF MSA, but they're still sorta the Oakland suburbs in a way. Brooklyn doesn't have suburbs of itself. Baltimore does.
Oakland has a much more individual identity and personality than Brooklyn does. Similarly, Baltimore has an individual identity and personality separate from DC. Though, both Oakland and Baltimore have strong overlapping regional cultures with their respective larger neighbors, they still maintain something very local about themselves. Brooklyn is NYC. There may be a Brooklyn identity within the NYC identity, but at the end of the day it's still NYC through and through and there is a lot more in common with Brooklyn/NYC than Oakland/SF.
But they're still different cities. I do see the similarities. But they're entirely different cities.
The biggest way Oakland differs from being "borough-esque" in comparison to Brooklyn is the tax base and city resources. Brooklyn didn't have many nice or "cool" neighborhoods for a while, especially in the areas now considered "cool." I'm not an expert, but I'm sure Manhattan's taxes and the city's resources have been a factor in what has improved Brooklyn. OTOH, as SF gentrified, it kept all its money because Oakland is a separate city, not a borough. They can't share resources in the same way that Manhattan and BK can. They both have BART, yes, but they have separate internal public transit authorities so you can't use a MUNI pass in Oakland. Technically MARTA serves DC, but taking local public transit within DC and Bmore requires separate passes.
Also, since they're both separate cities, Oakland has its own respective suburbs. They've been enveloped by the SF MSA, but they're still sorta the Oakland suburbs in a way. Brooklyn doesn't have suburbs of itself. Baltimore does.
Oakland has a much more individual identity and personality than Brooklyn does. Similarly, Baltimore has an individual identity and personality separate from DC. Though, both Oakland and Baltimore have strong overlapping regional cultures with their respective larger neighbors, they still maintain something very local about themselves. Brooklyn is NYC. There may be a Brooklyn identity within the NYC identity, but at the end of the day it's still NYC through and through and there is a lot more in common with Brooklyn/NYC than Oakland/SF.
But they're still different cities. I do see the similarities. But they're entirely different cities.
The biggest way Oakland differs from being "borough-esque" in comparison to Brooklyn is the tax base and city resources. Brooklyn didn't have many nice or "cool" neighborhoods for a while, especially in the areas now considered "cool." I'm not an expert, but I'm sure Manhattan's taxes and the city's resources have been a factor in what has improved Brooklyn. OTOH, as SF gentrified, it kept all its money because Oakland is a separate city, not a borough. They can't share resources in the same way that Manhattan and BK can. They both have BART, yes, but they have separate internal public transit authorities so you can't use a MUNI pass in Oakland. Technically MARTA serves DC, but taking local public transit within DC and Bmore requires separate passes.
Also, since they're both separate cities, Oakland has its own respective suburbs. They've been enveloped by the SF MSA, but they're still sorta the Oakland suburbs in a way. Brooklyn doesn't have suburbs of itself. Baltimore does.
Oakland has a much more individual identity and personality than Brooklyn does. Similarly, Baltimore has an individual identity and personality separate from DC. Though, both Oakland and Baltimore have strong overlapping regional cultures with their respective larger neighbors, they still maintain something very local about themselves. Brooklyn is NYC. There may be a Brooklyn identity within the NYC identity, but at the end of the day it's still NYC through and through and there is a lot more in common with Brooklyn/NYC than Oakland/SF.
Not really. Oakland has basically evolved into a suburb of SF. Just look at the commute patterns. Outside of the port and the small downtown, Oakland does not really have any major job centers.
Certainly one of the most unique, in that it's one of the most expensive cities in the US, in which to live, with one of the most massive homeless problems. Quite a dichotomy. I was in San Francisco earlier this month, and though there was much beauty, it was vastly marred by the people living on the streets... I could never live in this city.
Not really. Oakland has basically evolved into a suburb of SF. Just look at the commute patterns. Outside of the port and the small downtown, Oakland does not really have any major job centers.
No shame in that. SF has the most 6-figure job openings in the country, more than NY and LA, and is a ten minute subway ride away. Only a fool would pass that up. #MakeitRainSF
Not really. Oakland has basically evolved into a suburb of SF. Just look at the commute patterns. Outside of the port and the small downtown, Oakland does not really have any major job centers.
That's not the only thing that gives a place character or personality.
Think: Black Panthers, Tower of Power.
Neither of those would have come from San Francisco.
No shame in that. SF has the most 6-figure job openings in the country, more than NY and LA, and is a ten minute subway ride away. Only a fool would pass that up. #MakeitRainSF
I think SF is the epitome of "too much a good thing" in terms of high-paying jobs.
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