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I certainly think the Task Force's effort and vision are great, but I have to remain skeptical of any sort of plan to create a pedestrian-oriented environment that doesn't identify the ridiculous surface parking lot problem as its primary obstacle. Few large U.S. cities have as pervasive an issue with vacant downtown lots as Houston. These are just enormous blank spaces in an otherwise urban environment that do a damn good job at killing any sort of pedestrian vitality. There's a reason why the Market Square area and Midtown are redeveloping at faster rates than the southern side of the Convention District and the entire southeast quadrant of Downtown. Unless some serious infill occurs - even if the buildings are only one or two stories tall - those parking lots will present an enormous roadblock to creating a comprehensive urban shopping district.

 

GreenStreet is nice, but you're not getting much of an urban experience in a complex bounded by office buildings, parking garages and surface lots. Creating a shopping environment in this area is still going to be difficult, even with the presence of some retail. Forming organic street life is an immense challenge.

 

Surface parking lots in Downtown Houston are quickly vanishing. Most major metros have too many CBD surface lots. The difference is that no other city is booming like Houston, and our lots are going bye-bye very fast. 50 years ago, pedestrian vitality and Downtown's comprehensive retail scene was booming...all the great retailers were there. The mayor's Dallas Street Retail Corridor Project is neither difficult nor a challenge, rather a masterful plan...a plan to restore world class retail to Downtown Houston, again.

I appreciate the spirit of your post. This statement is false however.

There are about 150,000 office workers downtown. Less than "hundreds of thousands" and of the 150,000, not all of them work for Fortune 500's...... For instance, there are a BUNCH of government workers (federal, state, and city) as well as more lawyers than you can count. There are accountants and consultants. None of those are "Fortune 500" employees. Except for the plethora of government workers, They earn good money (the spirit of your post) but they are not "Fortune 500" workers

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-06-03/Retail_Brochure_FINAL_ONLINE.pdf

I appreciate the spirit of your post. This statement is false however.

There are about 150,000 office workers downtown. Less than "hundreds of thousands" and of the 150,000, not all of them work for Fortune 500's...... For instance, there are a BUNCH of government workers (federal, state, and city) as well as more lawyers than you can count. There are accountants and consultants. None of those are "Fortune 500" employees. Except for the plethora of government workers, They earn good money (the spirit of your post) but they are not "Fortune 500" workers

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-06-03/Retail_Brochure_FINAL_ONLINE.pdf

I appreciate the spirit of your post. This statement is false however.

There are about 150,000 office workers downtown. Less than "hundreds of thousands" and of the 150,000, not all of them work for Fortune 500's...... For instance, there are a BUNCH of government workers (federal, state, and city) as well as more lawyers than you can count. There are accountants and consultants. None of those are "Fortune 500" employees. Except for the plethora of government workers, They earn good money (the spirit of your post) but they are not "Fortune 500" workers

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-06-03/Retail_Brochure_FINAL_ONLINE.pdf

I appreciate the spirit of your post. This statement is false however.

There are about 150,000 office workers downtown. Less than "hundreds of thousands" and of the 150,000, not all of them work for Fortune 500's...... For instance, there are a BUNCH of government workers (federal, state, and city) as well as more lawyers than you can count. There are accountants and consultants. None of those are "Fortune 500" employees. Except for the plethora of government workers, They earn good money (the spirit of your post) but they are not "Fortune 500" workers

http://www.downtownhouston.org/site_media/uploads/attachments/2013-06-03/Retail_Brochure_FINAL_ONLINE.pdf

Perhaps, but that's just semantics...150K/250K...you say potato, I say potato. To the contrary, many Downtown employees ARE Fortune 500 employees (rank-and-file, executive and highly-paid) as many Fortune 500 corporations have their world headquarters in Downtown Houston. Moreover, it gets busier by the day.

At the end of the day, the market is there...it's clear what they're trying to do with this project, and Houston's CBD can definitely support it. Downtown needs it...let's hope they're successful.

I agree.. It's just going to be a hard sale at first convincing stores they can make it in downtown. Especially for someone as exclusive as Bloomingdales, I would think. I hope the retail district happens though. They've been talking about it since like 2011, maybe even earlier. And it would be a great addition to making downtown a more all around livable/enjoyable destination/neighborhood.

Historically, Downtown Houston is a proven retail market. Before Uptown/Galleria ever existed, all the big retailers...Foley's (later Macy's), Battlestein's, Palais Royal, Neiman Marcus, Sakowitz, etc., were all Downtown. The Galleria and Northwest Mall lured them all away over the last 50 years (with the old/tired Macy's being the last and most recent to fold), but today millions more live in Houston as the city booms, especially Downtown.

It's really a no-brainer. The mayor and her Retail Task Force are smart to bring in Bloomingdale's and a relocated Macy's, and others to the Dallas Street Retail Corridor Project. Her initiative is very similar to Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago. And when you factor this plus GreenStreets, it's a home run and gives Downtown Houston the world class retail it desperately needs and deserves. Houston will have world class retail Downtown and Uptown...two different exciting retail experiences.

With tens of thousands of new residents filling these luxury developments, legions of Downtown city/state/federal government workers there daily, hundreds of thousands of Fortune 500 corporate employees filling the towers every day, and an expanded convention district with numerous new hotels bringing millions more people Downtown each year, a quality retail district is imperative.

Bloomingdale's Main Street (Main at Dallas) is planned as one of the anchors for Mayor Parker's proposed Dallas Street Retail Corridor Project. A smaller relocated Macy's will also go up along Dallas Street, as well as a third big box anchor. All three, plus additional shops, will line Dallas Street from Main to Discovery Green. An announcement will be made after Hotel Alessandra breaks ground.

i absolutely concur bobruss! everyone knows just how i felt.. as per what i then referred to as the (phantom menace) was first being conceptualized.. upon complete incognito fashion. however, i cannot help but agree, that once HOTEL ALESSANDRA comes forth... this is truly going to become a special area of downtown. nonetheless, something must now be done, as per the old sakowitz building directly across the street. i'm praying for a dillards!

I believe there are plans to transform the old Sakowitz building into a luxurious 260,000 sqft. flagship Bloomingdale's:

Bloomingdale's Main Street

The Houston Chronicle is vacating its 801 Texas Avenue building and moving to the 59/610 old Houston Post building that they will renovate into the new Houston Chronicle headquarters.  They will make a pretty penny selling 801 Texas Avenue...that's a prized piece of downtown real estate, ideal for super tall, maybe a Ritz-Carlton or W Hotel and Residences.

Uncivil discourse will be removed.  Please use the Off-Topic threads to rant or go off.  A simple statement of fact is all that would be necessary to make a point.  Cursing politicians and "going off" is not appropriate here.

 

Thank goodness, as well it should. Earlier, someone pretending to be a moderator "went off" on a rant about a comment regarding development off Richmond/Kirby. They cursed me, called me a fool…just “went off” on several commenters, and was Off-Topic saying nothing about development at Richmond/Kirby. Anyway, good comment, and glad things are on track along Richmond and Kirby. Houston’s definitely on track: full speed ahead…ain’t no stopping us now.

I'm responding to reports from earlier today:

 

 

Thanks for keeping everything on topic HAIFers and bringing order even when mods are not around!  You guys are the best!

 

Please try to remain civil when corralling those who get off track.

 

 

Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer on the international terminal at Hobby Airport and have not read entire thread: do we know what it will look like?  Architects?

 

Yes, it’s modeled after the international terminals at the booming Atlanta and Dallas airports, which connect to the city-wide world class mass transit/rail systems in those cities.  The politicians and communities there worked intelligently together in unity (as they should). I can’t imagine why Houston won’t go accordingly. What’s stopping it?  It’s the city with no limits.