Jonah

It does look quite similar to the town center project in Sugar Land but honestly would you expect anything different from the suburbs. Everything there looks exactly the same anyway. Regardless, I still think it's great that these suburbs are building their own "downtown" so there can be some centrally located area that these people can congregate. Hopefully the rest of this project when finished will look just as nice as what is already completed. I hope that project on the other side of 59 tries to make it as urban as possible. I would hate for the property fronting that creek to be turned into another strip shopping center. Hopefully one day these suburban "downtowns" will connect with Houston downtown and Uptown/ Galleria by rail. Wouldn't that be cool.

I totally agree. I think this would be awesome if that would happen with each of these suburbs turning into their own little urban village. I know living here in LA it is somewhat like that with Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Long Beach, and Anaheim each having their own little downtown. Then those suburbs are all linked to downtown LA and Hollywood by metrorail. I hope something like this will eventually happen to the Houston area.

I think many people want to live downtown because the feel is much different there than any other part of town including Uptown, Midtown, or Montrose. Uptown I feel doesn't have the same connectivity and density that downtown has. Midtown, although urban in some areas is mainly dense only on the west side, and montrose is more of a neighborhood with homes and not that dense. I think downtown is the only neighborhood that kind of has that big city New York feel that most Houstonians have never experienced but really want. With the completion of most downtown streets walking around is becoming easier for pedestrians. I think if housing became more affordable then a swell of people would move to downtown in a heartbeat.

I don't understand. I know that the central business district hopes to have a population of 10,000 in downtown by 2010, but I just don't see that happening. I'm not trying to be a naysayer but it frustrates me because that would be an amazing goal but I see nothing happening in the future that points to that goal being reached. I mean the downtown revitilization began with Bayou Place and the Rice Lofts 8 years ago in 1997. We are already in 2005 and the population is I believe only 3,000 people in downtown. Does anybody really feel it will be possible for downtown to achieve this goal of 10,000 people by 2010? Basically tripling the current population in 5 years time. I really hope Shamrock Tower happens and is a catalyst for other developers to see the potential in downtown. Does the city of Houston give these developers any sort of incentive that would encourage development in downtown as opposed to other parts of the city? It seems like every few weeks you hear about a new residential tower in Uptown/ Galleria being built, which is great but what about one of these happening in downtown. It seems like interest among Houstonians is really strong for residential housing downtown, but no developers or the city of Houston seems to be taking advantage of it. What gives? Comments anyone? Sorry just a little frustrated.

I think a project like this would definitely work in downtown. I don't understand why a project like this wouldn't get built until there is a large enough population mass living in downtown. If you take into account the close surrounding areas of downtown such as midtown, montrose, the heights, rice university, and u. of h. I think that population would definitely be willing to support a project like this. I mean people drive from all over the city to go downtown for their nightlife,dining, and the aquarium so why wouldn't they do the same for something like this. I think if it's unique then people will come. Let's face it there's no other place like downtown in Houston, where you can walk around and experience an urban environment. I think most people gravitate towards that and that's why they enjoy coming downtown. I think a project like the one they are proposing to build on those 4 empty lots off main street in south downtown would be perfect.

I think Bayou Place should try and tap into that entertainment crowd that ventures to that side of Downtown. Since there is the Aquarium, Hard Rock Cafe, Verizon Theater, and Angelica, I think Bayou Place should try and build something along those lines there. I think a great idea would be some awesome bowling alley. I live in Hollywood now and I know there are some really"hip" bowling alleys here right off the Hollywood strip. They should build a cool bowling alley with a little bar and lounge so people can have some drinks while playing bowling.