How similar are Columbus and Indianapolis?

[JManc]

I was in both in January; drove from one to the other. Felt very similar to me. Parts of Indy were reminiscent of Chicago though while Columbus reminded me somewhat an older/ colder/ denser Austin.

[KB0679]

Originally Posted by skysoar

I have been to both Indianapolis and Columbus several times and my impression is, Columbus has a downtown that is reminiscent of southern cities like Charlotte, Atlanta, etc. Downtowns that are tall but lack energy on the streetscapes, and a lack of street activity

That's more true of a nice chunk of downtown Atlanta after hours but it's a pretty outdated perception of downtown (uptown) Charlotte.

[SIGSEGV]

The Ohio State Capitol is the most pitiful capitol building I've ever seen.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by JManc

I was in both in January; drove from one to the other. Felt very similar to me. Parts of Indy were reminiscent of Chicago though while Columbus reminded me somewhat an older/ colder/ denser Austin.

Denser than Austin?

[Steely Dan]

The UA weighted densities (the most apples to apples comparison we have) for colmubus and austin are damn near identical.

columbus - 3,186 ppsm

austin - 3,132 ppsm


source: https://plot.ly/~caluchko/128/larger...d-densities/#/


FWIW, indy is considerably less dense than either by the UA weighted density metric: 2,286 ppsm

indy is one of the least (weighted) dense UA's over 1.5M in the nation. only atlanta, charlotte, and nashville are lower.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Denser than Austin?

Austin, outside of the downtown and UT campus area, is a sprawly Sun Belt metro. Not surprised Columbus, a fairly low density metro by Midwest standards, is significantly denser.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

The UA weighted densities (the most apples to apples comparison we have) for colmubus and austin are damn near identical.

columbus - 3,186 ppsm

austin - 3,132 ppsm


source: https://plot.ly/~caluchko/128/larger...d-densities/#/


FWIW, indy is considerably less dense than either by the UA weighted density metric: 2,286 ppsm

indy is one of the least (weighted) dense UA's over 1.5M in the nation. only atlanta, charlotte, and nashville are lower.

I'm legit surprised that LA and SF are so even on weighted density. I am not surprised, but a little amused, that Cleveland and Detroit are density twins. Everything else is more or less what I expected.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'm legit surprised that LA and SF are so even on weighted density.

keep in mind that these are UA's so riverside and san jose are separate from their parent UAs, if they were combined then the bay area would creep ahead a bit because the san jose UA is roughly twice as dense as the riverside UA.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by BG918

Austin, outside of the downtown and UT campus area, is a sprawly Sun Belt metro. Not surprised Columbus, a fairly low density metro by Midwest standards, is significantly denser.

But it isn’t, as facts clearly show.

[SFBruin]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'm legit surprised that LA and SF are so even on weighted density.

LA and San Francisco have basically identical development patterns outside of their central cities. Dense single-family homes and occasional tract condos.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by SFBruin

LA and San Francisco have basically identical development patterns outside of their central cities. Dense single-family homes and occasional tract condos.

Exactly. SF city proper is quite distinct, but the Bay Area and SoCal, overall, look/feel/function more similar than different.

[Fresh]

Neither of them seem to do much with their river, Indianapolis especially so.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by The North One

They're both very mediocre, both have surprisingly high crime, but also both healthy with likely good futures ahead.

If I had to choose I'd say Columbus has more to offer, better urbanism, prettier, more liberal, better location and in a much better state than Indiana.

If Indy had Indiana U., it would be much more like Columbus. Maybe Indy could extend its tenticles to Bloomington and annex "cutter town" & IU.

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by SFBruin

LA and San Francisco have basically identical development patterns outside of their central cities. Dense single-family homes and occasional tract condos.

Oddly enough, I think apartment complexes more typify suburban L.A. than they do suburban S.F. Drive around west L.A. and even large parts of the Valley and you see large swaths of apartment buildings lining the major streets. L.A. suburbs are often quite dense by suburban standards, sometimes over 10,000 per sq. mile because of the aprtment blocks and home/apt sharing.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by JManc

I was in both in January; drove from one to the other. Felt very similar to me. Parts of Indy were reminiscent of Chicago though while Columbus reminded me somewhat an older/ colder/ denser Austin.

What parts of Indy reminded you of Chicago?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

What parts of Indy reminded you of Chicago?

yeah, i'm a bit curious about that too.

at the neighborhood level, chicago and indy feel like very different cities to me.




typical chicago commercial streets:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9412...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9031...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9683...7i13312!8i6656


typical indy commerical streets:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7524...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7877...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7216...7i13312!8i6656







typical chicago residential streets:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9054...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9443...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8531...7i16384!8i8192


typical indy residential streets:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7203...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7561...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8305...7i13312!8i6656





if anything, high street through short north in columbus is much more reminiscent of an urban chicago commerical arterial street than anything in indy: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9824...7i13312!8i6656

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by BG918

Austin, outside of the downtown and UT campus area, is a sprawly Sun Belt metro. Not surprised Columbus, a fairly low density metro by Midwest standards, is significantly denser.

Austin, outside of those areas, still has the Domain, East Riverside, the collection of Austin’s more urban neighborhoods across the river from downtown, Mueller, and the various VMU corridors radiating out from the CBD. Columbus is NOT significantly denser.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

What parts of Indy reminded you of Chicago?

Some of the neighborhoods. I'm from the northeast and they have a different look and feel to them where as I saw a little Chicago driving around parts of Indy.

Though Chicago is a lot more brick-y and has its own distinct architecture in most areas; the single (barely) detached brick houses with sunken first floors and the U-shaped apartment buildings

[TexasPlaya]

They're different cities?

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

They're different cities?

they’re midwest austins.