totheskies

Oh, nay-sayers nay-sayers...

I'm all for preservation and stuff, but this is one sweet action project. Houston needs to get out of it's funk and reclaim some of our architectural legacy. Cheap infill ain't gonna do it, so we better build up. The contrast of Main Place in the "old" section of downtown will be super impressive.

I really hope they raze Cougar Place. Those apartments were never intended to be used for so long. If you leave a piece of paper out for a couple of hours, it'll get soggy (unless you have a dehumidifier or the a/c running).

Good news about Renu Khator. She seems like a great replacement for Gogue. Even without as much state coddling at UT and A&M, UH seems to be doing just fine.

Go Coogs!

Yeah, totally!!!! I lived in Cougar Place for two years, and it's pretty horrible.

Making a Houston Riverwalk won't solve anything. The Houston Pavillions has a lot of potential, and is in a great area which can only improve with the infill and rail coming up. Obviously it will be nice for all of the millions of sports fans that venture downtown to have a place to walk, eat and do some shopping. This development is going to hit a homerun, and spur more highrise residential to boot. And the absolute worst case scenario is that we'll have one more area (besides Bayou Place to hangout downtown past 5 o'clock. Could this really be so gloomy.

Houston has been very slow to change, but things are about to pick up speed. Just wait and see.

All true, but I wonder just how many people see the real Houston. In many ways this city functions like a small town; we don't go out of our way to promote ourselves in other places. Houstonians are very close-knit folks... we know our city, and all of the "goings-on" here. But there's little desire to include the rest of the US in our lives.

Take the east and west coast for example. EVERYONE knows about New York and Los Angeles because they control the media. Can you turn on the television without seeing those places????

Just some questions on my mind, and I wanted to offer them to y'all as well as HAIF...

Houston seems to be the city in Texas that is "undefined" or "less defined". We all know it's big, and "the largest city in Texas", but DFW is the largest Metropolitan area. True that it's also plenty weird and random, but most people associate Texas weirdness with Austin. No major tourist attractions like San Antonio, and no strong-rooted historical significance like Fort Worth (at least not that we hold onto... Houston has a tendency to favor the current trends of architecture, art, etc.) Even geographically, DFW is North Texas, Austin is central, San Antonio is south, but where is Houston? Caught in the middle and very near the coast.

Let me preface the question by saying that a malleable identity is not always a bad thing. We apparently adjust to change very quickly here because we don't have to hold onto one great Houstonian ideal. But what is Houston to you????

Honestly, I could care less whether Houston hosts an Olympics or not, but the city's image (even by our own citizens) is horrible. It's like we're all depressed about living here, and could care less to improve it.

Trash is in every city. Homelessness is in every city. Cars are in every city. And I have to disagree... this city is very beautiful, especially compared to some of the eyesores we have around our country.

Weather is weather, and we just have to live with it. That's why the tunnel system is downtown, and why nearly 100 percent of the city is air-conditioned. I mean COME ON!! Do the Minneapolitans go outside without their coats in January and complain about the cold???????

As for our terrible public tranist... it is one of the most extensive bus networks in the nation in terms of land coverage, which means that METRO spends a lot more on GAS and vehicle maintenance than other cities. Yet still, it is $2 a day for local service busses, and a maximum of $3.50 for commuter service. Uh yeah, in Chicago you'd be paying an average of $6 a day to likely go about half the distance. I live on the east side outside of the loop (Northshore area) and I use METRO about 4 days a week to work. It saves $25 a month on my gasoline, and round-trip for the bus is only 1 hour. I would be sitting in traffice for that time anyway, so I may as well let the city do the driving!

And what if we want more coverage, and 24/7 bus routes??? Demand them by increasing ridership and sending your opinions to METRO and Harris County. Sounds simple enough.

The city is cleaning up b/c people are really starting to take care of it. Now that downtown is finally catching on to be a place for entertainment, areas all over the city will get a facelift. Don't just give up on Houston, be proud of the city, and help make it a dream come true.

Having grown up in Houston and currently residing in Dallas, I would have to say Dallas has a better selection of stores. My sister owns a store in Houston, but always comes to Dallas for items and looks. For some reason Dallas tends to be a little ahead. I personally think Austin has just as many good stores, you just have to find them. Also, Dallas has a better selection of home furnishings stores. A lot of this can be contributed to the fact that Dallas has the huge market center and Design District. They have market a few times a year that draw buyers and decorators from all over the country. Most Houston designers either travel to Dallas or LA for the best items. Just depends on how much your client is looking to spend.

http://www.decorativecenter.com/

http://www.dallasmarketcenter.com/dmc/cust...lashEnabled.cvn

Houston's makes up for home decor by being a larger/more diverse center of antiquing. All the decor stuff we just buy at IKEA.

Well, Houston was founded before Dallas. But I guess the real question is which city "feels" newer, mabey. Not really shure about that one. Parts of houston look very rustic, industrial, and just gritty, and have a pretty old feel to it. But then there is Uptown, and the energy/financial districts of downtown, which are pretty darn futuristic. The question I think generalizes two cities that vary extremeley between the two sides. It cant really be answered accurately.

Agreed. Because of the nature of our differing econnomic identities, I would guess that Dallas will always appear to be "newer" than Houston (no ship channel or large industrial district).

East Houston is just old looking, and in a class by itself, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Oddly enough, West Houston looks to me like stereotypical Dallas and DFW infill. The Katy Freeway is a dead-ringer for the I-30 corridor.

I don't think you quite understand what my criticism is about. It has nothing to do with building highrises near public amenities. That's entirely justifiable and when it is done, wherever it is done, nobody is saying that they're doing it just to emulate NYC...because it isn't an NYC style. That's what is done because it makes good sense.

My criticism is that the building's facade tries to emulate architecture on Central Park in NYC rather than be avant garde and cutting edge. There is a reason it is done, of course: a huge part of the highrise market in Houston is comprised of former NYC residents, and Finger wants to appeal to them. It is that simple. Someone asked my opinion; I don't care for it. But that shouldn't be surprising because it wasn't built to appeal to me.

Nah, I think it's a good blend with the architecture on Downtown's Northeast side. It's of similar height to the visible buildings (the "old Chase bldg, the Espersons, etc.). Houston has something of a two face look to it's skyline... from the west it looks sparse and very modern/futuristic, but from the east, it looks like a more traditional city. One Park Place is a good integration of those ideas.

I personally can't wait for Discovery Green. More parking (that's not surface lots), more of the already awesome tunnel system, a new park downtown AND high-rise developments. As soon as Houston Pavillions opens, I'm going to move there and just sell the car!!!

Fort Worth is America's 18th largest city, yet most people think it's still in the 30's. That, or they don't think this city exists at all.....

Now I know alot of that is Fort Worth's own fault. Our city hasn't done much to become as well know as the other cities in Texas. We haven't tried that hard to attract big time companies, which my guess would be why we don't have a big time skyline. The only thing we're famous for is COPS and I'm pretty sure most of the city isn't too proud of that, and hey, that's our fault......

I can understand why you might not think Fort Worth is a big, progressive city (which it IS), but what's up with all the disrespect? And this is mostly coming from our neighbors to the east....

Look, Dallas and Houston may have it all, but that doesn't give ya the right to talk down on anybody. Every town has it's high points and low points, but no one can talk bad about a city. Give Ft. Worth the respect it deserves.

BTW, could you just concider the following....

• NO, Fort Worth is not a Dallas suburb
  
• The Texas Motor Speedway is actually in Justin, but concidered to be Ft. Worth. NOT Dallas.
  
• Ft. Worth is bigger than, Atlanta, Miami, Las Vegas, Memphis, Boston, Seattle, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, St. Louis.....it goes on.... The point is, Ft. Worth isn't a small city. It's just not as well known.
  
• Dallas doesn't own Fort Worth or every other town in North Texas. So stop saying DFW when you mean Dallas. PLEASE!
  
• Ft. Worth isn't infested with backwoods, George Bush worshiping rednecks. We have those people, but they dont make up the whole city. And we're not the only city with rednecks, either.
  
• Some of the people here do have an inferiority complex... ok. I can't really explain that one, but I guess you would to if your city was constanly being called something else.
  
• Finally, I hear from some Dallasites that Dallas is the most disrespected city in America. Well Dallas, at least people think your the only city in the "Dallas Metroplex". And you've got sports teams...and a beautiful skyline...and world wide fame from two t.v. shows... AND you've got a new mayor, so stop complaining.
  

If there are any replies, please don't turn this into another Dallas vs. Houston thing. I'm in a school 30 miles away from Houston, where most of the students are either from Houston or Dallas, so I get enough of that down here.

Don't you guys realize??? It's the animocity that makes the cities interesting!!! Why be Twins like your friends on the northern side of I-35 (Minneapolis- St. Paul)?

Be neglectful Texan siblings!!

In all seriousness, Dallas and Fort Worth have a very different 'cultural geography to them. One could almost consider the big D as a far-rflung pseudopod of the the East Coast... financial capital, fast paced, high strung, and full of attitude. Fort Worth is a much more relaxed vibe, and stronly identifies itself with the Old West, and not just from the Stockyards.

Here's the beauty of Texas though... you take those two culture clashes, smash them together, add some humidity and a few more queers than steers, and what do you get??

Wait for it.... HOUSTON!!!!!!

Yes, to most outsiders, Houston and Dallas are incredibly similar -- to the point of being almost indistinguishable. International visitors usually think Houston just sucks a little less.

I NEVER want to make this a "versus" anything, but which one feels or appears to be more international??? I would say Houston, but from talking with people over at SSP, I'm not quite sure.

Okay. I am looking at a map right now. Because you are a citizen of Houston, it won't be necessary to upload it as I am referring to it. You will see that the elevated feeder roadway makes up the west / northwestern boundary of Midtown. It connects 59 south to various neighborhoods in the Montrose area ending with Westheimer. Now you do narrow the area down correctly when you refer to it as the forth ward, but the area as a whole is referred to as the Montrose area. Notice on the map how the development happening begins right north of where the elevated roadway begins at Westheimer and continues up to the Pierce elevated. This neighborhood nourishes itself from the Montrose area, not the area on the other side of Pierce with office buildings and the electric generator substation. Now there are indeed poor black folks who still live in this particular growth area of Midtown. You continue trying to claim that the neighborhood somehow grew from downtown past the Pierce elevated. Pierce elevated on the map makes up the north / northeaster boundary of Midtown in comparison. This is simply not true. Actually it spilled in from the area where there are no freeways at all to the west / northwest. I can't believe the way Houstonians refuse to accept the problem of elevated freeways and the problems they present to long term developments. I know that the city has acknowledged in the past the wish to tackle this problem. The problem isn't burying the freeways, however. I mean what can the city of Houston do about it? The problem with below grade freeways is flooding. How do you keep them from filling up from the frequent torrential rains that happen from tropical storms? So a better response by you should be that Houston simply can't bury its freeways in Midtown instead of claiming that they aren't obstacles to its growth.

Are u from Dallas or Houston?...This article is about DART.....But yet...3rd Ward is in Houston....Huh?

DART rail now $700M richer

Federal officials sign agency's largest grant, green-lighting growth

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...ey.1a45280.html

11:46 PM CDT on Monday, July 3, 2006

By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News

"....Federal officials came to Dallas Area Rapid Transit on Monday, and this time they brought their checkbook.

In a morning full of pomp and ceremony, DART and the Federal Transit Administration signed a long-awaited, $700 million grant agreement.

The amount is the largest DART has ever received, and it represents the second-largest federal grant of its kind to any transit agency in the nation....."

"..The federal funds will pay for almost half of the cost to build 21 miles of light rail from Farmers Branch to Buckner Boulevard in Pleasant Grove. Those 21 miles will help launch DART's planned 45-mile, $2.5 billion expansion that is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

For about eight years, DART and the local congressional delegation have lobbied extensively for the grant.

The transit administration announced in February that it would give DART the money, but the award was then subject to reviews and congressional approval.

"This is a great day for Dallas," said U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who fought for the DART funds on Capitol Hill.

Although San Antonio and Houston created transit agencies before Dallas, "DART has made up for lost time," Mrs. Hutchison said. "DART has surpassed Houston and San Antonio with its commitment to rail early on. It wasn't easy, but this is going to benefit our area for years to come."

DART's system is recognized nationally for its successful 10-year operating history and its impact on the region, Ms. Bushue said. In addition, DART helps its standing with federal officials because it can pledge more of its sales tax revenue to projects than many other transit agencies, she said...."

"....Minor work has started on the northwest and southeast lines, and workers could start laying the first tracks early next year.

The first section of the new line is scheduled to open to Fair Park in September 2009. The rest of the federally funded section between Farmers Branch and Pleasant Grove is planned to open in late 2010. DART-funded extensions to Carrollton, Irving, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Rowlett are expected to open between 2010 and 2013.

To some leaders, the rail line represents more than just rapid transit. DART's new rail lines will connect Fair Park, Deep Ellum, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, the hospital district, Dallas Love Field, D/FW Airport and northwest Dallas County suburbs...."

Yeah, there we go. I'm glad to see early construction stages for phase two now. All the universities will greatly benefit from the rail options, as well as Third Ward. We have to keep it coming though. I think that rail transit is much more important than looks; it spurrs traffic and commuter solutions that are ten and twenty-fold.

Two big food questions...

Where is the BEST Chicago-style pizza in Houston?

Where is the BEST Cajun in Houston (everything... boudin, nachitoches meat pies, the works)???

Hi everyone

Does anybody have experience with the Columbia Medical Center area, the blocks north of I-10 and west of BW8? Having a potential job offer close to there, I'm wondering if it's anywhere near livable.

Yes, I moved from the inner loop section of Meyerland to the NorthShore area in July, and I have to say it's a nice neighborhood. People don't live here for the glitz and glamour that you find in Memorial or the Heights, but just a bunch of hard-working people. I'm on the Metro bus route, which means I can still get to work without using the car all the time. The Northeast corner by the Beltway is building up with the usual suburban fare, but considering that it's very cheap and only 10 min from downtown, it's totally worth it.

Has anyone ever spoke with city officials about why grand projects such as Victory park in Dallas aren't planned here in Houston.

According to what I've read, Victory was in the works a decade ago.

You guys can chirp all you want about how Dallas is "catching up" to Houston....the fact is Houston is slower......and projects are not as well planned as ones in Dallas.

I couldn't disagree with you more.

Dallas is a wonderful city, and has very impressive architecture, but on the whole it is bland. It lacks the excitement and character extremities that can only be found in Houston. The theater district is hard at work to try and imitate the success and grandeur that we have in Houston. METRO-Rail, eventhough a short line, is a very effective system, and its service area is about to more than double. Finally if Houston Pavillions opens successfully next year, it will breathe wonderful life into downtown. Again, I'm grateful to have both cities in the state of Texas, but we have to appreciate what we've got here in Houston.

I think you forgot what city this is....

In Houston, we build first, and pay the consequences later. This is a gambler's town, and that's exactly what wulfe is doing with this project.

This is a very smart project, and for one main reason, location. It is virtually equidistant from the Medical Center as well as ALL of Houston's major universities. Especially for UH and TSU, it would benefit to have some substantial development in the area, as well as to revitalize the 3rd Ward.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/3871490.html

I guess I never thought of how difficult it was to navagate around Houston 'til I read this article. I can't think of anything that can be done about it now, but according to the article...

From the Chronicle:

Old cities such as New York were built on a grid system, explained Bob Abbott, vice president of production at Key Map.

But newer cities like Houston, with its hundreds of master-planned communities, are increasingly adding confusingly winding roads to create a sense of privacy.

Add to that quick growth, new streets and roads that change names multiple times, and Houston becomes harder to get around in than cities with geographically fixed borders.

Houston's grid is jumbled and inconsistent. In the Heights, streets are numbered, but without reason numbers turn to letters. In downtown, street names change without clear definition. Gray and Alabama turn into West Gray and West Alabama. East Gray is nowhere to be found.

Or try to explain why Elgin turns into Westheimer or the difference between the Southwest Freeway and U.S. 59, or the Gulf Freeway and Interstate 45.

Just curious, why do so many streets in Houston change their names in an area, like Westheimer/Elgin, etc.?

Haha, it's called nominative zoning. Lockwood goes through the Hispanic neighborhood (5th ward?), Elgin runs through 3rd ward, and Westheimer is for trendy stuff like Montrose, River Oaks, and the Galleria (you know, the important people)