I live in Chicago, in a denser part, and we have all the things you mention. I think this idea that a “city” is like Manhattan just doesn’t hold up in the US.

I live in Chicago, in a denser part, and we have all the things you mention. I think this idea that a “city” is like Manhattan just doesn’t hold up in the US. Manhattan is approaching unique here and there are places in Manhattan that could be described by your ideal.