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The most inspiring skyline the world has ever seen was in Lower Manhattan up to the end of WWII. Beautiful spires jaggedly rising produced almost a fairy tale of a skyline. After the war, that skyline was destroyed but big box high rises, many of the same height, ringing the rivers and the bay. Nothing compared to it.
Ironically Midtown suffered greatly in comparison to the downtown of yore insofar as though very tall in height, the skyline was relatively flat and bulky. Thus Midtown could have used some differential, some towers that would give the skyline its hills and valleys. Only problem.....they took it to extremes and made the most unpleasing look imaginable with the 57th street buildings.
Yes, miss seeing the obscured art deco beauty of old. Heck, I'd take more early 60s Manhattan before declines. I watched the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Classic NYC era scenes and thought ..... yes I'd rather see Manhattan in past eras. Though I realize all wasn't 5th Ave and the skyline then.
But still great to visit .... but not my choice if money was no object to chose.
Chicago's more my speed. (well I still hate winters) but I'd love a condo/apt. with view there and all the amenities I love in a big city with more green and some openness, parks and Lake. It just found its mojo and visitors marvel today at its core.
Hard for me to believe how its skyline ..... just keeps falling in place. NYC just becomes a more dense monster but in it .... loses a Specialness that once no city had. Bit too much. Not that its greatness isn't there and still iconic.
Yes, miss seeing the obscured art deco beauty of old. Heck, I'd take more early 60s Manhattan before declines. I watched the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Classic NYC era scenes and thought ..... yes I'd rather see Manhattan in past eras. Though I realize all wasn't 5th Ave and the skyline then.
But still great to visit .... but not my choice if money was no object to chose.
Chicago's more my speed. (well I still hate winters) but I'd love a condo/apt. with view there and all the amenities I love in a big city with more green and some openness, parks and Lake. It just found its mojo and visitors marvel today at its core.
Hard for me to believe how its skyline ..... just keeps falling in place. NYC just becomes a more dense monster but in it .... loses a Specialness that once no city had. Bit too much. Not that its greatness isn't there and still iconic.
But dropped in Manhattan just ..... no.
Dave, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how I feel about Chicago's skyline. And maybe I should have been more refined in my definition. Downtown Manhattan differs from every other "downtown" in the nation (and my definition is every city's downtown....even if it known as Center City in Philly or was known as the Loop in Chicago in bygone eras, plus the obvious: Midtown Manhattan (NY is the only city that automatically gets two and the second of the two is the greatest of all in the nation/world.)
Downtown Manhattan is the most defined CBD anywhere. It is hemmed in on three sides. There is no spread to it. Thus Lower Manhattan was the only place such a skyline could have existed...it stands out as a unit, but the actual skyline zigs in and out.
If I had to pick the best skyline in the nation today, I would have to go with Chicago: the tallest buildings fall into clusters like at the far north end of Michigan Avenue, the Lakeshore East area, the buildings around Sears (yes Sears Tower). The skyline is also incredibly varied. The Loop is pure bulk, a packed in area that really is packed in by the river while the River North/Streeterville skyline is more linear in nature.
The skyline is spectacular in many locales. Two of the best are on Lake Shore Drive (inbound on N LSD inbound when the whole skyline opens up south of Belmont" or inbound on S LSD around the point in Hyde Park where the skyline appears to be an island floating on the lake).
But the one I think exceeds them all would be inbound on the Kennedy. The reason: it alone can give the full sweep of the Chicago skyline. To your left is the Loop, that mass of buildings I described, and to your right, the linear nature of the near north skyline centered on Michigan Avenue.
The LSD views do not offer that scope. On S LSD, it is the Loop that is center stage; on N LSD it is the near north that is in front.
Dave, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how I feel about Chicago's skyline. And maybe I should have been more refined in my definition. Downtown Manhattan differs from every other "downtown" in the nation (and my definition is every city's downtown....even if it known as Center City in Philly or was known as the Loop in Chicago in bygone eras, plus the obvious: Midtown Manhattan (NY is the only city that automatically gets two and the second of the two is the greatest of all in the nation/world.)
Downtown Manhattan is the most defined CBD anywhere. It is hemmed in on three sides. There is no spread to it. Thus Lower Manhattan was the only place such a skyline could have existed...it stands out as a unit, but the actual skyline zigs in and out.
If I had to pick the best skyline in the nation today, I would have to go with Chicago: the tallest buildings fall into clusters like at the far north end of Michigan Avenue, the Lakeshore East area, the buildings around Sears (yes Sears Tower). The skyline is also incredibly varied. The Loop is pure bulk, a packed in area that really is packed in by the river while the River North/Streeterville skyline is more linear in nature.
The skyline is spectacular in many locales. Two of the best are on Lake Shore Drive (inbound on N LSD inbound when the whole skyline opens up south of Belmont" or inbound on S LSD around the point in Hyde Park where the skyline appears to be an island floating on the lake).
But the one I think exceeds them all would be inbound on the Kennedy. The reason: it alone can give the full sweep of the Chicago skyline. To your left is the Loop, that mass of buildings I described, and to your right, the linear nature of the near north skyline centered on Michigan Avenue.
The LSD views do not offer that scope. On S LSD, it is the Loop that is center stage; on N LSD it is the near north that is in front.
110% agree. But as usual ..... can't rep you more.
But the one I think exceeds them all would be inbound on the Kennedy. The reason: it alone can give the full sweep of the Chicago skyline. To your left is the Loop, that mass of buildings I described, and to your right, the linear nature of the near north skyline centered on Michigan Avenue.
The LSD views do not offer that scope. On S LSD, it is the Loop that is center stage; on N LSD it is the near north that is in front.
Can attest to this... I remember the first heading South Bound after getting out of bootcamp years back and just sitting their just dumbstruck in the passenger seat as the Chicago skyline loomed in the back drop
Those super skinny skyscrapers really ruin the new york skyline. Make it really ugly, Why cant all skyscrapers big thick like the Empire State building or WTC buildings.
I think that was true when it was only like one or two of them and they were sticking out like a sore thumb, but now the Midtown section of the skyline is evening out in height and there is a new supertall plateau.
We have four supertalls topping out this year, so 432 Park Ave is no longer dominating like it was before. Most new skyscrapers in NYC are not skinny either. You will probably see better updated NYC skyline tourist shots sometime next summer.
Last edited by Gantz; 09-19-2019 at 12:22 PM..
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But as usual ..... can't rep you more. 
