The Ten Largest Downtowns in the U.S.

[Backstrom]

Personally, geographic square miles mean nothing. You have to compare by either density or office space. Like it's already been said, it really depends how you define "largest".

[kevin22]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

1. New York (374,345,143 sq. ft.)
2. Chicago (134,533,476 sq. ft.)
3. Washington, DC (81,285,863 sq. ft.)
4. Boston (78,094,079 sq. ft.)
5. San Francisco (68,449,408 sq. ft.)
6. Philadelphia (53,612,971 sq. ft.)
7. Los Angeles (50,838,105 sq. ft.)
8. Dallas (37,204,314 sq. ft.)
9. Houston (37,192,663 sq. ft.)
10. Denver (26,509,449 sq. ft.)
11. Detroit (18,565,739 sq. ft.)
12. Atlanta (11,221,650 sq. ft.)
13. Miami (9,314,741 sq. ft.)

*Note: The above figures are representative of the amount of office space held only within the primary downtown of each city. Also, secondary downtowns like New York's Jersey City and Houston's Uptown do make the list but are not included in the list.

http://www.mi.vt.edu/uploads/Edgeless%20Cities.pdf

Seattle (38,033,308 sq. ft.)
http://www.downtownseattle.com/conte...fficeSpace.cfm

According to Wikipedia, Downtown Houston has about 40,000,000 sq. ft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Houston

wow new york city has a big downtown, no surprise miami is number 13 our downtown is quite small but still great.

[Westsidelife]

^That figure represents all of Manhattan. It would be better if it were subdivided into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

[kevin22]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

^That figure represents all of Manhattan. It would be better if it were subdivided into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

i know

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

1. New York (374,345,143 sq. ft.)
2. Chicago (134,533,476 sq. ft.)
3. Washington, DC (81,285,863 sq. ft.)
4. Boston (78,094,079 sq. ft.)
5. San Francisco (68,449,408 sq. ft.)
6. Philadelphia (53,612,971 sq. ft.)
7. Los Angeles (50,838,105 sq. ft.)
8. Dallas (37,204,314 sq. ft.)
9. Houston (37,192,663 sq. ft.)
10. Denver (26,509,449 sq. ft.)
11. Detroit (18,565,739 sq. ft.)
12. Atlanta (11,221,650 sq. ft.)
13. Miami (9,314,741 sq. ft.)

*Note: The above figures are representative of the amount of office space held only within the primary downtown of each city. Also, secondary downtowns like New York's Jersey City and Houston's Uptown do make the list but are not included in the list.

http://www.mi.vt.edu/uploads/Edgeless%20Cities.pdf

Seattle (38,033,308 sq. ft.)
http://www.downtownseattle.com/conte...fficeSpace.cfm

According to Wikipedia, Downtown Houston has about 40,000,000 sq. ft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Houston

Wow, Boston is #4

[Catmendue2]

My guess is that residential buildings aren't being included as downtown space. Seems like lot of DT Chicago wasn't counted in these figures.

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by Catmendue2

My guess is that residential buildings aren't being included as downtown space. Seems like lot of DT Chicago wasn't counted in these figures.

I think you are correct, according to that list, chicago's "downtown" isnt even twice as large as boston's; but in reality it is like 4 or 5 times bigger (based on just looking at them, of course).

[DCBaby]

These numbers are pretty accurate. I don't think Chicago's DT is 4 times bigger than Boston's.

[SNL]

Originally Posted by DCBaby

These numbers are pretty accurate. I don't think Chicago's DT is 4 times bigger than Boston's.

i do. boston has like 400,000 people. chicago has 3 million with 10 million in the surrounding areas. these people have to work and live so you do the math.

[Evangelion]

I read in the Washington Post that Downtown Tysons Corner alone is larger then downtown Atlanta and Pheonix.

[DCBaby]

Boston also has about 5 to 6 million peopke in the metro. So what's your point? Eveybody doesn't work DT in either city. The numbers are what they are. Don't try to spruce them up by your ridiculous analogy. If that's the case, then LA should be number 2.

[DCBaby]

NYC'S DT is not 4 times as big as Boston's so why do you think Chicago would be any different? This list is commercial office space only. Residential space is not included.

Evangelion you are correct. If you added Tysons Corner to the mix it would come in at #10 or #11. I want to see metro area numbers. I think DC would come in at #2 if you add in Tysons, Reston, Dulles, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Rossyln, Rockville, Arlington, Alexandria, Crystal City. Also this list does not take into account federal office space which accounts for a large footprint in DC. The Pentagon easily has six million feet of space and is one of the largest office buildings in the world.

[SNL]

Originally Posted by DCBaby

Boston also has about 5 to 6 million peopke in the metro. So what's your point? Eveybody doesn't work DT in either city. The numbers are what they are. Don't try to spruce them up by your ridiculous analogy. If that's the case, then LA should be number 2.

my point is, by default chicago's downtown is easily twice as large. chicago has hundreds of thousands of more people living downtown than in boston. then you add in what chicago's worth to the nation is compared to bostons ($$$) and it's a no doubter that Chicago's downtown is at minimal, 3x larger than Boston's. what's your point?

[DCBaby]

Your analogy still doesn't add up. LA (city) is almost twice as large (pop wise) as Chicago, plus based on your $$$ scenario, LA is worth more, but Chicago still has more office space????????

[DCBaby]

My point is that these number are correct. They are commercial office space only.

[goonsta]

Originally Posted by SNL

my point is, by default chicago's downtown is easily twice as large. chicago has hundreds of thousands of more people living downtown than in boston. then you add in what chicago's worth to the nation is compared to bostons ($$$) and it's a no doubter that Chicago's downtown is at minimal, 3x larger than Boston's. what's your point?

You're inflating those numbers, Chicago probably only has 50,000 more people downtown that Boston. The central area of Boston is extremely dense, what they don't have in highrises, they make up for in narrow, congested lowrises. Even when River North is completely built out, it will probably have at best 100,000 more people than Boston's downtown, unless the size is extended to include the South Loop.

[CITYofDREAMS]

Originally Posted by DCBaby

Your analogy still doesn't add up. LA (city) is almost twice as large (pop wise) as Chicago, plus based on your $$$ scenario, LA is worth more, but Chicago still has more office space????????

I think it have to do with the fact that this numbers are inclusives of Downtowns... LA has more than one center but only one is considered DT the others are not being calculated in these numbers.

[Westsidelife]

^LA probably has just as much office space as Chicago does, only it's more spread out.

[Somnifor]

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

1. New York (374,345,143 sq. ft.)
2. Chicago (134,533,476 sq. ft.)
3. Washington, DC (81,285,863 sq. ft.)
4. Boston (78,094,079 sq. ft.)
5. San Francisco (68,449,408 sq. ft.)
6. Philadelphia (53,612,971 sq. ft.)
7. Los Angeles (50,838,105 sq. ft.)
8. Dallas (37,204,314 sq. ft.)
9. Houston (37,192,663 sq. ft.)
10. Denver (26,509,449 sq. ft.)
11. Detroit (18,565,739 sq. ft.)
12. Atlanta (11,221,650 sq. ft.)
13. Miami (9,314,741 sq. ft.)

*Note: The above figures are representative of the amount of office space held only within the primary downtown of each city. Also, secondary downtowns like New York's Jersey City and Houston's Uptown do make the list but are not included in the list.

http://www.mi.vt.edu/uploads/Edgeless%20Cities.pdf

Seattle (38,033,308 sq. ft.)
http://www.downtownseattle.com/conte...fficeSpace.cfm

According to Wikipedia, Downtown Houston has about 40,000,000 sq. ft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Houston

That list isn't complete. According to a 2002 United Properties webpage downtown Minneapolis had over 25,000,000 sq ft then.

http://www.uproperties.com/PagePrint...b-f2c44b29ddb5

"In downtown Minneapolis, which accounts for more than 25 million square feet of the total Twin Cities office market of 69 million square feet, the vacancy rate is at 11.8% today, versus 9.2% at mid-year 2001 and year-end 2000."

[Xusein]

Originally Posted by SNL

i do. boston has like 400,000 people. chicago has 3 million with 10 million in the surrounding areas. these people have to work and live so you do the math.

Boston is nearing 600k, and has over 7 million people in their CSA. Granted, their metro is incredibly sprawled and includes all of Rhode Island and large parts of New Hampshire, but it's not that tiny when comparing it to Chicago.

I'm not suprised for Boston's high position...it's downtown is very compact, but very big at the same time. I'm also not suprised for DC...large space is need for the feds, and the low-rises cause for more space.