When comparing SF and NYC you have to be careful. Manhattan (mostly Midtown and the Financial District) is "sized" to handle an influx of almost 2 million commuters and visitors each day (225% increase). So when you see those skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, you're looking at places designed to accommodate almost 1 million people per square mile in some of the census tracts.
San Francisco doesn't have that commuting pattern. It's daytime population is only about 200,000 larger than its night-time (less than 25% increase). A neighborhood designed to accommodate 50,000-75,000 people per square mile doesn't look like Midtown Manhattan. The near north side of Chicago is in that range, and it's very light and airy.
This is what a neighborhood of 60,000 residents per square mile looks like: http://goo.gl/maps/V8IS6. That's about 2.5x as dense as the Mission.
San Francisco doesn't have that commuting pattern. It's daytime population is only about 200,000 larger than its night-time (less than 25% increase). A neighborhood designed to accommodate 50,000-75,000 people per square mile doesn't look like Midtown Manhattan. The near north side of Chicago is in that range, and it's very light and airy.
This is what a neighborhood of 60,000 residents per square mile looks like: http://goo.gl/maps/V8IS6. That's about 2.5x as dense as the Mission.