Does LA feel like the 2nd biggest city in America to you? (Los Angeles: garden, moving)

[PA Born]

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

Now I'm confused..

There's a street in L.A. lined with signs like that.

There is nothing in Koreatown that looks like that.

Most of the retail in Koreatown is in regular strip malls, albeit relatively dense strip malls. Koreatown looks nothing like Seoul, or even like Koreatown in Queens, NYC.

Geez, let LA be LA. It isn't NYC, it isn't Seoul, it's LA. No reason to apologize or make excuses. LA is incredible, but it really isn't very urban.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by PA Born

There is nothing in Koreatown that looks like that.

Most of the retail in Koreatown is in regular strip malls, albeit relatively dense strip malls. Koreatown looks nothing like Seoul, or even like Koreatown in Queens, NYC.

Geez, let LA be LA. It isn't NYC, it isn't Seoul, it's LA. No reason to apologize or make excuses. LA is incredible, but it really isn't very urban.

I agree. No need to let LA change. The things he is asking for that would make LA more like NYC just aren't possible.

Originally Posted by Chicano3000X

Nah, L.A. is doing it's own thing.
But NYC has it right with time square. And it is a common thing, just like how we have L.A. live. Every city has it's own neon/billboard section where people crowd to.

I'm just saying we got so many years to do it the best. So many years to look forward to since L.A. is already changing, we can imagine the possibilities.

I actually saw Hollywood/Highland as the "Times Square" of Los Angeles. But LA Live is awesome too.

[Chicano3000X]

Originally Posted by PA Born

There is nothing in Koreatown that looks like that.

Most of the retail in Koreatown is in regular strip malls, albeit relatively dense strip malls. Koreatown looks nothing like Seoul, or even like Koreatown in Queens, NYC.

Geez, let LA be LA. It isn't NYC, it isn't Seoul, it's LA. No reason to apologize or make excuses. LA is incredible, but it really isn't very urban.

I just remember an area of koreatown that impressed me. IDK if it was wilshire. I just typed "koreatown los angeles" and that came up.

My memory is still sketchy. I think it leads to the Beverly Hills mall.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by PA Born

Yes, this is correct. A 19th century rowhouse is much more urban than some 50's era garden apartment complex.

Urbanity isn't only about density. You can have dense suburban environment, which is 80%-90% of the LA Metro. Stuffing tons of people into suburban-style apartment complexes will create high density, but not urbanity.

Perhaps this is true of the Metro area as a whole but certainly not Los Angeles the city (particularly the Basin - aka Westside, Central, South and East LA) - most of the multifamily residences are buildings, not garden-style complexes. They might have a suburban aesthetic (set back, stucco exterior, not attached) but they are no different than a brownstone in functionality / reality.

Do you have any examples of suburban style complexes in the LA city limits part of the LA basin?

[RaymondChandlerLives]

Originally Posted by PA Born

Yes, this is correct. A 19th century rowhouse is much more urban than some 50's era garden apartment complex.

Urbanity isn't only about density. You can have dense suburban environment, which is 80%-90% of the LA Metro. Stuffing tons of people into suburban-style apartment complexes will create high density, but not urbanity.

And it had little to do with dediacated parking. It's creating a totally autocentric environment. Places like the SFV are quite dense, but you would have to be crazy to consider that a solid urban environment. It's mostly the same strip malls and garden apartment complexes as anywhere else, except you have more people per unit because of immigration and higher housing costs.

Because of immigration? Higher housing costs? One at a time with the excuses please.

The fact is, despite your highly subjective criteria, most objective criteria shows that only NYC has more people living at high densities than L.A., Philadelphia included. Philly looks older and grittier, and has tons of little rowhouses--are we supposed to be awe-inspired by that? If your counter-argument to L.A.'s urbanity is that it lacks attached housing, you don't have a counter-argument, really.

[PA Born]

Originally Posted by RaymondChandlerLives

Because of immigration? Higher housing costs? One at a time with the excuses please.

No, because of built form. It has nothing to do with immigration or housing costs.

Originally Posted by RaymondChandlerLives

The fact is, despite your highly subjective criteria, most objective criteria shows that only NYC has more people living at high densities than L.A., Philadelphia included. Philly looks older and grittier, and has tons of little rowhouses--are we supposed to be awe-inspired by that? If your counter-argument to L.A.'s urbanity is that it lacks attached housing, you don't have a counter-argument, really

What are you talking about? This has nothing to do with urbanity.

For the millionth time, LA is fairly high density for a U.S. city. That doesn't mean it's super-urban. Density and urbanity aren't super heavily correlated.

South Coast Plaza isn't urban. It doesn't matter that it a bajillion stores in a very small geography. No one would say South Coast Plaza is more urban than downtown LA, even though the retail density is a million times higher.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by PA Born

No, because of built form. It has nothing to do with immigration or housing costs.

The fact is, despite your highly subjective criteria, most objective criteria shows that only NYC has more people living at high densities than L.A., Philadelphia included. Philly looks older and grittier, and has tons of little rowhouses--are we supposed to be awe-inspired by that? If your counter-argument to L.A.'s urbanity is that it lacks attached housing, you don't have a counter-argument, really

For the millionth time, LA is fairly high density for a U.S. city. That doesn't mean it's super-urban. Density and urbanity aren't super heavily correlated.

South Coast Plaza isn't urban. It doesn't matter that it a bajillion stores in a very small geography. No one would say South Coast Plaza is more urban than downtown LA, even though the retail density is a million times higher.

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Still waiting on those suburban-style garden apartments in the LA-city limits part of the Basin....

I know exactly what kind of apartment complex you are talking about, and I agree they are suburban but hate to break it to you - they don't exist in Los Angeles.

Oh I see what you are doing, applying experiences in Orange County to the city of Los Angeles. That makes complete sense, I know Long Island is just like Manhattan.

[RaymondChandlerLives]

Originally Posted by PA Born

No, because of built form. It has nothing to do with immigration or housing costs.


What are you talking about? This has nothing to do with urbanity.

For the millionth time, LA is fairly high density for a U.S. city. That doesn't mean it's super-urban. Density and urbanity aren't super heavily correlated.

South Coast Plaza isn't urban. It doesn't matter that it a bajillion stores in a very small geography. No one would say South Coast Plaza is more urban than downtown LA, even though the retail density is a million times higher.

No correlation? The big high density cities in this country (by census tracts) are NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington DC. The ONLY city out of that group that gets a suburban tag is Los Angeles. The others are considered very urban.

Population density is a perfectly valid measurement for urbanity, used in countless arguments, UNTIL the subject turns to Los Angeles. Then it becomes invalid.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

Didn't mean to make it seem like I am an avid anime fan. I stopped watching anime after Cowboy Bebop.

I watch old school stuff. Wicked City, Akira, Neon Genesis, Bubblegum Crisis, Trigun, Fist of the North Star, Ghost in the Shell, etc.

Gotcha, I like Ghost in the Shell and I've seen a couple eps of Bebop, which looks good just soo much to watch out there.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by PA Born

There is nothing in Koreatown that looks like that.

Most of the retail in Koreatown is in regular strip malls, albeit relatively dense strip malls. Koreatown looks nothing like Seoul, or even like Koreatown in Queens, NYC.

Geez, let LA be LA. It isn't NYC, it isn't Seoul, it's LA. No reason to apologize or make excuses. LA is incredible, but it really isn't very urban.

I drive through Koreatown a lot for work and there is a lot of neon signs and etc., LA isn't urban by what definition? Who made this definition of "urban" ask someone from my hometown if LA is urban...Yes let's quit trying to make LA be NYC but while we are at it, lets stop using NYC as the definition of urban.