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Background: Classic locational principles predict a picture of urban intensity decaying from the city center to the periphery under ideal assumptions. However, various exogenous factors can influence the real-world urban intensity and often deviate from the theoretical pattern. The specific mechanisms are worthy of exploration and are of potential theoretical and practical significance. Methods: In this paper, we consider two city districts with typical urban locations, namely, Changping and Chaoyang in Beijing, and construct mechanistic models of the status quo urban intensity (floor area ratio, <i>FAR</i>) utilizing multisource spatiotemporal big data. We further compare these models with the “theoretically ideal” <i>FAR</i> patterns as would be predicted by applied locational theories. Results: We find that the status quo <i>FAR</i> distribution generally conforms to the theoretical predictions but still exhibits regional deviations that can be explained by historical inertia and influence from particular policies. Conclusion: We conclude this paper with discussions on the findings’ methodological and practical implications for urban planning institutions, especially in a transition economy context.