2112

^CBD Fetishism

It oughta be in the DSM-V.

I'm not sure what I said to warrant the "CBD feitshism" comment. The great downtowns and cities that are really exciting happen for a reason. They happen with time and vision. Maybe some of them start out as simple dreams. That's where I am at this point. Sure, I think it's bad to simply copy another city, that's cheasy. But I know our city can do better with time and persistence. And since I will not ever give up on Houston, I refuse to stop dreaming about what it could become. We can have a blan central city if we allow it and just sit around and delicate flower about it. Or we can be persistent and drive a consistent message "out there" so that maybe someday it will force something good to start happening.

Can we describe the set of people who want more retail downtown? Are they people who live downtown? Work downtown? Visit conventions?

I spend very little time downtown. I've lived and worked in Houston for over 40 years and less than one of those years was spent working downtown. When I was there I didn't feel a need to go shopping, except once when I got to work and realized I had forgotten to put on a belt. The lady at Macy's said they sell a lot of belts to people in that situation.

Just my two cents: You are right, for a large majority of us who dont live downtown, we dont have a burning need to shop there. Heck, there are plenty shopping districts in Houston that are worth going to, and in that respect Houston is not lacking. But it has nothing to do with that lack of urgency to shop in the CBD. It's about creating a downtown in our city we can all be proud of. How cool would it be to have a downtown that is just a little small version of Times' Square? Or maybe more realistically something that resembles downtown Seattle or Denver? There are proud Houstonians that would love to see thier downtown flourish, regardless where in the city they actually live. I'm sure with the 2 and a half million Houstonians and the 6 million in and around around the city, there is enough critical mass to make such a dream come true.

Ah! That second picture with the telescope radome on top is my old building from 1986 to 1993. I worked there (bldg 16) before moving to bldg 44 - which, by the way, is famous now for the shooting. Good times.

The basketball park (Root Brown?) across from Toyo is a shining example of how to keep the bums at bay: Security & Water Sprinklers

Bums don't need luxury encampments. There are a gazillion other spots in town they can make camp.

If I were a bum I'd live under 59/Settegast along the Bayou. Them some nice digs.

FYI: I heard rumors that a new hotel is going to be built right behind the old Barneys Billiards.

Man, I would love to see a rendition of what they have planned for the dome. I imagine it could be pretty awesome - it may look like a futuristic space city under a protective dome, like something out of Mars or the Moon or something. Or not.

I could see that. I just wish it had greater visibility from downtown. I could imagine a lot of people would be scared to cross 59 to go over there. It's dumb, but you know how people get.

There is one particular spot along the 59-elevated, I think it is at Franklin, that is kinda creepy to go under. If anyone has been there you know what I mean. It's the same similar feeling I get when going under the pierce elevated comming from the Metro Transit Center to the Greyhound Terminal. It's like a scene out of "night of the living dead" - interesting characters limping towards you asking for things, talking to me with Excuse me Sir, and Excuse me what time is it ?, which is always followed by a request for financial aid, and then following you into the terminal. Then when you get to the terminal, you are treated to another cool feeling just like that one. I have to admit though, part of me kinda likes the adrenalin of being in the bowels of this sort of thing.

Best not to hold your breath. Everything that I've seen indicates that these proposed towers are basically all over the place--with perhaps one exception.

http://www.beacon-island.com/builderreserves.html

This development sounds a little on the snooty-side. But it states some there will be high-rise and mid-rise developments so it just adds to the skyline, so I guess it's all good.

I was hoping someone out there had a map that showed ALL the towers planned in the entire area.

It's all good.

So I was re-reading this entire thread, and came across this description for the Marina property that Endeavour had purchased:

"Endeavour Marina on Clear Lake is a $20-million, 97,800-sq.-ft. mixed-use development on six acres in Seabrook, Texas. In March, Endeavour Holdings closed on a deal that gives the firm 100-percent ownership of the marina, which it will rehabilitate. In addition to a full-service marina with dry-rack storage for 400 powerboats up to 38 feet each, the community will feature a high-rise loft condominium building; luxury hotel; public boardwalks; two banquet rooms, each with a 300-person capacity; and 25,000 square feet of office and retail space.

"

So, it will include:

A marina for 400 boats each up to 38ft length

A high-rise loft condo building

luxury hotel

25,000 sq. ft of retail space

public boardwalks

So, I wonder if these boardwalks would be simple ones, or would they have retail lined around it? Boy, that would be cool: 2 baordwalks, Kemah and this one. This area could become quite a destination. I can picture neon-ligned streetscapes with shops all over the place. A combination of Coney Island, South Padre, maybe even a touch of Miami. I know, I'm dreaming. But you never know.

So does anyone have any info on how these boardwalks at the Marina would be like?

Yes...

Great. It would be cool if someone could post it (please). That would be a cool thing to see. Hopefully , there will be some towers clustered together so that it has some beginings of density.

Does anyone happen to have a map or such of CL, which shows where all these proposed towers will be?

I feel sorry for anyone who wears his assessment of his home as a cesspool as a badge.

I don't know what part of Houston you call home, but I don't live in a gritty cesspool. I live in a vibrant city, where I can afford a nice lifestyle ans am afforded many amenities for ejoying that lifestyle.

Me too. I don't really believe this city is a cess-pool of anykind - I was just poking fun to the perceived image that is attached to Houston. Whether true or not or simply exageration, that is what many outsiders believe our city is like. I make fun of it now because it keeps me from getting so defensive about it. (I used to be that way, defending Houston against her ney-sayers to the point of being rediculous). I do believe, however, that there is quite a bit more grit here. And I kinda' like it to be honest with you. The whole East End for example. You would be hard pressed to find another city that offers such a massive concentration of industrial grit and the undeniable feeling of "city" as that place. It's beautiful in a Drakonian sense. It's almost art to me. When things are too cleansed, planned, and predictable, it just gets a little boring. But hey, that's just me.

On a more positive note, has anyone seen that Arby's commercial with the river-dancing Monkey's?

So, if I am coming from Clear Lake on the Beltway, take the exit onto 59south. I will come to the Airport exit soon after - skip that one. The next exit is Kirkwood - take that one. Is it on that side on the frontage (West side of 59), or do I make a u-turn on Kirkwood to get to the east side frontage? Thanks.

By the way, it's goning to be next week, so any other recommendations would be great!!

59 North or South? They both cross the Beltway.

Stafford

2112 what have you been drinking/smoking?

I was at Sherlock

I just had the thought how cool would it be to list some funny names for communities:

Stinko Ranch (Thanks gto)

Passing-Gas-Denna

Booger-Land

Spank-a-Dena (ok, so I have two offerings there)

The Rice Pillage

Bunk-Her-Hill

The Galla-Diahrea

DiaperChick_ShootMyBossThenMeee_Run-Over-My-Husband-5-Times-Accidentally-Now-Your-Dead (Sorry, my first thought on "Clear Lake" would offend my alternative lifestyle buddies)

West-Pooo

Minorial

Channel-Anal-View

Misery-City

Deer Fart

StabFord

Con-Death-Row

Woodie-Lands (as in "I'm get'n a woodie")

Tom's Balls

610: The Inner-Poop

Dickenson (I dont need to change that one at all)

Dweeb-City

BayQueef

Damn!! I 'bout burst a gut laughing comming up with these. I have WAY too much fun entertaining myself!

Stinko Ranch. Thanks for the laugh!!!!

There is a clear difference in the 2 cities. You can feel it. Austin, Houston, and Dallas all feel different. There is a different attitude in all 3 cities. Trying to apply a wholesale change in categories - like U.S. cities versus European cities

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a coffee shop close by the belt and 59 that is open by 9:00am, and is condusive to having a small (2 to 3 people) meeting? (i.e. has small tables) I am looking for a place for tommorrow morning, to meet with a potential vendor. Time is tight for them and I am going to meet with them rather than they come to me - to avoid them traveling to my office that is farther away from them.

Thanks!!

-2112

When I went to UHCL for the very first time last month, I was astonished. It was the most beautiful college campus I've seen. When I was there, one of the deer was standing right at the roadside grazing, it would've been a perfect photo op. I couldn't believe I was still in Houston City Limits.

A duck used to peck at me around where the bayou is. It was always there. I would sit at one of the picknic tables trying to study. It was quite aggressive and confident. So I went back to just going to the library.

UHCL has been good to me. I like the "secluded research facility" feel to it. But I also like the more urban feel of the main campus. Eitherway, I look at it as family, both of them (I took some electives at main campus and transfered them over- both universities are in my blood). Anyways, I did both my undergraduate and graduate work there, most of it night school. There is something about getting out of class at 10:00pm that makes you feel like you are in some kinda' endless journey - it makes you feel "hard core". And it was a journey - 7 years for undergraduate, 5.5 years for graduate. What was special was I could actually go drink a beer or three in the bayou building (there was a bar in there during the 80's and 90's), and proceed to show up drunk for numerical analysis, never having to leave the building (Dr. Feagin was his name. Very intelligent. Large forehead). There is nothing quite as refreshing as being buzzed while doing "Runge kutta's". It enabled me to see the approximations.

What the ____ is gay talk doing in a Houston Pavilions thread.

I never realized that saying Discovery Green and Central Park in the same sentence was such taboo, but o.k. That rendering in the Chron showing a patch of green surrounded by skyscrapers just made me think of it. It's not like I said something insane like Houston was getting the next Times Square or something.

I'll drop it, but I don't think I'll be the only one (especially when it's finished) to think of Central Park when they see photos or take a stroll thru DG.

Make's me happy that the wife and I threw in some decent money to this park (we will get a cool plaque or brick or something with our names). Just my little part to help.

Since this is no longer the 16th Century, why do you believe the term "port" only has to refer to a SEA port?

Because there is no water around Dallas for some 200 miles or so.

Shouldn't a PORT simply be a place where goods arrive and depart, regardless of the transport method?

Well Heck. My mailbox is a place where goods arrive and depart. But I dont go around claiming silly things like the "port of 2112"

Having said that, this is a great project for Fort Worth.

Of course they're shallow. That's the whole point of the club scene. Ear splitting music that prevents dialogue, and a fashion show to impress the fellow clubbers.

That's pretty much the point.

Agree. It's not like you to the downtown club scene to submit a conference paper. It's all about thongs and hootchy-mama's.