I love all the shots Cal, you're getting closer.... (And please don't be insulted), however after studying many canyon shots of New York I see three things in common:
1) Perspective - Don't stand
in the canyon to take its picture. Stand farther outside it and use high powered telephoto. This compresses the perspective and adds to the illusion of density and height.
2) Lighting - Either late day or early morning are always good. The long shadows exaggerate distances and height. Overcast days are also good, with interesting cloud formations. It adds to the urban gloom.
3) Altitude - For this you have to finagle your way into mid-floor offices of a building to capture the best angles. (I'm sure you can use your suave, debonair, machismo to charm some pretty receptionist somewhere.)