Jump to content

What US and Canadian Cities have the Manhattan like effect by look?


Recommended Posts

What US and Canadian cities have the densest downtowns that give sort of the Manhattan like effect?

By the way you do not have to limit your thoughts to cities with only tall skyscrapers.

For example Washington DC has an Manhattan like feeling without skyscrapers. Pittsburgh's downtown isn't huge but, it feels like you're in Manhattan when you're down in the middle of it.

Also, what midsize (from city limit 200,000) to large US and Canada cities have skylines that don't reflect the size of their city limit and metro population?

Some cities have small city and not really large metro populations but have huge skylines. I'm thinking of for example Calgary and Edmonton.

Then there are some cities that have metros around 1.1 million and their skylines make them look like the cities' metro area should only have around 500,000.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 26
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Also, what midsize (from city limit 200,000) to large US and Canada cities have skylines that don't reflect the size of their city limit and metro population?

I was impressed with Midland's skyline when I went there recently. It's an awful city, and many of the spaces seemed to be abandoned, but the buildings are still there.

Wikipedia seems to agree with me.

A picture I took there last month:

downtown2.jpg

Lake Charles' is also fairly impressive. Mainly for that one building, which I assume is oil-related.

ufiles868.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chicago's skyline is somewhat Manhattan-like; in fact, two of some of America's and the world's tallest buildings are located there, the John Hancock Center and Sears Tower. Inside "The Loop" and maybe up in Near and River North, the density is there too.

Also, you have the jusxtaposition of older buildings, like the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, or The Rookery, next to new ones like the aforementioned John Hancock and Sears Tower, or maybe the Aon Building.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as density, Pittsburgh would have to be in the top 5, in just about a 15 block area it has close to 150 skyscrapers (above 11 floors) and many more if you count "highrises" 6+

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Philadelphia has the Manhattan like feeling when you're in Center City.

It's too bad Philly use to have a height limit. Because if they had not Philadelphia would have been part of the skyscaper booms of the 1930s-1950s and the 1970s-80s. It would have looked at least the size of Chicago by now.

Philly_1249web.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The three liberal West Coast cities, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco all have dense and lively downtown cores that seem Manhatten-esque:)

In my opinion Minneapolis has the most impressive core for a city it's size.

And for a small city, Winston Salem is real nice!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While it doesen't have Manhatten like density, except for maybe a few blocks, Lansing does have a respectable downtown for being a city with only 116,000 and a metro of about 550,000. It has mostly older buildings in the 10 floor range:

Arial looking Northwest

downtown-lansing-big.jpg

Capitol Ave.

CapitolAve.jpg

I really think that Chicago is the only other city in the US that comes close to Manahtten, it has over 1,000 high rises. It also has three 1,000+ ft buildings (more than Manhatten), two more under consruction and a 2,000 ft building to start construction within the next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes it feels like the people of this forum think the ocean starts at the Mississippi River. Seattle, and Sanfranciso both have Density, that are almost Identicle to Toronto. Very "Manhattan like. Sorry no photos though. It sounds like the original question is about street level density. So it really wouldn't matter how tall a skyline is. IE Madison, Ann Arbor, Dayton. But if you're talking about a city who's skyline gives it a much larger feel, I think Calgary takes the cake. Vancouver is also somewhat breath taking. Canadian Sprawl regulations, have been very kind to the urbanity of it's cities. If you're talking about a more American city, Des Moines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really think that Chicago is the only other city in the US that comes close to Manahtten, it has over 1,000 high rises. It also has three 1,000+ ft buildings (more than Manhatten), two more under consruction and a 2,000 ft building to start construction within the next year.

A 2,000 foot building? Say what??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Norfolk's skyline is proportionate to it's population of roughly 240,000. However if you consider the entire Hampton Roads metro of around 1,600,000 it seems small. This is a case of the metro area having several downtown areas (Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, and even Virginia Beach is now getting into the downtown business) so no one is very large. Also it seems a lot of development is waterfront oriented so everything is sort of spread out accordingly. Richmond is more dense, but they have no water and only one downtown. I really don't know. Just a thought.

There is no Manhattan feel anywhere in Virginia, btw.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/JohnK812/P4280092.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

oh my... people are posting pictures of Lansing in response to "Manhattan-esque" aesthetics? this thread has gone beyond the pale! :lol:

well... i'm gonna be a homer too... but I think my claim has a bit more legitimacy...

Pittsburgh

I've heard many refer to downtown Pittsburgh as being a mini-Manhattan... its interaction with the water and dense walls of skyscrapers give it that Manhattan feeling...

here's a few examples

61065979.100_6334.jpg

50567169.100_0651.jpg

51805098.100_2762.jpg

54261620.100_3704.jpg

55789567.100_4469.jpg

59120203.100_5439.jpg

59151180.100_5457.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great pics Evergrey, as I have mentioned before when you take the numbers of skyscrapers in any 15 block area, Pittsburgh is definetly in the top 10, possibly top 5 of the world. US Steel is a massive structure almost 900 feet tall and sq. footage wise one of the larger skyscrapers in the world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A 2,000 foot building? Say what??

See the Fordham Spire:

calatravachicago018ch.jpg

oh my... people are posting pictures of Lansing in response to "Manhattan-esque" aesthetics? this thread has gone beyond the pale! :lol:

The post didn't relegate to cities only that are Manhatten-like, it also says post cities that have downtowns that are bigger than expected for their population. I would never be dumb enough to claim Lansing as Manhatten like :lol: .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no Manhattan feel anywhere in Virginia, btw.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f39/JohnK812/P4280092.jpg

I don't know about that... From a distance the Norfolk skyline looks nothing like Manhattan, of course, but with some imagination the architecture in some parts of downtown could pass for one of Manhattan's midrise districts. Take these, for example (shot in January):

10000710xh.jpg

10000748id.jpg

Providence has a small part of the urban core that could also pass for NY. For example:

supermanbw2rb.jpg

weybossettst8dd.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

oh my... people are posting pictures of Lansing in response to "Manhattan-esque" aesthetics? this thread has gone beyond the pale! :lol:

Methinks a lot of people haven't spent much (any) time in Manhattan.

Any city worth the name 'city' has some area where there is a canyon effect the buildings create along the streets. But the only US city I've been to that has anything close to an actual Manhattan feel at street level is San Francisco (and I say that as a former Bostonian). I would imagine that Chicago and Toronto could also give a similar feel in some areas.

Manhattan is truely unique in the US. There's really nothing like it. Other cities have large skylines and skyscraper canyons, and lots of life on the street. But there's no mistaking the feeling of being in New York.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.