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What Two or More Cities Would You Compare?

Urbanrailfan

By Urbanrailfan
in Urban Design & Architecture

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Urbanrailfan Whistle-Stop

Urbanrailfan

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Houston/Atlanta. Both rival the ranking as having the biggest skylines in the South. Houston is shiny during the day, while Atlanta lights up very well at night. If only Houston could put in some more lights; it looks like a ghost town at night. Finally can make a comparison between the two without starting a ruckus. It is going on right now at another urban forumer I won't mention. ;)

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Ron Newman Whistle-Stop

Ron Newman

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Agree with Cotuit. Boston and San Francisco are both peninsular cities, both seaports, both have branching light-rail subways that emerge as streetcars, both have heavy rail subways and commuter trains as well, both are politically liberal and Democratic, both consider themselves to be literate and sophisticated, and both are across bodies of water from a major university town (Cambridge, Berkeley). Both have also recently torn down major elevated highways that cut off their waterfronts from the rest of the city. And both have a strong Italian heritage.

Someone else posted Boston/New Orleans. No way. Boston hardly thinks about New Orleans at all, and I suspect the converse is true as well.

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sleepy Burg

sleepy

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Someone else posted Boston/New Orleans.  No way.  Boston hardly thinks about New Orleans at all, and I suspect the converse is true as well.

Culturally certainly there's a big difference. New Orleans is more Latin-Caribbean in makeup, while Boston has the reputation of being a bit more stuffy.

Interesting though that the largest white ethnic group in New Orleans is Sicilian-Italian and Boston has its large Italian pop. as well.

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Urban Paradoxes Crossroads

Urban Paradoxes

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Cleveland often compares itself to Baltimore on the basis that both cities are industrial and have strong business leadership. My experience, having family in Baltimore, is that Baltimore never compares itself with Cleveland, except perhaps to say, "Thank God, we're not Cleveland." Cleveland's Greater Cleveland Partnership (the chamber and business "leadership") tends to talk in circles and push private agendas, and hence, stagnate, while Baltimore has several dynamic groups with a shared vision (such as Downtown Business Partnership) who in my opinion progressively move that city forward. And while there may be private agendas at work, the agendas are secondary to the health of the city (again, my opinion). Cleveland's rank as the poorest city in America is not a fluke, but the result of years of patronage, private business agendas, plain old mismanagement, and an ostrich-like mentality.

Hey, but believe it or not, I love Cleveland. The potential here is greater than any other North American city. There is nowhere, but up to go, which provides awesome potential for those who are willing to take the risk.

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Urbanrailfan Whistle-Stop

Urbanrailfan

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Houston has always been known as an energy conservationist and environmentally friendly town, maybe that is why they are afraid to turn on the lights? ;)

At a time when Houston was void of nightlife and residents, the skyline was lit up every night. Then the first residential apartment community, Houston House was built. When the tenants filled it up, some complained about the lighting disturbing their sleep. That is why downtown looks like a ghost town at night now. The only time they are turned on is for promotions and the Houston Power Event (i forgot the exact name of the event.

IMO Houston's lighting needs some improvement. In addition to the cheap cookie cutter neon lights and Christmas lights that perch on top, they can throw in some spotlights. :thumbsup:

Pic courtesy of mancuso

33275891.jpg

Pic courtesy of Reggie Z. Not well lit, but it has something to go on, as viewed from Uptown.

HOUSTON.jpg

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PghUSA Town

PghUSA

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Pittsburgh and Cleveland so similar it hurts (especially during football season)

Big question for everybody New York/Los Angeles or New York/San Francisco

also with that Boston/Seattle comparison, do you think that a Boston/San Francisco comparison is better, Stanford being the Harvard of the west, not to mention silicon valley compared to Bostons route 8 corridor. As far as the measuring sticks you used in your comparisons of the three I can't disagree!

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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Bostons route 8 corridor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Route 128.

Bostonians drink more coffee than Seattlites, and it rains more in Boston than Seattle.

I think the Boston-SF comparison is more apt, but I can kind of see the Seattle one. I think people in Seattle probably come off as more friendly than Bostonians.

New York I would compare to Chicago, Boston, or Philadelphia over LA or SF

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PghUSA Town

PghUSA

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Doh! 128 thats right.

As far as the growth management and liberal tendancies I can see a Boston/Seattle but Seattle (until recently) didn't get the kind of snowfall Boston is famous for.

The NY/LA thing is more a #1/#2, Jetset, Yankees vs. Dodgers or Angels or Mets vs. Dodgers thing (1963, 77,78, 81, 2002 world series etc.) plus the jetset factor it always comes down to a NY win or LA win for "THE" conference or "THE" event etc. in a way Chicago still competes but not as much.

I still think though that somewhere along Interstate 76 is the center of the universe, halfway between Browndom and Steelerdom lol

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Brickell Burg

Brickell

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In a strictly East/West Comparison I'd have to say that New York doesn't really have a comparer. If anything, It'd be Chicago.

East - West: aproximately

NYC - Chicago

Boston - San Fran

Houston - LA

Miami - Vancouver

Philly - Seattle (?)

Atlanta - Phoenix

DC - Portland (???)

Detroit - St Louis

Charlotte - Sacremento

Orlando - Vegas

Tampa - San Diego (?)

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PghUSA Town

PghUSA

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That Neil Diamond song, New York/LA lol

GOOOO NEIL!

Also all the DieHard movies were all subplotted Shes so LA I'm just all NY.

Back in the day (1970s,1980s) I guess it was a big rivalry but did we grow out of that? It was kinda fun to see the 2 monster metros battle it out, anybody remember that culture clash episode of Seinfeld where the New Yorkers go out to LA LA land.

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BigCityAttitude Hamlet

BigCityAttitude

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In a strictly East/West Comparison I'd have to say that New York doesn't really have a comparer.  If anything, It'd be Chicago.

East - West:  aproximately

NYC - Chicago

Boston - San Fran

Houston - LA

Miami - Vancouver

Philly - Seattle (?)

Atlanta - Phoenix

DC - Portland (???)

Detroit - St Louis

Charlotte - Sacremento

Orlando - Vegas

Tampa - San Diego (?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you kidding me? Miami and Vancouver? They do have a dominant culture (Miami being Latin/Hispanic, Vancouver being Asian) but other than that I see no similarities.

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Brickell Burg

Brickell

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Which western city would you compare to miami then?

They're both on the water, both have high minority/foreign populations, both are considered vacation areas, both are becoming meccas of highrise living, both are out of space to grow, both have ports...

I was just trying to think of which east/west cities fit the most.

where's your list bigshot?

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BigCityAttitude Hamlet

BigCityAttitude

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Which western city would you compare to miami then?

...

where's your list bigshot?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No need to be rude about it. And I don't really have a list because I've just recently been interested in urban development and the like. So I'm still trying to catch up with where all the cities are these days. I didn't mean to bash your Miami-Vancouver comparison, it just didn't make sense to me. They do have similarities that I overlooked, it's just not enough for those to be among the first to come to mind. For me, at least.

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Brickell Burg

Brickell

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No need to be rude about it. And I don't really have a list because I've just recently been interested in urban development and the like. So I'm still trying to catch up with where all the cities are these days. I didn't mean to bash your Miami-Vancouver comparison, it just didn't make sense to me. They do have similarities that I overlooked, it's just not enough for those to be among the first to come to mind. For me, at least.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry.

I'll admit it may not the best choice, but the unconstructive criticism on some of these forums gets to me sometimes.

I can see Miami/LA as well, but from everything I've seen about San Diego, it's not a good match.

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