Any American cities moving up a tier?

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Those are mostly quiet residential neighborhoods. Charming, yes. Vibrant and lively, not so much. I was referring more to places like the crowded Venice boardwalk and Abbot Kinney blvd, or the colorful, vibrant storefronts on Sunset blvd in Silver Lake. That's kind of an LA thing. When I was in Boston I didn't see any places equivalent to those neighborhoods.

Spin this 360 degrees and show me 1 place in LA that matches this. Just 1.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3555...7i13312!8i6656

[JManc]

This thread is bordering lunacy. Comparing LA to Boston? Might as well compare apples and coronaviruses.

[mrnyc]

^ is that an upgrade from oranges and croissants when it was la and paris? ha.

[dubu]

la is a apple and paris is a bottle of corona.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by McBane

I literally just picked a spot on the map. But please find others and post that compare to South Philly or Queens or other comparable, non-core neighborhoods in any northeastern city.

Why would I do that? Nobody was arguing that Koreatown is more urban than South Philly or Queens. I just found it hilarious that you tried to pass off that streetview image as a representative sample.

btw South Philly has some of the worst ugliest urbanity in the entire Northeast. It's my go-to example for illustrating that urban doesn't always equal good. https://goo.gl/maps/n8eT21dNtAsMF8Cc7 and that streetview is NOT cherry-picked. It's a pretty spot on representation of what most of South Philly looks like.

[McBane]

My whole point was just to show that LA's incredible density doesn't necessarily equate to good urbanity or a pleasant pedestrian experience.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Why would I do that? Nobody was arguing that Koreatown is more urban than South Philly or Queens. I just found it hilarious that you tried to pass off that streetview image as a representative sample.

btw South Philly has some of the worst ugliest urbanity in the entire Northeast. It's my go-to example for illustrating that urban doesn't always equal good. https://goo.gl/maps/n8eT21dNtAsMF8Cc7 and that streetview is NOT cherry-picked. It's a pretty spot on representation of what most of South Philly looks like.

thats funny. i think that philly view looks great because the blocks are full as far as you can see with no dead space like most of america. i wouldn't trade that urbanity for anything.

also, just because stuff is old, or of a certain quality, or of a certain ses status ownership that you do not prefer, or do not fall into thinking the inside always looks like the outside!

just sayin.

[Boisebro]

I have it on good authority that Boise will soon be rocketing up to Tier-95.

[iheartthed]

It's Corona vs. Sam Adams

[JManc]

Originally Posted by McBane

My whole point was just to show that LA's incredible density doesn't necessarily equate to good urbanity or a pleasant pedestrian experience.

LA* is so massive that it includes everything from dehumanizing hellscapes all the way to quaint very walkable areas; particularly along the coast. I'd move to Manhattan Beach in a New York minute.

*LA being the LA area.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by DZH22

Spin this 360 degrees and show me 1 place in LA that matches this. Just 1.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3555...7i13312!8i6656

Not sure what your point is. Is that impressive to you?

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Not sure what your point is. Is that impressive to you?

Why don't you try referring to what I was responding to. The point is pretty obvious. If your reading comprehension is this poor, maybe you should take some classes before you post here again. You have been embarrassing yourself for the last few pages.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by McBane

My whole point was just to show that LA's incredible density doesn't necessarily equate to good urbanity or a pleasant pedestrian experience.

You could have used South Philly to make the exact same point

But seriously, your point doesn't even make sense. I would much rather walk around in Koreatown than in South Philly, even if I have to (gasp) walk across a few curb cuts. I think most normal humans would choose the same. It's just a much nicer urban environment overall.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by DZH22

Why don't you try referring to what I was responding to. The point is pretty obvious. If your reading comprehension is this poor, maybe you should take some classes before you post here again. You have been embarrassing yourself for the last few pages.

Getting a bit prickly are we? That's a very typical street scene. It's not that special. The Venice boardwalk, that's special.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by badrunner

But seriously, your point doesn't even make sense. I would much rather walk around in Koreatown than in South Philly, even if I have to (gasp) walk across a few curb cuts. I think most normal humans would choose the same. It's just a much nicer urban environment overall.

South Philly is probably the most attractive non-core walking environment in the U.S. outside of NYC. It's pretty much the ideal neighborhood pedestrian environment. Narrow streets, tight grid, light traffic, everything geared around the pedestrian.

LA Koreatown is a pretty awful walking environment.

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by badrunner

That's a very typical street scene. It's not that special. The Venice boardwalk, that's special.

It's a major pedestrian area right in the very heart of downtown.

On the other hand, the Venice Boardwalk looks like pretty much the entirety of the Jersey Shore. It's not nearly as special as you think it is. Not even close.

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by Crawford

South Philly is probably the most attractive non-core walking environment in the U.S. outside of NYC. It's pretty much the ideal neighborhood pedestrian environment. Narrow streets, tight grid, light traffic, everything geared around the pedestrian.

Ehhh, I would take the Cambridge/Somerville neighborhoods like this any day of the week. More colorful, vibrant, tall, and with just enough permeability to see the next rows of residentials between each house. This shot is within a 5 minute walk of the main drag (Mass Ave) plus another highly commercialized street. These are all between 3-4 stories with raised entrances and sloped roofs. It's a big difference vs just 2 stories, flat roofs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3839...7i16384!8i8192

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by DZH22

Ehhh, I would take the Cambridge/Somerville neighborhoods like this any day of the week.

I used to live essentially next to Harvard Square. I don't think they're close. Cambridge has excellent urbanity right around T stops and nowhere else. Most Harvard-adjacent areas are streetcar suburban.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Crawford

South Philly is probably the most attractive non-core walking environment in the U.S. outside of NYC. It's pretty much the ideal neighborhood pedestrian environment. Narrow streets, tight grid, light traffic, everything geared around the pedestrian.

Yeah but it's just relentless visual monotony. I would get bored very quickly. When I walk I like to be visually engaged - diverse foliage, diverse architecture and building materials. Stuff like that defines an urban environment just as much as narrow streets, no curb cuts etc.

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by Crawford

I used to live essentially next to Harvard Square. I don't think they're close. Cambridge has excellent urbanity right around T stops and nowhere else. Most Harvard-adjacent areas are streetcar suburban.

They are not quite as dense as the Philly shot but they are more interesting and marvelous neighborhoods to walk through. The 3-4 story houses are more impressive than those 2 story rowhouses any day of the week. Plus the area has been adding ridiculous amounts of density over the last 10 years, and continues to do so. Many neighborhoods are being stitched together. I don't know when you lived here but it has been changing a lot, even since just 2015. I know you can say the same thing about many cities but the Boston area has built a huge amount of square footage lately, across the spectrum of uses.