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HoustonIsHome

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Everything posted by HoustonIsHome

  1. HoustonIsHome
    I disagree with this part if your post. I think you have it completely reversed. Thinking of London, Paris, Berlin, Prague, even Philadelphia, Boston, etc... all I remember is long blocks and narrow streets. I think you are confusing long blocks with long streets. Long streets like those in Houston don't create a strong urban experience but long blocks do. A 30 Mike westheimer is hard to urbanize. 500-1000 feet blocks all squeezed together gives you a more closed in and urban environment. Houston has many no nos that mange it hard on pedestrians. It has a higher than average percentage of road to architecture. Wide streets, long streets, thin blocks. Think of it this way, which would you think would be easier for a walker? Having 10 store fronts between each pair of streets or having to cross five lanes of traffic after every two stores? Pedestrians have a more leisurely walk when the number if streets they have to cross are less. I am not for closing major thoroughfares in the middle of downtown, but I am not worried at all about smaller streets in the more sleepy parts of downtown. Closing Louisiana or Smith would be a nightmare. Closing Prairie one block from its end...hardly an issue with me. London: http://www.london-attractions.info/images/attractions/oxford-street.jpg Prague: http://www.europeancastlestours.com/tours/imperial/gallery/Prague_Street.jpg Philadelphia: http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/broad-street-facing-philadelphia-city-hall-in-sepia-bill-cannon.jpg Boston: http://bostoncompletestreets.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Broad-St_1.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jcviAgRYitk/Tu44JBLotuI/AAAAAAAAJbQ/_kSKFVk57u0/s1600/Ferrara1.jpg Baltimore: http://www.pps.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Baltimore_Market_Street_WEB.jpg New Orleans: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Orleans.bourbon.arp.750pix.jpg The area in Contrast looks like this: http://d16wm5mxkuw2qn.cloudfront.net/images/13547.png http://d16wm5mxkuw2qn.cloudfront.net/images/13543.png
  2. HoustonIsHome
    I agree. It would have been nicer if we got a pedestrian walkway through the complex along prairie but I don't think the blocking off will be that bad. The closed in view with a tunnel walkway would improve the urban feel of the area. But I am still thankful that the empty lots are being built on.
  3. HoustonIsHome
    Yeah there are three more planned a few blocks away: the ten floor one next to the Church (one block across and one down from Houston House) and the two phase 12 floor project a few blocks away near Root Square (3 blocks from Houston House).
  4. HoustonIsHome
    Can we get ten more this height downtown pleeeeeeeeeease
  5. HoustonIsHome
    Surface parking anyone??
  6. HoustonIsHome
    The last time I walked through the area it felt like a forgotten part of downtown. I'm excited to see what an increased residential population does to the impression of the area. That part of town has also been a hole in downtown. It's like an asteroid hit, took out ten blocks, and the crater had just been sitting there. The two block length of this building should help improve the scape. Should also improve the impression people who visit Houston for sporting events or conventions have of the city
  7. HoustonIsHome
    Great, two new blocks soon to be covered by something other than surface parking. As to closing Prairie isnt it just getting shorter by one block? It doesn't go all the way through anyway so one less block wouldn't be too problematic
  8. HoustonIsHome
    I agree. Seems perfect for the area to me. Mainly empty lots and single story buildings in that area.Glad that this area is finally getting done love. With Skyhouse, Allied and now this makes a total of 4 new building between 10 and 25 floors throw in Alliance and Houston House and that makes 6 residential buildings in the SE part of town. That boosts the residential in the area to about 1500 units. Not bad considering the past few decades. Stupid Alliance and Fingers need to reconsider their lower rise apartments. Anyway glad to see downturn turn around
  9. HoustonIsHome
    With the new building looking so illuminated I hope thus will spur some more interesting lighting on the older buildings. Otherwise this and Hines will stick out like sore thumbs. I am not talking about gaudy light shows like some cities put on, but something a little prettier than the somber glow we normally have.
  10. HoustonIsHome
    wow. I am surprised by how much I like it.
  11. HoustonIsHome
    Awesome idea Cloud. Its ideas life this we need to draw people/ give people a reason to go downtown.
  12. HoustonIsHome
    I kind of figured, but it was still fun teasing. What is funny is that the traffic argument is hardly used for poor areas. What? Poor people don't mind traffic? The thing is that area is developing fast. Density increases are inevitable that close.
  13. HoustonIsHome
    What do you mean trust you? Kid I have forgotten more cities than you probably will ever visit. If you care to read what I wrote you will see that what you are trying to school me in is exactly the same thing that I wrote
  14. HoustonIsHome
    Does the traffic argument ever fly? I mean, we are a growing city. We are getting more dense by the second. Traffic is going to get worse if we are not proactive about it. Lol, im picturing an old folks stampede down the little Streets. The area is already dense for Houston Standards. It is going to get more dense. We just need to have a traffic in mind plan for the inner loop. Frankly for the bullseye of the 5th largest metropolitan area (actually 4th, cause #4 has two snake bullseyes) in the country, it is too easy to drive here. Traffic in Houstons core is really not that bad considering how big we are. Using the traffic argument for that area is weak
  15. HoustonIsHome
    Exactly my point. A new residential boosting the downtown population , and knocking off an empty lot is +++ in my book. A supertall on each lot would be nice, but since that isn't happening I will take an alternative
  16. HoustonIsHome
    This thing stinks. I totally hate it. Why couldn't they build some thing nicer and closer to downtown instead of this pile of boxes halfway to El Paso. Lol, just joking. I am surprised at the lack of negativity in this thread. Anyway, it is a very interesting building and its so uptown. It will fit in nicely. Uptown is definitely becoming a city within a city. The changes that have occurred since 2000 is astounding. Throw in a couple more of these mixed use structures like this building and a trolley looping around uptown and thus place will be marvelous. Cant wait to see this thing finished and look up and marvel at the uptown skyline yet again
  17. HoustonIsHome
    I agree. A dense midrise sea around downtown would be more feasible for the area for now than a string of towers surrounded by lots.
  18. HoustonIsHome
    I think he is confusing buildings with the mass-produced-outsourced-to-China-made-for America goods
  19. HoustonIsHome
    That too it's the same in most big cities
  20. HoustonIsHome
    I have been to over 50 countries, I've been to hundreds of cities, Houston is the only place where residents act like homeless are some novel, alien creatures. I got drunk and lost in Seattle but some homeless people have me awesome directions to my hotel. I would have been wandering around in the rain if it wasn't for the neighborhood hobos. In Cork, Ireland one of the people buying rounds of beers to welcome us to the city was a homeless girl. Didn't know she was homeless till after. She was just a person who didn't have an indoor home. I think many people like to feel themselves victims and ashamed to say no. Many of these homeless people are really friendly. Yeah some do commit crimes, but most are harmless. People keep saying midtown won't improve because of the homeless, but hey I was asked for money right down the street from Buckingham Palace (well closer to Kensington). Homeless are everywhere people. Its not a Houston thing. They stay where they get fed.
  21. HoustonIsHome
    I'm with wxman too. This is sexy. Wish it was near George R Brown, but still sexy.
  22. HoustonIsHome
    Wow if I didn't know better I would say downtown had 6 tall buildings. The view is actually not that bad when you take in the whole area.
  23. HoustonIsHome
    Bobruss it is beyond smart, they are are not just making people drive more to downtown, they are driving more to everywhere. With an employment base of over 80,000 the Energy corridor is the 4th largest business center in Houston. Over 1/3 of the employees work outside the western catchment area. Didn't say that it should not be changed because of a parade. Just said it was a popular spot and people are going to miss it. Like I said in my first post on here, I like the tenants. Its not a big deal if they move, I just liked where they were. Then again, the area is such a prime spot I figure many things would be popular if placed in that spot. I used to ride my bike from UH all the way to half priced books (the quarter priced books on Shepard too). I admit I have patronized specs on a number of occasions. I've bought pizza from that location when I lived a few blocks east. I have gotten on and off metro countless times at that stop. Its just a very nostalgic block for me. Lol, if there was an underground running under westheimer, that parking lot was where I imagined the train stop to be. Just little heads popping up from underground.
  24. HoustonIsHome
    You get excellent views of the skyline driving north on 288 from as far back as the beltway. In some spots the gap between TMC and Downtown is small. I bet these Museum District towers will greatly help bridge the gap between the two skylines from THAT vantage spot.
  25. HoustonIsHome
    Look who built the city. Just in Houston city limits alone we have Greenspoint, Clear Lake, Kingswood, built by Friendswood development group which was a subsidiary of Exxon. Exxon stretched our limits to the extreme- wonder why? Even as we speak Exxon is stretching it. They are building on land that was planned by the developers of Springwood estates, who in turn are building another masterplanned community. They were lobbied strongly for the grand parkway which coincidentally runs right in their front yard. So you are right. It can sprawl for as long as people are willing to put up with these places I don't think Houston will ever fill in completely, but certain areas will get denser. For the topic at hand I just wish Montrose will be one that fulls out and fulls up in places. The residential put the situation with the empty lots at a much lower level than downtown/midtown, its the suburban businesses with huge parking garages that I wish would thin out.
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