St.Louis, MO vs Cincinnati, OH

[bocian]

In Dan's spirit, I present you with, in this view, a harder choice to make when it comes to choosing between 2 great cities in Missouri and Ohio.
Located on opposite sides of the state in relation to Kansas City and Cleveland, St. Louis and Cinccinati, respectively, are both fascinating cities that have made enormous progress in revitalizing their vitality, downtown cores, and outlying areas.
Both are located by great rivers and were settled as ports/ barge shipping centers. Both are pre-auto oriented in terms of their land use development - the fact that trolleys influenced their land use is especially evident in St.Louis. Both are post-industrial cities with quite impressive redevelopment efforts in their industrial areas. Both have vibrant ethnic neighborhoods and have built impressive mass transit - light rail in St.Louis is excellent, and the proposed and, hopefully, implemented soon light rail system in Cincinnati looks as good as the one in St.Louis, if not better.
It's a tough one for me, but I'll go with St.Louis for now because it already does have its light rail built and because Cincinnati dismantled its planning department lately...

Now, what do you think?

 

[H]

My sister in law lives in St. Louis and instead of St. Louis, Missouri, they call it St. Louis, Misery. I think that is sorta funny, and on that note I still chose STL over CINCI. From my 5 or so visits to each city, STL seems more cosmo and cultural.

But what do I know about that, anyway?

 

[Seabishop]

St. Louis based strictly on photos and heresay.

 

[BKM]

Cincinatti-because of terrain (I love hills!), hillside parks, remnant retail core downtown.

Also: the devastation in the "bad" neighborhoods, while serious, doesn't come anywhere close to North St. Louis.

 

[Cardinal]

You are right. This is a very difficult choice. Most of the comments have been right on the mark, particularly BKM's comment about devastated inner city neighborhoods. I walked, alone, through a good stretch of Over-the-Rhine. I am not sure I would do that in North Saint Louis. Cincinatti also seems to have more desirable neighborhoods in the city proper, and a good deal of loft development in the downtown. On the other hand, Saint Louis will get the nod for better culture, especially after my visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cincinatti. I will also give Saint Louis a marginal nod for better climate and terrain - it is hilly along the river at least. Do I still have to choose? Hmmm... I guess I would choose Cincinatti.

 

[BKM]

St Louis climate???

Oof. My sister spent a summer in Misery (actually, Lesser St Louis on the other side of the river). It was not pretty, according to her...

Not that Ohio doesn't get humid, too, but...

 

[Xing500]

St. Louis -It's much easier just to show you.

Before:


After:

The St. Louis Art Museum




Just after the re-opening of Washington Avenue. An entire street rehabbed.



Some Neighborhood pictures:

 

[JNA]

? Does Cincinnati have a park like StL's Forest Park
and river greenways?

As for airport connections CVG (Delta)
over
stl - American cut the flights from our fair city.

Across the river from Cinci is the Newport Aquarium.

 

[BKM]

I like St Louis, too-and it's been awhile since I've been there (I enjoy the picture posts)-but Cinci does have some stunning parks (Eden Park is pretty impressive).

 

[JivecitySTL]

Again, this comes down to personal preference. Both are beautiful old river cities with very rich history, but as I said about the KC vs. Cleveland thread, it's almost unfair. St. Louis is quite a bit bigger.

St. Louis metro: 2.7 million
Cincinnati metro: 2.0 million

That's a difference of roughly metropolitan Omaha.

St. Louis is has a stronger economic output, more ethnic diversity, more (and better) nightlife, not to mention a much better music scene. St. Louis is also a much more progressive city. It was among the first cities in the Midwest to implement a domestic partnership registry for same-sex couples, it has a successful and ever-expanding light rail system and a more liberal populace in general. Cincinnati continues to vote down gay rights (I'm straight, btw) and light-rail. It is one of the most conservative major cities in the country.

I love Cincinnati, I really do, but it is much tamer than St. Louis, and it feels and acts smaller.

Ode to my beloved hometown:

http://www.skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26264.jpg

 

[LouisvilleSlugger]

wow, this is a tough one because I have feelings for both cities, and I have been to both cities quite a bit...I would have to say St. Louis! I go to Cincy much more often. Downtown Cincy is lots of fun with the new ballpark, new performing arts center area, and skybridges that offer shopping..and of course Fountain Sq.! however, there is a dramatic shift going on, its quiet but powerful..that being the shift of business and general action across the river to the Kentucky side. on the Kentucky side there is Newport on the Levee which has been wildly successful.

I really enjoy St. Louis! there is so much going on and its been pretty progressive with its transit. so many things St. Louis has to offer and do.

It just seems St. Louis has more variety to offer. to me beyond Mt. Adams / Downtown Cincy / N. KY things fall short quickly because the blah burbs roll out in the landscape. I like that St. Louis has so many historic buildings and some interesting smaller cities/suburbs with some character.

This is a tough one because I have love for both places in different ways and especially since I trek to Cincy all the time. even though Cincy has it's knocks I love going up there for a weekend. I could see how someone would take Cinci though.

 

[Cardinal]

Anyone looking for a good excuse to see Saint Louis should consider attending the International Economic Development Council's annual conference, which will be held there next fall.

 

[ilikefish0]

I like St. Louis here. Even though they haven't figured out that trains go in the train station. The train station has everything except trains! (The redevelopment as a mall is rather cool though...)

 

[martini]

Oof. My sister spent a summer in Misery (actually, Lesser St Louis on the other side of the river). It was not pretty, according to her...

Not that Ohio doesn't get humid, too, but...

I'm kind of biased 'cause I haven't been to Cinci, but I do LOVE St Louis. I've been there twice and each time left me with a need to return, to see more. BKM, not too far outside of St loius are lots and lots of hills with most excellent cycling terrain, both on road and off. The feelings that I got from St Louis' neighborhoods was fantastic, and seemed pretty easy to get around in. I'll be looking in the area for jobs for sure.

 

[Big Easy King]

Since I was born there, my vote's for Cincinnati!!! :-D