Are city skylines becoming too cluttered?

[papaT10932]

I was standing along the Hudson River in Weehawken, NJ not too long ago looking at the NY skyline. For the first time, I was not impressed by the view. It just seems that NY has SO MANY tall buildings now thats its no longer a "skyline" with distinguishable features. I couldn't even see the Chrysler Building and I was standing directly across from 42nd street. Anybody else notice other cities losing their distinguished skylines due to overbuilding and clutter?

[mgk920]

IMHO, NYC's skyline has been blah ever since 2001-09-11 - the WTC 'Twins' were its exclamation point.



Ever since then, Chicago has been the USA's best skyline.

Mike

[Chris]

I also think NYC's skyline is too massive with not enough tall buildings that accentuate the skyline like Chicago's skyline does. So yes, I would also vote for Chicago. There is a huge amount of buildings in NYC between 500 and 800 feet, but only like 5 which are significantly taller.

[rickmastfan67]

I personally think Pittsburgh's is perfect as is.  Especially the view you get when you come out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel on the Parkway West (I-376; former I-279).  That never gets old.

[Ian]

The only spot where I think the NYC skyline looks good, is ontop of the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler Building. It has always been a neat experience seeing the city ontop of those buildings.

I also enjoy seeing the Philadelphia skyline. There are numerous spots around the western suburbs where the hills are high enough to see the buildings (the most notable one is on US 1 at the start of the Media By-Pass).

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

The only spot where I think the NYC skyline looks good, is ontop of the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler Building. It has always been a neat experience seeing the city ontop of those buildings.

I also enjoy seeing the Philadelphia skyline. There are numerous spots around the western suburbs where the hills are high enough to see the buildings (the most notable one is on US 1 at the start of the Media By-Pass).

I like the photo I got of the NYC skyline from cliffs above the Weehauken ferry landing.
Some years back I asked about where to get the Philly skyline and was told from Fairmount Park (I forget which hilltop, sorry)

[njroadhorse]

I personally think Pittsburgh's is perfect as is.  Especially the view you get when you come out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel on the Parkway West (I-376; former I-279).  That never gets old.

No it doesn't get old at all, and its so well proportioned too that you always find something new to like about it.

[Scott5114]

Oklahoma City could stand to use some fleshing out. From this angle (from I-40) it looks decent but when seen edge-on it looks kinda threadbare. However, Devon is working on what will become the tallest building in OK, so I expect that will make a nice addition to the skyline.

[Chris]

Even mid-sized cities like Oklahoma City, Kansas City or Indianapolis have a more impressive skyline than 95% of European cities.

There are only a few "skyscrapercities" in Europe, most notably Moscow, Paris, Rotterdam, Frankfurt and Warsaw.

[Nexis4Jersey]

European skylines consist mostly of churches and old buildings , which is what are older parts of our cities look like.

City of Newark - Art Deco & Modern Skyline



Expect to change when the economy rebounds , major investments are flying back into Newark , mainly in High Rises and condos.

~Corey

[agentsteel53]

major investments are flying back into Newark , mainly in High Rises and condos.

those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.  okay, how do I sign up for not wanting to repeat it with them?

[Nexis4Jersey]

major investments are flying back into Newark , mainly in High Rises and condos.

those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.  okay, how do I sign up for not wanting to repeat it with them?

What do you mean , Newark has been getting better since Cory Bookers days in office.

[agentsteel53]

I mean investing in real estate in general - we all know how that turned out.  Thousands of houses sit abandoned and we are building new ones?  Will we sell them to people who cannot afford them and should not be buying them?

[Nexis4Jersey]

Well there tearing those down and redeveloping those areas and rebuilding the city itself slowy, the Downtown will have mostly private residencies & Investment.  And other neighborhoods will have city investments and other stuff.  During the last 4 years , Mayor Booker has focused on lowering crime and attracting back the Suburban people.  And Bettering Police forces and rebuilding parks , Newark is setting a great example for Urban Renewal.

~Corey

[3467]

Chicago is best with great views from the expressways(you can see it best on the Kennedy Cameras)
What about Asia Esp China -Massive skyscraper constuction. They bulldozed their old buildlings.

I was in London 20 years ago looking at a book on Motorways. It said thye could not be built inside cities-I laughed then thinking they should have added "in Europe" because the US and now China sliced them throgh town

Oh Peoria has a nice skyline for a small city and a great view Interstate 74

[agentsteel53]

Chicago is best with great views from the expressways

where can I stop and park and get a great night skyline view?  I will be in Chicago on Wednesday night (Thursday early morning) so it will be a tripod shot... not something to attempt from the Dan Ryan, but I'd love to get some good photos of the skyline.

[agentsteel53]

the US and now China sliced them throgh town

don't forget Japan and also Singapore and Hong Kong, where the freeways are often viaducts that snake around buildings. 

Here is a photo from Osaka with a freeway through a building

[3467]

Try 31st street off Lake Shore Drive if you want a view from the south
If you want North try Lincoln Park also off Lake shore drive.

Soem great views off all the expressways You can ususally see the skyline as far out as lemont road on 55 and as far south as the Tri-State near 57. and 90 near the 290 But be careful
Due to the economy and weather traffic has been lighter and more dangerous(faster moving)

[3467]

That is neat from Osaka. I would ad US is more like Europe now
We can barley build anything anymore A shared 4 is a big accomplishment anymore
And we may not have a space program anymore

[agentsteel53]

traffic has been lighter and more dangerous(faster moving)

yeah, I've learned from experience, that at 2am, four-way stops are optional - the faster you go, the more optional they get; by the time you reach around 90mph down a residential street with a four-way on every block, stopping is the last thing on your mind.

also, if my last night-time trip through Chicago is any indication, I am quite sure that I will encounter many possibilities to purchase delicious narcotics.  

[Brandon]

Chicago is best with great views from the expressways

where can I stop and park and get a great night skyline view?  I will be in Chicago on Wednesday night (Thursday early morning) so it will be a tripod shot... not something to attempt from the Dan Ryan, but I'd love to get some good photos of the skyline.

Exit LSD just south of the Field Museum (Mc Fetridge Dr) and take the street (Solidarity Dr) that leads out to the Alder Planetarium and Northerly Island.  That's where most of those photos with the Lake in the foreground are taken from.  You'll have the skyline behind Grant Park and a bit of Lake Michigan in the foreground.

[PAHighways]

I personally think Pittsburgh's is perfect as is.  Especially the view you get when you come out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel on the Parkway West (I-376; former I-279).  That never gets old.

No it doesn't get old at all, and its so well proportioned too that you always find something new to like about it.

All of the expressway entrances offer a nice view.  Parkway East as you make the Bates Street bend and from the Parkway North where the skyline can been seen far off in the distance near Perry Avenue, disappears in the East Street Valley, then appears right in front of you at the I-579/PA 28 interchange.

[Brandon]

the US and now China sliced them throgh town

don't forget Japan and also Singapore and Hong Kong, where the freeways are often viaducts that snake around buildings. 

Here is a photo from Osaka with a freeway through a building

Sort of like the Congress Pkwy through the old post office in Chicago.

[njroadhorse]

I personally think Pittsburgh's is perfect as is.  Especially the view you get when you come out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel on the Parkway West (I-376; former I-279).  That never gets old.

No it doesn't get old at all, and its so well proportioned too that you always find something new to like about it.

All of the expressway entrances offer a nice view.  Parkway East as you make the Bates Street bend and from the Parkway North where the skyline can been seen far off in the distance near Perry Avenue, disappears in the East Street Valley, then appears right in front of you at the I-579/PA 28 interchange.

The best view is definitely up on top of the hill on Federal Street.  Trumps Mount Washington any day of the week.

[Scott5114]

I got a rather decent shot of the skyline from Navy Pier. Probably not the best place to get the whole thing unless you're wanting to use a fiskebol fisheye lens.