Washington Avenue More Urban Than Midtown

[citykid09]

http://www.002mag.com/mag/current/pages/hi_res%20(63).htm

edit: Images don't stay around on 002

[musicman]

guess it depends on the definition of urban. I do like that several of the bars on Washington have their own identity which is better for longevity and results in better diversity. Less so in midtown.

hmmm...let's look at the diversity in pics on the right hand side.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

If "pedestrian-friendly" is your definition of "urban", then I think Almeda is the most urban street in Houston.

(Of course I'm talking about Almeda from say, Alabama to not quite MacGregor.)

[Guest danax]

guess it depends on the definition of urban. I do like that several of the bars on Washington have their own identity which is better for longevity and results in better diversity. Less so in midtown.

hmmm...let's look at the diversity in pics on the right hand side.

The whole "urban chic" deal attracts a mostly educated/bohemian group, which still tend to be mostly white. I think that's changing slowly though.

All of those townhouses going in around Washington guarantee the street's maintaining the trend towards hipness for many years. Of course, if home prices get too expensive over there then it just becomes another expensive shopping zone and will lose some of it's "grit". The car lot days are definitely gone.

As for Midtown, I think that collectively there's just as much but it's spread out more over several streets whereas Rice Military only really has Washington as a major thoroughfare so the concentration gives it more of an instant effect which gives the area more visual definition.

[RedScare]

As for Midtown, I think that collectively there's just as much but it's spread out more over several streets whereas Rice Military only really has Washington as a major thoroughfare so the concentration gives it more of an instant effect which gives the area more visual definition.

Plus the Shepherd/Durham corridor. Heights/Yale possibly, to a much lesser extent.

[musicman]

Plus the Shepherd/Durham corridor. Heights/Yale possibly, to a much lesser extent.

i've always considered those their own entities.

[rps324]

Is it really that hard to be more urban looking than midtown? Besides the Post property, most everything else in midtown, (the Perry townhomes, strip centers, CVS, etc), would look right at home in Ft. Bend County.

[Guest danax]

i've always considered those their own entities.

I do too, but the neat thing is it's all connecting and the same townhouses are going up on both sides of Washington from Houston Ave to the park. This is a huge hunk of Houston that has homogeneous housing and demographics AND a common boulevard that runs through it therefore, the place has the potential to develop into a Houston rarity; a district that doesn't shift personalities drastically within a mile or two.

Then watch, we'll all be moaning about how it all looks the same and how we miss the old cluster look.

[musicman]

I do too, but the neat thing is it's all connecting and the same townhouses are going up on both sides of Washington from Houston Ave to the park.

let's just hope the shepherd/durham train overpass does not come to fruition otherwise that might be a step backwards.

[dbigtex56]

Is it really that hard to be more urban looking than midtown? Besides the Post property, most everything else in midtown, (the Perry townhomes, strip centers, CVS, etc), would look right at home in Ft. Bend County.

Too true. It's sad to see such a potentially great neighborhood being developed as an incongruous mess. The 002 article gives me more hope for the Washington corridor.

[GhostDog]

i just hope they don't tear down too many of those old buildings on Washington.

i hope they rehab most of 'em for commercial and residential use...

i happen to really like washington's potential...if it weren't for that train line it'd be really good IMO.

i'd like to see all of washington lined to the curb with shops and restaurants etc with the parking lots in that back...all the way from downtown to westcott...and multi floor units so that there can be living space above the commercial development- not 10 floors or anything but 2-4 additional floors...

i really do not understand why houston developers never do this...

[Guest danax]

i'd like to see all of washington lined to the curb with shops and restaurants etc with the parking lots in that back...all the way from downtown to westcott...

i really do not understand why houston developers never do this...

I'm not sure either unless it has to do with setbacks. A current example is the new strip center at Washington/Shep. I like the vague Googiesque design but I can't see why the bank had to have front parking. I suppose it's mostly just a case of the developers going with what is easiest for the motorist. Without the City somehow forcing the issue I would guess almost all new construction will be similar, except for townhouses that fill the lot. Only the old original structures will hug the street. Combine that with a lust for demolition and we can predict what Washington, Midtown, East End, Almeda etc will look like when renewed; suburbia. This is one example where a little City intervention in terms of streetscape design could really make a visual difference. But, that would go against the grain of everything Houston stands for .

Speaking of the Wash/Shep strip center, the new tenant is Molina's Restaurant with a patio and soon Max's Wine Dive (still under construction).

[TheNiche]

i'd like to see all of washington lined to the curb with shops and restaurants etc with the parking lots in that back...all the way from downtown to westcott...and multi floor units so that there can be living space above the commercial development- not 10 floors or anything but 2-4 additional floors...

i really do not understand why houston developers never do this...

The most significant reason is cost. The higher you go, the more expensive is each additional floor of residential units; the more expensive the units, the smaller is the market of prospective tenants and the more housing options are at their disposal. Also, configuring a residential building to have commercial space on the bottom may require special considerations that add to the cost of that space, making it less competitive with commercial space across the street.

Then there is the demand side. The hardest part of this is that properties like Post Midtown don't have an easy way for commercial tenants to take out the trash or restock their inventories, except by using the front entrance. So the design doesn't work as well for bulk goods retailers or restaurants, so if there happens to be a traditional strip center across the street with a vacant space, that's where many tenants will go first unless a discount is offered on the rents. Another problem on the demand side is that not everybody wants to live along a major commercial thoroughfare with commercial activity right underneath them. It is a niche market that appreciates that, and the size of that market is very hard to estimate...where that niche ends, rental concessions begin.

[Htowngirl]

...So when's Washington getting a Starbuck's? That Shepherd one is a pain in the a$$ to get to!

[musicman]

...So when's Washington getting a Starbuck's? That Shepherd one is a pain in the a$$ to get to!

hopefully never. that would RUIN the area.

[futuredeveloper85]

When I look @ Washington Ave it seems to be the closet thing we have to a more Urban-Historical Art-Deco type feel. I was actually thinking about leaving Houston until I discovered the area. In Dallas they have so many Urban areas for example the Dallas Design District. For Houston to be the most diverse city in the US as I have heard it seems to lack areas for artist like other major and not so major cities. I am a freelance photographer and designer currently looking for a loft-feel original brick building. I want the older look, and I am having a hard time finding that here.....I am going down to Washington Ave. to try to find something soon before it's all gone. If any of you have any ideas please let me know terrance.o.gilbert@gmail.com!

[Ethanra]

When I look @ Washington Ave it seems to be the closet thing we have to a more Urban-Historical Art-Deco type feel. I was actually thinking about leaving Houston until I discovered the area. In Dallas they have so many Urban areas for example the Dallas Design District. For Houston to be the most diverse city in the US as I have heard it seems to lack areas for artist like other major and not so major cities. I am a freelance photographer and designer currently looking for a loft-feel original brick building. I want the older look, and I am having a hard time finding that here.....I am going down to Washington Ave. to try to find something soon before it's all gone. If any of you have any ideas please let me know terrance.o.gilbert@gmail.com!

don't even try here. Dallas is so much cooler and hip. So many more urban areas ... Feels just like NYC in some places. It has great art scene. Houston art scene and coolness only rivals Brownsville....

Try a little harder ....

[TheNiche]

When I look @ Washington Ave it seems to be the closet thing we have to a more Urban-Historical Art-Deco type feel. I was actually thinking about leaving Houston until I discovered the area. In Dallas they have so many Urban areas for example the Dallas Design District. For Houston to be the most diverse city in the US as I have heard it seems to lack areas for artist like other major and not so major cities. I am a freelance photographer and designer currently looking for a loft-feel original brick building. I want the older look, and I am having a hard time finding that here.....I am going down to Washington Ave. to try to find something soon before it's all gone. If any of you have any ideas please let me know terrance.o.gilbert@gmail.com!

Houston has lots of urban areas with history. You need to explore town a lot more. As for the art deco style, I can think of lots of buildings in town that have it, but not a single one on Washington Avenue.

[dcdude]

don't even try here. Dallas is so much cooler and hip. So many more urban areas ... Feels just like NYC in some places. It has great art scene. Houston art scene and coolness only rivals Brownsville....

Try a little harder ....

This comment made me laugh so hard, I spit my coffee out....I am assuming you were kidding.

[RedScare]

Houston has lots of urban areas with history. You need to explore town a lot more. As for the art deco style, I can think of lots of buildings in town that have it, but not a single one on Washington Avenue.

Actually, they just redid one at Washington and Shepherd. The old grocery store. But, I agree, if you can't find the old look, you aren't trying hard enough. Try the near north and east sides.

[TheNiche]

Actually, they just redid one at Washington and Shepherd. The old grocery store. But, I agree, if you can't find the old look, you aren't trying hard enough. Try the near north and east sides.

Yeah, that's a good one. Even still, that's the only one.

[barracuda]

This comment made me laugh so hard, I spit my coffee out....I am assuming you were kidding.

I think Ethanra was being ironic

I think you should be able to find something in Houston. You might try this site: http://houston.backpage.com/rentals/classi...mp;section=4376.

[RedScare]

Yeah, that's a good one. Even still, that's the only one.

Not picking on you, but there is also the old art deco fire station a couple of blocks east of there, waiting to be cleaned up. I still agree that Washington is not Houston's art deco mecca. Even W. Gray has more examples.

[Reefmonkey]

Is it really that hard to be more urban looking than midtown? Besides the Post property, most everything else in midtown, (the Perry townhomes, strip centers, CVS, etc), would look right at home in Ft. Bend County.

Amen. I moved into midtown January 2000 (Jefferson Midtown, then renamed Amli) and moved out in May 2004. It went from there being nothing there other than the Spec's to a few interesting bars and restaurants to suddenly an -ut-of-place-suburban-looking-strip-mall sprawl in that time. Very sad end to what had great potential.

[barracuda]

^ X2. I still live in Midtown, but I've pretty much given up hope that it will really change.

That's not to say it's all bad -- it's incredibly convenient to anything inside the loop as well as the airports...by car. But I don't expect it will ever become the truly walkable mixed-use neighborhood I had hoped it would.

[midtownlover]

How come you can say Rice Military is more urban than Midtown? There are no sideways in the whole neighborhood.. Where's the closest supermarket? is it the Kroger in W Gray? and what's up with the train passing right by the neighbors backyards? Not worth mentioning that the train makes sure that everybody wakes up when he passes by.

I think that all the developers went to Rice Military because the prices of the lots in Midtown were becoming more expensive.. and yes, I like some of the restaurants/bars on Washington, but I dont think that it is more urban than Midtown, give me a break!

[longhornguy]

Well, the city is performing construction on the train tracks to make them all Quiet Zones (work has already begun), which would prevent the trains from sounding their horns when they cross. (Think Highland Village train tracks)

Also, I define urban as people walking from place to place, which I think Washington will actually force the issue, as there is absolutely NO parking along the streets (they are still open gutters in most places).

Midtown is yesterday and Washington is here today. Midtown has the disadvantage of being pushed up against Third Ward, but Washington seems to be surrounded by decently developed areas and Memorial Park.

[Subdude]

^ X2. I still live in Midtown, but I've pretty much given up hope that it will really change.

That's not to say it's all bad -- it's incredibly convenient to anything inside the loop as well as the airports...by car. But I don't expect it will ever become the truly walkable mixed-use neighborhood I had hoped it would.

I think a lot of people hoped that Midtown would turn out that way, but I doubt it was ever really in the cards. The easiest and cheapest thing the city could have done to make it walkable would have been to add diagonal parking on the streets in the area to take out lanes of traffic. This would have slowed traffic and drastically reduced the need for surface lots, thereby encouraging walking and more dense building. The best place to see this in action is the section of Westheimer east of Shepherd. All that said, Midtown is a lot better shape now than it was 12 years ago before redevelopment began.

[N Judah]

Getting rid of the one-way streets would help the process along. Overall I think it's too soon to give up hope for midtown.

[brian0123]

Also, I define urban as people walking from place to place...

Midtown is yesterday and Washington is here today. Midtown has the disadvantage of being pushed up against Third Ward, but Washington seems to be surrounded by decently developed areas and Memorial Park.

I disagree with your view regarding Midtown vs Washington. My wife and I almost bought a place last year along Washington, but went with Midtown instead. We first rented in the Washington area for a year, but got sick of it for several reasons.

1. Train Noise (but that sounds like it might become a non-issue)

2. Trains themselves (I got so sick of always having to wait for those stupid trains to drive by)

3. Non pedestrian friendly (I ride my bike a lot, and even though Washington has bike lanes, I almost got clipped several times on it. Also, there are no other major arteries to get around the neighborhood other than Washington. Sort of reminded me of FM 1960).

4. Industrial

We went with Midtown because...

1. Pedestrian Friendly (Walking around Midtown is very easy and fast with the grid layout. I can walk anywhere in ten minutes. Plus, I can safely ride my bike anywhere. I ride down La Branch to Herman Park in 8 minutes. When I have kids, we can safely go on bike rides to the Children's Museum).

2. Location (Even though 3rd ward is on the other side of 288... which is starting to see development... we are close to the Museum district, Med Center, Montrose, and Downtown).

3. Metro Rail

4. Parks (Yes, Memorial is near Washington... but we have Herman nearby, and I'm right next to Baldwin)

5. The mixture of restaurants/clubs/grocery stores/churches/businesses/etc.

6. Grid layout where the roads actually tie into surrounding neighborhoods (As the neighborhood grows, it will actually be able to handle tons of people moving in and out of the place. I worry Washington could eventually become like FM 1960 as more growth occurs).