1. H.V. SAVITCH BROWN & WILLIAMSON DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH PROFESSOR CENTRE FOR URBAN AND COMMUNITY STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO April 30, 2013 “WHAT MAKES A GREAT CITY GREAT? PUTTING TORONTO IN PERSPECTIVE

2. Searching for Greatness DEFINITIONS A person, place or thing that stands out above all others in significant respects Having majesty and prominence over particular domains Extraordinary and distinguished in particular ways More controversially, conveying an “elitist” or “superior” quality

3. IDENTIFYING GREAT CITIES General Characteristics  Uniqueness  Marginality (re conventional patterns)  Spontaneity  Flux, slack, uncertainty Mainly the presence of conditions  An environment rather than a creation  Cultivated rather than planned

4. Athens (5 th century BCE) Naval fleet/knowledge/values/philosophy/”d emocracy” Rome (3 rd century CE) Military conquest, imperial governance, Latin as lingua franca, public works, architecture, roads HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS Florence (14 th -16 th centuries CE) Painting, sculpture, scientific design Amsterdam (17 th century CE) Shipping, ports, international trade, colonialism Athens Amsterdam

5. London (19 th early 20 th century) Manufacture, finance, international trade, empire Apologies to Jerusalem, 1 CE as religious birthplace, Paris, 1890s for its art and architecture, Berlin, 1920s for its theater, and others HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS Jerusalem

6. Currency, Cosmopolitan, Concentration and Charisma Currency: cutting edge of the times, set values of the times (two senses) Cosmopolitanism: global, international, poly-ethnic or multi-cultural features (connectivity to a larger world) Concentration: demographic density, productive mass, centeredness, continuous development, mixed and accessible land uses Charisma: magnetic appeal; magical qualities capable of generating enthusiasm, admiration or allegiance THE 4Cs OF GREATNESS

7. The 4 Cs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco Currency NYC’s dominant economy (Wall Street diversified by advertising, law, tourism, hotels, theater, fashion, arts) LA’s media economy (film/TV production; diversified by high tech, light manufacture and retail) SF’s balanced economy (“Wall Street of the West” diversified by high/bio tech, health, trade and tourism) Chicago’s transitioned economy ( diversified by transportation, distribution, corporate headquarters)

8. Cosmopolitanism NYC as world’s immigrant city; waves of Dutch, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Slav, Black, Puerto Rican immigration (ethnic neighborhoods (Moynihan’s & Glazer’s, Beyond the Melting Pot) United Nations, foreign consulates LA’s influx from rest of nation plus Mexican; Persian settled in low density, heterogeneous neighborhoods SF’s early foreign stock (Italy, Germany, Ireland and Russia) succeed by leftist, youth, Gay & “trendy” influx Chicago’s little bit of everything; Lakefront (“patricians”) Bridgeport (Irish ) Near West Side (Greek, Italian) North Side (“yuppie”) and South Side(African American)—convergence at “The Loop” The 4 Cs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco

9. Concentration NYC’s highest density of 24,000 per sq. mi. (Manhattan @ 70,000) matched by a noted epicenter (Times Square) high subway ridership (1.4 million) & mixed land uses. SF’s high density of 16,000 per sq. mi. matched by strong centers & public transit high commuters (120,000) & lightly diversified city. The 4 Cs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco San Francisco New York City

10. Concentration Chicago’s density of 12,700 per sq mi. fed by 100,000 commuters; portrayed via “concentric zone” theory LA’s lower/extended densities of 8000 per sq. mi.; much lower public transit of just 6,000 commuters spreads, segregated uses through area; portrayed via “post modernism” The 4 Cs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco Chicago Los Angeles

11. Charisma NYC’s “The Big Apple, unique cultural mix (Broadway, Little Italy, Harlem, West Village); “make it there, make it anywhere Chicago as the “second city” that is not NYC; (Lakefront, “Golden Mile”, Wrigley Field); “town that won’t let you down” San Francisco as America’s picturesque city (Victorian, Ghiardelli Square, Golden Gate Bridge, “deviance” as civility; “city on the Bay” Los Angeles, despite critiques (short on character) has its devotees, free wheeling and open environment; lack of a renowned sobriquet The 4 Cs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco

12. New York, NY Chicago, ILSan Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA CURRENCY GMP (US$Billion) 1,166.40498.6292.6687.2 Employment total 3,720,2481 242 375418 9141,766,442 Fortune 500 Company 451164 Percapita income 26,97524 08440 53324,380 Top High-Tech Cities 0.9 1.81.6 US Patent Grants 1,7042 9291 7002,348 COSMOPOLITANISM Immigrants 3,028,148594,841270,4811,509,764 Foreign Tourists 6,932,5001,104,5002,131,5002,583,000 Airline Passengers – Int’l 20,990,8747,760,8438,129,38916,302,296 Embassy & Foreign Consular Offices 129434427 Global Network Connectivity 61,89539,02532,17838,009 Table 1

13. Table 1 Cont’d New York, NYChicago, ILSan Fransisco, CA Los Angeles, CA CONCENTRATION Central City Density (per sq. mile) 26,40312,75016,6347,877 Size of Downtown (sq. mile) 7.823.362.341.25 Central City Population Proportion Downtown 2.00%2.60%5.70%1% Population Density Gradient -7.30%-2.40%-5.30%-2.60% CBD Share of Urban Area Employment 20.10%14.30%12.20%2.50% % Commuting to Work Via Public Transportation 54.56%25.90%32.20%11.00% CHARISMA Google Hits (millions) 1,100447315361 Bohemian Index ranking 32082 Amenity Richness 12.268.466.296.88 Internet Movie Database Titles 3,2494675631,010 Top 10 Most Desirable Cities 21%13% 40%

14. Currency: NY tops /SF high pci/LA gmp/Chicago’s balance Cosmopolitanism: NY predominates followed by LA, Chicago and SF Concentration: NY, highest density, sharpest density gradient plus high public transit, next by SF & Chicago: LA lower density (spread city) Charisma: NY leads (most counts) LA high (movies/desirable) and SF (Bohemian and amenities) and Chicago (Google,Bohemian) COMPARING BY NUMBERS

15. All told: 22 measures/ 88 observations our four cities w/I top fifth 72 % of time (exchge. Boston, Seattle, Washington, DC /not Houston, Phoenix, SD) COMPARING BY NUMBERS LA as exception (post modernism, DEAD) proves rule Chicago’s transformation & niche as “second best”

16. New York, NY Chicago, IL San Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA Toronto, Ontario CURRENCY GMP (US$ Billion) 1,277.228 (2011) 547.609 (2011) 347.107 (2011) 747.306 (2011) 323 (2011) Employment total 4,154,195 (2010) 1,416,205 (2010) 484,137 (2010) 1,996,750 (2010) 1,298,731 (2007) Fortune 500 Company 36 (2012)6 (2012)7 (2012)5 (2012) 7 (2012) Per capita income 26,97524 08440 53324,380 38,100 Top High-Tech Cities 0.9 1.81.6 1.1 US Patent Grants 1,7042 9291 7002,348 1,530 COSMOPOLITANISM Immigrants 2,989,825 (2010) 568,495 (2010) 284,280 (2010) 1,491,658 (2010) 1,237,720 (2006) Foreign Tourists 6,932,5001,104,5002,131,5002,583,000 3,190,000 Airline Passengers – Int’l 20,990,8747,760,8438,129,38916,302,296 19,207,008 Embassy & Foreign Consular Offices 129434427 12 Globalization and World City Rank Alpha++Alpha+Alpha Global Network Connectivity 61,89539,02532,17838,009 37,680 Table 1 (with Toronto)

17. Table 1 Cont’d New York, NY Chicago, IL San Francisco, CA Los Angeles, CA Toronto, Ontario CONCENTRATION Central City Population 8,175,133 (2010) 2,695,598 (2010) 805,235 (2010) 3,792,621 (2010) 2,615,060 (2011) Metropolitan Area Population 19,567,410 (2010) 9,461,105 (2010) 4,335,391 (2010) 12,828,837 (2010) 5,583,064 (2011) Central City Density (per sq. mile) 26,40312,75016,6347,87710,750 Size of Downtown (sq. mile) 7.823.362.341.25 6.94 Central City Population Proportion Downtown 2.00%2.60%5.70%1% 7% Population Density Gradient -7.30%-2.40%-5.30%-2.60% -3.65% CBD Share of Urban Area Empl. 20.10%14.30%12.20%2.50% 31.61% % Commuting to Work Via Public Transportation 54.56%25.90%32.20%11.00% 22.21% CHARISMA Google Hits (millions) 1,100447315361 246 Bohemian Index 1.9351.221.4072.008 1.561 Amenity Richness 12.268.466.296.88 N/A Internet Movie Database Titles 3,2494675631,010 200 Top 10 Most Desirable Cities 21%13% 40% N/A