scarface

I noticed a few years ago that the Heritage Plaza lighting went back to the old looking beige Christmas lights on the shoulders of the building.  I always thought the building could stand to do more on the top of the building than just light the shoulders, but that's a different topic. But Whatever happened to the new "white" neon lights they had installed back in 2012 as shown in the picture below?

Photo courtesy of Triton:

That's what the lady was trying to tell me in our discussion the other day. I was confused because Simplicity tells me to just call it all main st from N. 610, downtown, museum district, TMC, Astrodome all the way down to about Murphy road in stafford.

It's all the same road and didn't quite understand her adamant need to make Main Street (STAFFORD) so distinctly different from Main Street (HOUSTON)

Now the city just needs to work on some mass transit plan to connect Chinatown (westside) to downtown. 

And transit, I'm talking about LRT or BRT. (Preferably LRT)

Thanks for that response. 

My confusion is,

The lady I got in the discussion with was trying to tell me that section of the US90A stretch where its called " MAIN STREET "in Stafford (south of Present Street until Murphy rd/1092) is different from the "MAIN STREET " just north of Beltway 8 into Houston where it runs along the same US Hwy 90 stretch.

Hello,

It's been a long time since I posted on HAIF, but i have what might seem like a silly question, so i apologize in advance.

I was involved in a discussion with a lady about Main Street and if the entire stretch of Main, all the way until where it becomes a freeway, all the way past the beltway is all the same (MAIN).  Her claim was that the Main st in Stafford is a different Main that runs through the downtown core of Houston, even though it is technically the same roadway.

My question is: Is it still Main St south past 610? Because I noticed that once you cross BW8 heading south into Missouri city, the signs just say US90 for a few miles, then once you enter Stafford (such as @ 1092/Murphy rd), it splits  and the signs say N. MAIN on one side and then S. MAIN on the other. 

So my ultimate question Is this all the same Main? ( main st stafford and  same one that main st downtown?) Because its weird that people refer to it as just 90 along the freeway stretch like it's not still Main, then in Stafford, it picks back up and becomes "Main" again until you pass Murphy road.

Just need some clarity. 

Thanks

On 8/17/2018 at 5:25 PM, TexasGeneral said:

Hopefully they don’t put a giant purple neon “W” at the top of the tower. 

 

Central Market at the base of a residential tower would be a dream development for downtown. 

Okay then how about a giant blue one that changes colors to pink and green?

I don't see what the point of having a W hotel if it can't be known that we have one. Besides, W signage is tasteful and elegant, not gaudy.

Now the Central market below residential in your statement, I agree with.

Who do you report it to?

Because it looks as if they've already started slacking no more than 1 month into the relighting. I;ve notice that one of the arches (the 1st one you pass under traveling southwest on 59) is completely out, and the 2nd one already has a bulb out.

I thought they were going to do it different this time around. Didn't they spend 4 million on installation of these lights which were supposed to be LED? Would they do all of this if it were just going to go neglected again?  Was this just a temporary effort?

Extremely disappointed.

56 minutes ago, mfastx said:

 

Wouldn't say it's a waste of money (especially if it's privately funded, which I'm still skeptical of), but the decision to plop the Houston station literally in the middle of the wasteland that is the Northwest Mall area is highly questionable in my mind, and will limit the potential success of this project in the long run. 

I agree. I was bummed when they decided to put it in the northwest mall area, but it seems like Uptown/Galleria area is getting more and more massive every other month. It is starting to feel like a city center of its own with its skyline. Perhaps that will spill over to the Northwest Mall area in the not too distant future. Plus, they can possibly think about a split track at the station that will allow you to take a route to downtown or straight in to Uptown.

I personally think there's a way to make this work. Plus, they have cleared a lot of land over off Dacoma (north of 290) and I was told Northwest Mall is getting ready to get completely leveled. That whole Dacoma/290 corridor is in the process of making way for new development and retail. Sorry, no verifiable source here, I learned this by talking with a client who works for the construction company that told me what the plans were. But he wasn't knowledgeable about the HSR plans and how it would be incorporated in to the new developments unfortunately.

Sorry to rain on the parade. This is a gorgeous park and all but does anyone feel as if this park takes away from the uniqueness of discovery green and creates a redundancy in Houston's urban fabric? Or do i have alot to learn? LOL

10 hours ago, greystone08(returns) said:

My thing is; While the new restaurants are cool and all, what ever happened to the supposed retail district they were talking about a few years back. Are those plans DOA now?

WOW!!! Greystone08!

I haven't seen you on here in a loonng time. It's been like a decade!!!  Can I say "Welcome back"?

3 hours ago, Montrose1100 said:

 

It makes absolute sense to have these type of eateries in the convention area. Tourist hot spots cater to the stereotypical tourist. Why pay twice as much for an Olive Garden meal in Times Square or waste your time in a Ripley's? I cannot answer that, but people like it, and good for them. If there's going to be a place for that, might as well be Downtown, and might as well be by the GRB.

 

If someone wants "better" options or where us locals will go, they will turn to the internet and find it. Unless they know someone whom lives here.

 

But for the love of all that is holy stop chanting for an Observation Tower.

Why?

I want my dream of a nice observation tower in a architecturally designed rocket to symbolize space city shooting into the air.

^^^ EXACTLY.

And I'm surprised hearing someone who claims to be from 3rd ward talk like that. Almost sounded a little bougie.

So what? Known Hood spots don't deserve to be on this corner? Is it going to cheapen/tarnish the area? Is it Only for the upscale, glitzy establishments?  Well who says they can't make a nice Timmy Chans or a nice Frenchy's?  Avenida Houston is meant to showcase Houston's eateries into a walkable area. Not just those restaurants who's Chefs have gained national spotlight.

On 2/11/2017 at 8:44 PM, monarch said:

 

 

^^^ such BEAUTIFUL places at AVENIDA HOUSTON.....

AHHH. I LOVE AVENIDAS. Getting a taste of Houston's elite restaurants in walking distance. A true Houston experience. All we need is a Frenchy's and a Timmy Chans on the Avenida and we will be rocking and rolling.

Does this area remind any of you a little of Victory Plza /Park in Dallas?

I don't know if this topic has already been discussed. But they have been leveling and tearing down buildings at the site just west of Dacoma Street just north of 290. I talked to a pretty trustworthy  source just yesterday, a construction worker, who said they are totaling leveling the entire area and Northwest Mall will be torn down. I asked him what they were planning on building in its place and they he said there will be some time of mini-malls being built (whatever that means). 

I'm thinking that this must be related to the Houston-Dallas bullet train site. Could they be building a some sort of TOD?  I asked him if it was related to the Bullet train proposal and he said he did not know anything about that.

Nice update. But kind of hard to believe the validity of it when November 7th falls on a Monday and not a Friday. Seems like they don't really know their schedules.

Why not build a lightrail line to connect to pearland instead of this crap?

Man, Houston just keeps repeating the same ol' crap over and over. Widening freeways and concrete for a cheap buck. SMH

I don't even think about cost per project anymore when at the end, most of the these projects around the nation mostly come from federal tax $$$. Might as well bring some of that to Houston.

Of course. I won't rest until we are all riding horses again and forging trails.

 

I know you know there is a difference. Well, I HOPE you know there is a difference.

 

Is the government building this railway?

Knock yourself out buddy. That's right, Let's keep Houston country and backwards!!!

I already think of Houston as several decades behind in terms of public transportation when I get back from cities like Denver, Seattle, Portland, Philly and Atlanta. Why stop there?  Phoenix and Charlotte are even breathing down our necks. Next we should let Amarillo and Lubbock pass us up next!

Again, I love this building, but Is it supposed to be smaller than the older existing Amegy Building located on 4400 Post Oak Pkwy (5 Post Oak Park) ??

I read that this building is only 24 stories compared to 5 Post Oak Park's 28 stories, and only 350,000 sq feet compared to 5 Post Oak Park's 570,000.

Sources:

http://shorenstein.com/portfolio/investments/property?id=1298

https://www.amegybank.com/about-us/newsroom/amegy-hq

Was just surprised because I thought this new building was supposed to be bigger? It definitely makes a bigger impact when driving through the Galleria area. Maybe because of its position sitting right against the freeway.

Uptown/Galleria-Riveroaks is becoming one colossal area, especially driving north.

My out of town friend and I were traveling north on 610, passing through the Galleria area. The signs pointing to "Downtown" threw him off. He was surprised we weren't already in downtown.

Yes, I do not care too much for the proposed design. For one thing, that will definitely erase the breathtaking view coming into downtown from North 45 going below the towering BOA and Heritage Plaza skyscrapers. It will be sorely missed.

I don't care. At least they have it.

Dallas may not be Vegas or NYC, but at least it somewhat portrays it a little in its appearance. Not really trying to de-rail the topic, but me and my girlfriend went up there last weekend and ate at the revolving restaurant Reunion Tower, overlooking the beautiful nightlit city with night displays and the nice new Omni Hotel. All i'm saying is, it wouldn't kill Houston to add a little pizazz to and bring something a little more eye-catching.

I don't understand what some of you are complaining about.

If you want to take a kid into a downtown park to fly a kite, you can save your trip and fly it in your own neighborhood park in the boring suburbs. At least you won't have to worry about a gazillion skyscrapers blocking the wind.

Maybe the rock concerts for old folks is played a little, but at least they're trying to get multiple people to utilize the park. Me, my sister, and little nephew went down there one Saturday about a month ago, and it was PACKED. They had little stands, selling different types of things, almost like an arts and crafts show and there were many food trucks around. That's the type of things we need ALL the time, flea markets, farmers markets, etc.

Just my opinion, but I really wish Houston would add a little flashy plaza somewhere similar to Victory did in Dallas. Houston needs some color to really draw people in.

One teensy little thing though...

 

For those of y'all who keep mentioning underground trains, it would never work. Much of Houston was built on swampland, remember? Those floods that we get, the high water table, the silty sand underneath all the concrete, the fault line under Richmond Ave. that causes you to play out your "I'm riding a bull in the rodeo" fantasies as you bounce down it... 

 

He was right in the article when he said that Metro's ridership is dismal. Driving around every day, (I drive for a living.) I hardly ever see a full city route bus. They just don't happen. Yes, the P&R buses get utilized, (somewhat) but that's a different kettle of fish.

This argument has been used before and with all due respect, it is a weak argument. 

Amsterdam was built below sea level and they support subways. Also the fact that Houston was able to build a 7 mile tunnel system underneath it's downtown streets also says something. Let's not forget about the motor vehicle tunnels that went underneath the ship channels in Baytown.

So, Subway in Houston is not impossible. Even if Houston's political leaders try to convince us that it's not. They just haven't wanted to put up the $$$$ to do so.