Cities (small or large) that surprised you by their urbanity

[Dw572]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I knew what LA was coming in...

but damn I still found the real life lack of urbanity surprising. I thought that my perception would be wrong- but it wasn't.

No you're right. Perception all wrong.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by TarHeelTerritory

Can you elaborate on the NC ones, out of curiosity?

I didn't think Charlotte would have such a bustling downtown like the South End + Downtown.

Winston Salem has a much more functional downtown that I thought. It was way bigger than I expected.

Same to Durham.

[lammius]

New Brunswick is really getting a bit of a city skyline

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...-A&oe=63F3C4F2

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by lammius

New Brunswick is really getting a bit of a city skyline

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...-A&oe=63F3C4F2

It is and has another 3 buildings going up including a 400ft er that broke ground last year.

[ckhthankgod]

Not so much myself, but I think Ithaca for a city of about 30,000 may be more urban than realized: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4396...7i11264!8i5632

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4395...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4395...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4413...7i13312!8i6656

[IowanFarmer]

Originally Posted by Northeasterner1970

I feel like Des Moines, while having a decently sized downtown and an exploding downtown population, it still is really lacking in terms of downtown vibrancy. Downtown Omaha and Iowa City feel A LOT more vibrant compared to Downtown Des Moines.

I've spent a lot of time in the downtowns of all of those places, and don't agree. Court Ave and the East Village are as busy and vibrant as anywhere in Omaha or Iowa City.

Add in all the little neighborhood districts of Des Moines, and the city on a whole is a peer of Omaha and a long ways ahead of Iowa City.

[whaletown]

Admittedly my expectations were low coming in.. but I was impressed with downtown Lincoln, NE. The university is right next to downtown, and there was some density that I wasn't expecting. Seems like they're building a lot of housing downtown as well.