Post Oak Blvd. Crosswalk Between Dillards & Neiman Marcus

[balrog]

I was at the Galleria yesterday and noticed that the crosswalk on Post Oak between Dillards & Neiman Marcus appears to have been abandoned? I was aware of the construction in the area and just assumed that being very heavily used, it would be reinstated once the project was nearing its completion, but that appears not to be the case.

 

What was the rationale behind this decision - are Houston pedestrians not trusted to use a crosswalk now that the trolley line is going in? The absence of the crosswalk didn't appear to have any effect, since hundreds of people navigating from Dillards & the parking garage behind it to the Galleria proper simply jaywalked across Post Oak where the crosswalk used to be. Seems like an accident can't be too far off - is it too late for this to be revisited?

[gene]

Hey first off i WISH it was a train or second a trolley, but nope, just a special bus.

And Yes the crosswalk has been abandoned as they are trying to cut down apparently on the stops as there is a traffic light and cross walk at westheimer and the street at the edge of Dillards (Hildago maybe? cant remember...)

I will say i think its better since many people didnt seem to wait for the traffic light at the crosswalk that was there...that was the true accident waiting to happen...you are correct. 

and yes not having a crosswalk will probably make it worse....but hey if someone wants to try to dodge cars and a bus like a real life game of frogger then hey they know the risk! 🐸

what they should have done was build a skywalk from dillards to the galleria or an over or under the street walk.

I wonder if Dillards will even be there forever...maybe they know something we don't and didn't want to bother? 

 

[Texasota]

That's unfortunate. The distance between Westheimer and West Alabama is roughly 1000', which is too far to go without a crosswalk for a "grand boulevard" they're trying to make more pedestrian friendly. Basically that's a little over 3 blocks in the normal parts of the city (not counting the Heights' infamously long blocks.)

[paul2834]

I don't think I've ever been to that Dillards or ever cross to that side of Post Oak south of Westheimer. How is the foot traffic in Dillards compared to the Galleria?

[gene]

Dillards is never too busy from what I personally have experienced. In fact I kept expecting an announcement that it would eventually close due to how slow it seems and how dated the store "feels". They do have their own parking lot so it "seems" that most people that want to go there just park there. I will add that in a perfect world they would knock it down or renovate completely the Dillards and then make it have a sky bridge to connect it to the Galleria...

[BillyBreedlove]

A skybridge would be nice but I wonder how much longer Dillards will be part of the retail landscape anywhere if the story linked below from last year about the company is correct. I think it may be going the way of Zone d'Erotica. When I first moved here, I assumed that Dillards was closed because it looks so abandoned and forlorn.

 

https://www.chainstoreage.com/finance-0/analysis-dillards-long-term-picture-not-rosy/

[paul2834]

I'm seeing a lot of great ideas. Knocking down the Dillards and building a new wing of the Galleria connected by sky bridge that looks to the north and south on Post Oak would be so perfect. Perhaps they could include a food hall or put a movie theater there. I'm not very imaginative! What else could go there?

[gene]

10 hours ago, paul2834 said:

I'm seeing a lot of great ideas. Knocking down the Dillards and building a new wing of the Galleria connected by sky bridge that looks to the north and south on Post Oak would be so perfect. Perhaps they could include a food hall or put a movie theater there. I'm not very imaginative! What else could go there?

Nope that is awesome  

[IronTiger]

While I'm fond of the Dillard's department store building being there, there really isn't any movie theater in the Galleria area anymore. At one time, both the Galleria and the Saks Center had movies, but they've been long gone. I do wonder how feasible it is to connect Dillard's to the Galleria. The ice rink level (basement) ends at a post office, but Neiman Marcus probably has a basement used for shipping. The Dillard's probably has a basement too, though I imagine some of it is unused (abandoned Joske's Budget Store area?)

 

While expanding is intriguing, it would lengthen Galleria I by about 75%. What could they even put there?

[gene]

Movie theater, Bowling alley, Bars, Food Hall, Gaming Center, indoor put put, sports area, any of these things: https://dailymom.com/travel/10-attractions-for-families-at-the-mall-of-america/

Heck i would be happy with a whole entertainment area that included a rollercoaster!

 

[paul2834]

On second thought, I wonder how risky a movie theater is. People make it seem like they're going the way of most malls. But at the same time, more and more people are wanting to move inside the loop and density is increasing, but I feel like there's a dearth of movie theaters. I know there's the Marquee that's just outside the loop and an AMC in downtown. Where else do people living inside the loop go to watch the latest blockbuster?

 

I think including more residential on the top floors to match any expansion would be smart to help support it all...just concerned about additional traffic as much as people already complain about it now for Uptown.

[gene]

I generally to to Edwards Greenway Palace on Weslayan or iPic when its a special movie where i want everyone to be respectful and quiet haha!

But back to the crosswalk topic...I actually have walked the "new designated" route (i went from Dillards to Neiman Marcus...Post Oak via West Alabama that borders the side/back end of Dillard's parking garage and the back side of Neiman Marcus and it's truly an easy walk...just a small short block to W.A. then across the street then back up that short block to the N.M entrance...maybe 5 to 7 min tops?) not too bad honestly...just freaking hot in this 114 heat index weather which made me WANT to run across the street but didn't. haha! 

 

[BillyBreedlove]

On 8/13/2019 at 9:48 AM, IronTiger said:

 At one time, both the Galleria and the Saks Center had movies, but they've been long gone.

Interesting. I didn't know the Galleria ever had movie theaters. I had assumed the operators thought it might lure "the wrong crowd." When I lived in Miami in the early 2000s, the upscale Shops at Merrick Park opened in Coral Gables anchored by a Nordstorm and Neiman-Marcus and they were defiant about not having a movie theater. A few years later, they came in out of the rain and got Landmark to open a really nice multiplex showing both mainstream and indie fare. Something like that would do well in the Galleria area or Rice Village (which I'm surprised doesn't have a movie theater either).

[mkultra25]

3 hours ago, BillyBreedlove said:

Interesting. I didn't know the Galleria ever had movie theaters. 

 

There were actually two separate General Cinema theaters (four screens in total) on different levels and in different sections of the Galleria. Galleria I and II opened first in 1970, then Galleria III and IV some years later after the Galleria expanded. Can't remember when they closed, but they were still open into the 90s. 

 

Additional info here:

 

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12541

[Subdude]

I've seen that crosswalk packed at times, especially since a lot of people use Dillard's parking.  Abandoning it seems like a bum move to me.

 

[richfish]

During construction they had fences up to prevent people from crossing here, and tons of people still did, even with small children and with no regard for yielding to traffic. They still will do so without a crosswalk. People park at Dillards to avoid the Galleria parking garage mess during the holidays, and they certainly aren't going to be inconvenienced to walk down to the nearest intersection. I predict these bus lanes are going to result in a lot of people/cars getting hit.  

[Texasota]

cars getting hit? by what exactly? 

 

But the people issue I agree with. Removing this crosswalk is a bad idea.

[gene]

maybe they can bring back this Astroworld favorite:

[cspwal]

3 hours ago, Texasota said:

cars getting hit? by what exactly? 

 

But the people issue I agree with. Removing this crosswalk is a bad idea.

 

The cross walk was probably removed when it was going to be a light rail and never added back in.  I wonder if the BRT buses will have a shorter stopping distance than the light rail vehicles - that way when people blatantly run the red light there's a chance they won't get hit

[gene]

Now there is no traffic light and no "real" / designated access to cross the street so the lights and crosswalks are only at westheimer and west alabama now.

People out of habit or out of "convenience" will still try to cross the street at the old location however i wish them luck in taking their life in their own hands! People didn't want to slow down there as it was especially in a yellow, almost red light...so now with no light it will be like a live game of Frogger! 

🐸‼️

 

 

[gene]

I hear what you are saying and you should do that when there is a traffic light and a crosswalk...but some dont and now most wont since there wont be either one of those...In other words watch out for crazy people not wanting to use the designated crosswalks...agreed! haha! (I already do that at westheimer between mccue and post oak for crazy people who don't want to use the crosswalks there and instead run out in the middle of the street to cross over...as i guess it is more important to them to save the extra few minutes it would take to make the legal crossing than it is to ensure their personal safety...) like i said it truly is like a live game of frogger...i wasn't exaggerating!