Upper East Side

The Upper East Side is a predominately residential, high income, high density area in Manhattan. Most homes are 6-8 story apartment blocks, and there were less businesses than in most of Manhattan. The businesses that were here were mostly fancy clothing stores and indie coffee shops. Due to its proximity to the Met and Central Park, a large number of tourists pass through the neighborhood. The neighborhood also sports a few hospitals, and most people who live here are upper class. The Lexington Avenue Line of the NYCTA Subway passes through the neighborhood.

Crown Heights

The Crown Heights neighborhood is a pretty cool neighborhood now, and has immense  potential to be something more. The neighborhood is host to a significant number of Hasidic Jews, Afro-Caribbeans, and African Americans. Currently, it is predominately lower middle class, though its proximity to Park Slope means that some signs of gentrification can already be seen. A way to create a mixed income community is if the NYCHA could begin to create designated low rent buildings to keep some of the current residents, and gentrification could bring in new residents and businesses. The neighborhood currently exhibits a variety of businesses, from Bengali grocery stores to African hair braiding shops.

Park Slope

A very hip neighborhood in Brooklyn, Park Slope is an "up and coming" neighborhood. Mixed use apartments and the typical Brooklyn brownstone are the main housing styles of the neighborhood. Upscale restaurants and other fancy stores are the main types of businesses in Park Slope. The neighborhood is also very transit friendly, with many NYCTA Subway lines stopping in or near the neighborhood. However, the area is not mixed income.

Midtown

Midtown is an extremely high density neighborhood, with a variety of businesses present. Although dominated by tall skyscrapers, Midtown is home to many other building types as well, like three to five story mixed use apartment blocks on some streets. Because Midtown is mixed use area, the variety of businesses present reflect Midtown's many uses. Small corner mini marts cater to the residents of the neighborhood, while upscale department stores cater to tourists and shoppers visiting the neighborhood. One major downside is the neighborhood is NOT mixed income. A 576 sqft. studio goes for $3,220/mo! The area is also very transit friendly. 

Jersey City

One of the most diverse and transit friendly cities in the country, all I can say about Jersey City is...AWESOME!!! A variety of housing styles exist in the city, from fancy art deco high rises to wooden frame houses to new glass and steel condos. A variety of ethnic groups live in the area, with Latinos, Middle Easterners/North Africans, and South Asians dominating the city's demographics. Many people do not own cars here, so transit ridership is quite high. There is also a variety of businesses, from nice restaurants, to checks cashed stores, to movie theaters, to ethnic groceries. Add in a short commute to Midtown or Lower Manhattan via PATH or NJT, and you have an amazing city.  

Lafayette Square

One of St. Louis' most affluent and oldest neighborhoods, Lafayette Square has what you're looking for. From large, stately mansions to small townhouses to churches made into condos to nice mixed use apartments, The neighborhood has a plethora of different types of homes. At the center of it all is Lafayette Park, a pleasant tree filled park were dog walkers, joggers, and others all coexist. The neighborhood is also extremely kid friendly, and many parents with children were walking through the neighborhood. The neighborhood is not very bike or transit friendly, being far enough from a MetroLink station (Union Station) to walk, but too close to take MetroBus (#80, #11, #4, #32, #40X), and having no bike lanes along Truman Parkway (the Road between MetroLink and Lafayette Square). Other than that and the fact that its not a very affordable place to live, a great neighborhood. 

Tower Grove South

Though census records suggest St. Louis is in decline, Tower Grove South gives a different view of the city. Bounded by Tower Grove Park, Kingshighway, Chippewa, and Grand, the neighborhood is extremely diverse. Old homes run all along the side streets, and the bustling South Grand and Morganford business districts have low rise, mixed use apartments lining their sidewalks. Homes range from 80k-200k, and rents are just as diverse, making the area very mixed income. Many ethnic restaurants were also in the area. The housing style and alleys made the residential streets look a lot like Chicago. Having St. Louis' most frequent bus line, the #70 Grand, is also very helpful in making Tower Grove South into an amazing urban neighborhood.

Chinatown

Chinatown was awesome. plain and simple, awesome. The "new center" was purely commercial, like an outdoor mall. The shops were two stories tall, facing Chinatown Square, or one of the inner corridors. The area was very lively, with lots of people. Towards the river, there is a new urbanist style development with townhouses and condos. After that, the large Ping Tom Memorial Park hugs the river. South of all of this, the old Chinatown appears. Graceful old building such as the Pui Tak Center adorn the streets of the older part of Chinatown, as well as standard late 19th century brick buildings. The area is extremely Chinese, with many storefronts in all or mostly Chinese, not English. (I'm not sure whether it's Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese predominately spoken in the Chicago Chinatown.) The future of Chinatown is uncertain. Its proximity to the Loop may force many of its inhabitants to move elsewhere, and it will be hard to grow outwards, as the Chicago River, the Dan Ryan Expressway, and the Stevenson Expressway bound it into its current shape. A wonderful and extremely active ethnic neighborhood!  

South Loop

The South Loop is an up and coming neighborhood. New condos now line its streets from Harrison to 23rd. though once economically depressed, it now lures many young people and families here with the promise of Loop proximity, a great neighborhood, and (originally) cheap housing. Now, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts line the streets. South Loop never was a mixed income neighborhood, it was always at an extreme end of the spectrum. One cool thing about the area, though, is the many Divvy stations throughout the area. Divvy, Chicago's bike share, is rapidly growing throughout Chicago. The South Loop also has a wide range of architectural styles, ranging from late 19th century brick buildings to 1960's concrete high rises to the glass and steel condos of today. It is extremely family friendly, with many parks in the area. It also has a wide range of densities, from urban houses to large high rises. Though not currently mixed income, CHA (Chicago Housing Authority) plans to build a large mixed income community in the area by 2015. A currently nice neighborhood, with potential to be so much more.     

Near North

Near North is an extremely upscale neighborhood north of the Loop. Closer to the river, glass and steel condos dominate. farther out, older brick buildings become the norm. Many fine restaurants are present throughout the area. There are many good public transit connections, and almost all buildings are mixed use. Streets have wide sidewalks, and the whole area is very high density. The one problem with the area is that it is not at all mixed income, with extreme rich being the economic norm of the residents. There is nothing wrong with being rich, but there is something wrong with a not economically diverse neighborhood, at the rich or poor end. A nice neighborhood, very mixed use, but it could use some economic diversity.