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Don't worry, LA got Toronto beaten on this one. LA is a far more interesting and superior city. It's much bigger and busier. No comparison
I am not worried about anything. I think this comparison of Toronto with American cities is ridiculous. What difference does it make what others may think? The only thing that matters is if you are happy with where you live. If not then move.
I have spent a lot of time in Toronto and I was not impressed with anything. It was just another large city. I prefer Montreal because it has some character.
I have lived in Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland OR, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale FL as well as Mexico and Venezuela. I have also spent a lot of time in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, New York City, as well as several other states. Each place has its own characteristics.
My favorite city to visit is New York City ( Manhattan ) hands down. There is no other city like it. My favorite city to live in is San Diego followed by San Jose. My least favorite is Vancouver.
Having said all that, who cares? It is just my opinion based on my preferences. I couldn't care less what others may think of my choices.
Houston is American city similar and closest alike to Toronto. The whole layout and development are almost identical with the exception that Toronto has slightly more built and established downtown with more residential towers.
Houston is American city similar and closest alike to Toronto. The whole layout and development are almost identical with the exception that Toronto has slightly more built and established downtown with more residential towers.
Houston the most similar to Toronto? Interesting thoughts but in terms of structure, Houston doesn't even have a subway system, they have a monorail from what I recall. Houston's downtown seems smaller although the financial/business district area is probably similar. Houston suburbs also sprawl out much further with bigger homes/lots whereas Toronto is still littered with condos even outside of downtown. Toronto's structure is more similar to a Chicago or Philly.
The culture and mannerisms don't strike me as similar too. People have that friendly, southern hospitality thing going on in Houston whereas Toronto is polite but very reserved atmosphere. Even politically, Toronto is more Liberal as a city. I'm sure the core downtown areas of Houston are probably Liberal but the vast majority of the suburbs and hence overall population of the city is Conservative.
Both are pretty diverse cities (Toronto moreso) but in different ways - Toronto has more of a newer immigrant feel with more different languages spoken but Houston may feel less white due to large black, Hispanic and Asian populations. Toronto reminds me more of Queens in terms of its diversity more than anything with a larger emphasis on Chinese and Indian.
There doesn't even seem to be an overlap in terms of cuisine: Houston is probably better for BBQ, Southern, Mexican/Texmex, Seafood and Vietnamese; whereas Toronto is more focused on Chinese, Indian, Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern.
Weather and architecture aren't similar either. And the economies are also very different too with Houston being a major world energy capital and Toronto being the financial and business capital of Canada. Canada's energy capital is Calgary. I don't much about Calgary but on the surface it seems that Calgary may be more similar to Houston (albeit a smaller version) than Toronto is to Houston.
Location: San Diego via Orange County via Toronto via Rome Italy
390 posts, read 795,278 times
Reputation: 382
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnathanc
Houston the most similar to Toronto? Interesting thoughts but in terms of structure, Houston doesn't even have a subway system, they have a monorail from what I recall. Houston's downtown seems smaller although the financial/business district area is probably similar. Houston suburbs also sprawl out much further with bigger homes/lots whereas Toronto is still littered with condos even outside of downtown. Toronto's structure is more similar to a Chicago or Philly.
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Yeah - having spent some time of Houston, I'd say comparing Toronto to Houston is a bit of a low-blow to Toronto. Houston has surpassed Los Angeles as the poster-child for urban sprawl . . . it's totally flat so other than Galveston Bay there are no natural limits to growth and as long as people keep buying oil, it will keep growing. Also, the City of Houston is one of the very few places in North America with practically no zoning regulations, meaning you can just about build anything next to anything . . . a property-rights person's dream, but driving along you see some really weird things . . .high-rise next to gas station next to townhouses next to Walmart next to daycare next to . . .
Houston does have its charms . . it's got that southern charm/hospitality thing going, good bbq and Cajun food, some hidden pockets of interesting, walkable neighborhoods. It's also maybe even more diverse than Johnathanc notes above . .. due to the influx of geological and biomed engineers I noticed a fair population of e.g. Indians, with the good restaurants that come with . . .and due to the relatively good economy and lower cost of living (no state income tax, relatively cheap housing), there are a lot of US transplants from just about everywhere.
But the downtown is really small-time . . . no real residential or life after 5pm except within one block of the stadium, and it's not even the real financial center - all the oil companies who drive the economy are in far-off business parks.
They are working on a better transit system, but so far just one light-rail line.
Most of it is a mind-numbing, soul-crushing non-stop drive-by of strip malls and chain stores.
And the weather . . . I'll just say I'd take a Toronto winter over a Houston "summer" (9 months long) ANY TIME.
You are hard-pressed to find anyone living there who doesn't cite economic reasons (high-paying job, cheap housing), as the main reasons, meaning most would live elsewhere if they could . . . making it IMHO much more like Edmonton than Toronto.
Houston is American city similar and closest alike to Toronto. The whole layout and development are almost identical with the exception that Toronto has slightly more built and established downtown with more residential towers.
Seeing as I am very familiar with both Houston and Toronto, I find your comparison very amusing but I fail to see the comparison.
Houston the most similar to Toronto? Interesting thoughts but in terms of structure, Houston doesn't even have a subway system, they have a monorail from what I recall. Houston's downtown seems smaller although the financial/business district area is probably similar. Houston suburbs also sprawl out much further with bigger homes/lots whereas Toronto is still littered with condos even outside of downtown. Toronto's structure is more similar to a Chicago or Philly.
The culture and mannerisms don't strike me as similar too. People have that friendly, southern hospitality thing going on in Houston whereas Toronto is polite but very reserved atmosphere. Even politically, Toronto is more Liberal as a city. I'm sure the core downtown areas of Houston are probably Liberal but the vast majority of the suburbs and hence overall population of the city is Conservative.
Both are pretty diverse cities (Toronto moreso) but in different ways - Toronto has more of a newer immigrant feel with more different languages spoken but Houston may feel less white due to large black, Hispanic and Asian populations. Toronto reminds me more of Queens in terms of its diversity more than anything with a larger emphasis on Chinese and Indian.
There doesn't even seem to be an overlap in terms of cuisine: Houston is probably better for BBQ, Southern, Mexican/Texmex, Seafood and Vietnamese; whereas Toronto is more focused on Chinese, Indian, Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern.
Weather and architecture aren't similar either. And the economies are also very different too with Houston being a major world energy capital and Toronto being the financial and business capital of Canada. Canada's energy capital is Calgary. I don't much about Calgary but on the surface it seems that Calgary may be more similar to Houston (albeit a smaller version) than Toronto is to Houston.
Calgary is definitely closer to Houston than Toronto.
Let's not dismiss the comparison too quickly. The poster was referring to the "whole layout and development" of the two cities, not cityscape or overall vibe.
Location: San Diego via Orange County via Toronto via Rome Italy
390 posts, read 795,278 times
Reputation: 382
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajl22586
Let's not dismiss the comparison too quickly. The poster was referring to the "whole layout and development" of the two cities, not cityscape or overall vibe.
Granted . . . and I could see if e.g. you lived in a single-family tract development in Mississauga and worked somewhere along the 401 corridor, and spent little time in or near downtown, you'd be tempted to say they are similar. And the population of both metro areas are similar at about 6 million people.
But if you haven't spent time in Houston you can't appreciate the mind-bogglingly large SCALE of the place. It's the same population but sprawled on a MUCH bigger area . .. the density of the GTA is 2,200 people per square mile . . .in Houston, it's 630 people per square mile . . .same population in an area 4x the size, how can that possibly be similar in "layout and development"?
Houston doesn't even have a subway system, they have a monorail from what I recall.
Yes, we all know an excellent subway is what Toronto should be proud for.
For a city the size of Toronto to own not one but TWO entirely efficient subways, aren't we so proud? Not to mention the monthly cost of $134 is so affordable, one of the lowest in North America.
Let's not dismiss the comparison too quickly. The poster was referring to the "whole layout and development" of the two cities, not cityscape or overall vibe.
Who cares? Why are you people so obsessed with all these ridiculous comparisons.?
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