Quote:
Originally Posted by DenverInfill
Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis are not only good peers for Denver population-wise, but there are cultural, lifestyle, demographic, environmental, and political attributes that the four cities have in common that we don't share as strongly with Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Austin. One attribute that Denver, Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis share that contributes to many of their similarities is the miles and miles of "good urban bones" historic neighborhoods formed in the mid/late 1800s based on a walkable grid of rectilinear blocks surrounding a dense thriving core downtown that is the undisputed heart of the city and region.
|
I agree! People use "peer cities" in lots of different ways, so its helpful to identify a definition that you are relying upon when you use the term. I think your definition is really good - similar "cultural, lifestyle, demographic, environmental, and political" characteristics. I might add: similar in population and historical development paths.
Also, honestly, I think when most people identify a "peer city" they are in part speaking aspirationally - what city do they admire and WANT to be like.
By these definitions, Denver is nothing like Phoenix or Las Vegas, even though those are large, booming western cities. In 1910, when Denver had already developed into one of the largest cities in the West with 213,000 people, Phoenix was about the size of Alamosa and Las Vegas was similar to current day Fairplay. That history matters in the development of a culture, mindset, and way of life.
The cities you mention - Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis - have much more in common with Denver in terms of culture, history and lifestyle, not to mention their look and feel ('bones') and/or have features that many people in Denver would like to emulate. Kansas City? St. Louis? Las Vegas? Phoenix? Nashville? Charlotte?
Not so much.
San Francisco, though not a Denver peer city, still has more in common with Denver than does Phoenix or Las Vegas.
I would also not include Dallas as a peer city, given the huge population differences between Dallas and Denver and the VAST, VAST cultural differences between the cities and between Colorado and Texas. (Marijuana is STILL seriously ILLEGAL in Texas.. WTF?).
Austin is a little trickier and, although I would not currently think of it as a "peer city", it may well become one with the rapid changes and growth happening there.