Which US city is most like New York in terms of overall urban feel? (comparison, place)
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As someone who has lived in Chicago and have traveled to NYC over hundreds of times due to job and have journeyed through all the boroughs this is how it goes:
NYC is a tier of its own. An energy of its own. It is the "capital city of the US."
That said Chicago is by far the closest, esp for a tourist or someone on business. I hear it all the time, right or wrong when people visit Chicago, "Its like NYC, but cleaner."
The average person is not into street densities, etc, but look at skyscrapers, restaurants, museums, theatre district, history, shopping all in a condensed area they can get around.
Chicago is the 2nd best downtown and without a doubt, the absolute best summer city in America with its festivals, beaches, etc.
Does that mean San Fran is not more desired? It is, so is LA, etc. COL and real estate much higher and both wonderful cities.
Philly neighborhoods are more like NYC, but most people do not venture off unless the live there and downtown Philly is far behind downtown Chicago.
I agree Chicago is definitely the city that feels most like NYC for a VISITOR, (whether a tourist or there on business) as there is nowhere else in the country like downtown Chicago outside Manhattan, but as far as average neighborhood life (when factoring ALL the NYC boroughs), Philly and Boston are arguably the most similar to NYC. (IE: compactness of rowhouses and narrow streets, compared to the tree lined, broad boulevards and brick bungalows and detached two-flats of Chicago).
SF and LA are the most similar to NYC as far as the cities that have the greatest national and international draw as places perceived as "where it's all at" but consequently make them the most expensive cities in the US. (especially San Fran, as it is on the tip of a peninsula and has nowhere to expand). Though LA's suburban aesthetic (though a lot denser than people think) kind of disqualify here.
So, all these cities feel like NYC but in different ways.
Downtown Chicago reminds me alittle bit of Lower Manhatten and Midtown area.
Areas surrounding the immediate Downtown area of Chicago remind me a tiny bit of Brooklyn and Queens.. ..but when you branch out further than that they quickly lose symbolences. NY / NJ suburbs start taking more of a Eastern suburbia feel and Chicago starts taking more of a Midwestern city feel.
Overall though, Chicago is about the closest thing America has to NYC. But NYC technically is its own entity. There isn't really anything else like it... ...and Chicago reminds me less of Boston than NYC. Boston reminded me of something straight out of England or Europe.
Downtown Chicago reminds me alittle bit of Lower Manhatten and Midtown area.
Areas surrounding the immediate Downtown area of Chicago remind me a tiny bit of Brooklyn and Queens.. ..but when you branch out further than that they quickly lose symbolences. NY / NJ suburbs start taking more of a Eastern suburbia feel and Chicago starts taking more of a Midwestern city feel.
Overall though, Chicago is about the closest thing America has to NYC. But NYC technically is its own entity. There isn't really anything else like it... ...and Chicago reminds me less of Boston than NYC. Boston reminded me of something straight out of England or Europe.
What is ironic is to me Bosotn feels the least European or English of Philly NYC or Chicago. Wayyyy too wooden. A tiny tiny slice of Boston feels like Europe-over all. Itd be Philly.
It's amazing to me how on C-D we end up talking about Downtowns like "average" tourists all the time. I guess its where we all have the most common ground.... but Id like to think wed collectively be more apt to default to more (IMO, mature) holistic comparisons...
Holistically I think everyone agrees it's Philly. But it's completely fair to debate it from an "average" tourist shoe's because we were all just that at some point in time.
Holistically I think everyone agrees it's Philly. But it's completely fair to debate it from an "average" tourist shoe's because we were all just that at some point in time.
Difficult to find the thread for the part of New York that someone that knows little about NYC wrote about: Staten Island, New York, is one of the five boroughs that make up NYC. The person that wrote about it stated that reminds him of Jacksonville.......where that is, I only know one in Florida. For your information, whoever you are, Staten Island, NY, has lots of wealth, with houses way over a million dollars. Yes, like every city or borough, there is always a part that may not stand up to the others....but not when it comes to Staten Island, NY. If you see something flying up in the sky, it is not a bird. it is money.
yep…it’s just when we say “overall urban feel”, the emphasis shouldn’t be in the Loop Or the .8 square miles that is Beacon Hill and Back Bay. It should- in theory- encompass all neighborhoods, and their various cultures and vibes to the best of our collectively ability.
GF was talking about Chicago, idk if you missed that. Maybe you didn’t.
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