Downtown Skyscraper Lighting

[The Great Hizzy!]

I saw them last night as I was walking the dogs. Think it has anything to do with Valentines Day, or something lame like that?

HI, by the way. Long time lurker, first time poster.

First thought that crossed my mind as well. Don't know if that's the case but it's my first suspicion.

[stilettoninja]

I noticed this last night. I live right by downtown and I can see the skyline from my apartment, but last night I had a "was that there before and I'm just noticing it now?" moment. Apparently it is in fact new!

It would be funny if it was for Valentine's day because those same buildings didn't don festive lights during Christmas or July 4.

[Northwood]

I believe this is in support of the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign. www.goredforwomen.org

[frheard]

Welcome!

Thanks, Subdude. I've been lurking so long, I already feel like I know many of you (but not in a creepy way). I think I have a feel for the dynamic of the board and have learned so much. A long overdue thank you to all of you for entertaining and educating me about Houston. I love it here.

As far as the lights, if it is for the American Heart Association, then it isn't lame. For Valentine's Day? Lame. How big do you think those light bulbs are? Like as big as your head? Bigger?

[ricco67]

Thanks, Subdude. I've been lurking so long, I already feel like I know many of you (but not in a creepy way). I think I have a feel for the dynamic of the board and have learned so much. A long overdue thank you to all of you for entertaining and educating me about Houston. I love it here.

As far as the lights, if it is for the American Heart Association, then it isn't lame. For Valentine's Day? Lame. How big do you think those light bulbs are? Like as big as your head? Bigger?

depending on whose head you're referring to, it cant be that big to gigantic.

[Captain Impossible]

Thanks, Subdude. I've been lurking so long, I already feel like I know many of you (but not in a creepy way).

There's no way that's not creepy.

[HtownWxBoy]

I believe this is in support of the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign. www.goredforwomen.org

That may be true... didn't they do that last year, also? I remember red lights from last year at some point.

[LTAWACS]

There's no way that's not creepy.

:lol:

[foxmulder]

Is there a reason the chase tower has red lights all the way around it at night? (yeah i know over 200 ft you need beacons) Most buildings have seemed to switch to red. Is it just temp?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JPMorgan...ne_at_night.jpg

[Porchman]

Is there a reason the chase tower has red lights all the way around it at night? (yeah i know over 200 ft you need beacons) Most buildings have seemed to switch to red. Is it just temp?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JPMorgan...ne_at_night.jpg

See topic: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=19146

[foxmulder]

See topic: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=19146

Ah thanks! A search "Chase building/tower" is a mess

[sevfiv]

Topics combined..

[stilettoninja]

I need to make more effort to pay attention to my e-mails at work. I work at the Enterprise building and an e-mail was sent out to all tenants at the end of January letting us know that we will be participating in the Cities Go Red to raise awareness for women and heart disease.

To see the cities that participated in it last year: http://goredforwomen.org/cities_go_red.aspx

At night they also turn the lights red under the trees in our (newly built!) plaza.

I think it would've been cool to see other buildings downtown participate!

[Porchman]

Ah thanks! A search "Chase building/tower" is a mess

Yeah, but it pales in comparison to the cumulus you get when you search "Red" .

[fatesdisastr]

the red lights automatically make me think of the Rockets.

In their commercial 'Get Red' the red spreads throughout downtown lol

i dont know, maybe its just me

if only the rockets would do something

[Downtown]

It is not just downtown-the medical center buildings and the Galleria buildings seem to all have red lights. I was noticing that too recently. Every highrise in or near downtown has some type of bright lights on the top(or near the top) The Royalton has two new bright white lights on top. The helicopters get really close to the buildings on the edge of downtown-ecpecially the HPD helicopters. I sure it's a new safety rule. The Mosaic codos also have some new red lights. I also read that Mosaic was already in bankruptcy before the second building is finished! I have seen training exercises in the early morning in one of the vacant buildings where helicopters fly just feet from the buildings to drop the men down.

[TJones]

I need to make more effort to pay attention to my e-mails at work. I work at the Enterprise building and an e-mail was sent out to all tenants at the end of January letting us know that we will be participating in the Cities Go Red to raise awareness for women and heart disease.

To see the cities that participated in it last year: http://goredforwomen.org/cities_go_red.aspx

At night they also turn the lights red under the trees in our (newly built!) plaza.

I think it would've been cool to see other buildings downtown participate!

Thanks for the 411 stiletto. Some people have obviuosly still not read the whole thread.

[Johnme]

Here are some pics that I took when these lights were up; the greenspoint area was changed to red also during the same time. I too thought this was for Valentine's day. They should keep lights such as these on 100% of the time as in the past; the push to go green is not saving much electricity and makes our downtown look like a ghost town. I would be happy if the lights went on from dusk to 10pm as a compromise.

[Johnme]

I think we should take a page from Sydney and turn off the lights at night.

Glitz and glamour vs. global warming.

Just save the energy.

While you are at it shut down the factories all along HWY 225. There are much better ways to save energy.

[Johnme]

Oh gosh, think of all the energy that is wasted on that bridge, and in this era of conservation and environmental consciousness! And that golden, lit up building! Doesn't that drive away potential downtown residents?!

Wow Cleveland's skyline looks better than ours. What a shame!

[Johnme]

Point taken. But couldn't that be addressed with technology? Can't LEDs be used whenever possible? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are quite better as far as the use of electricity goes.

By the way, the article doesn't say that they would turn them off completely, just from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., when no one sees them but the night owls and truckers blowing through town.

I'd be happy if downtown Houston was well-lit for the same amount of hours that Dallas is talking about shutting down--4. 8 pm to 12 am is a good start IMO. Plus it looks as if the ordinance isn't limited to downtown Dallas, but would include nearly all businesses except those open between 2 and 6.

I agree with you completely; our downtown looks like a ghost town and we are the fourth largest city in the United States! Dallas and Austin have us beat on nighttime skylines and they are getting better with each new development. If they really want to save electricity they can shut off the lights in the unoccupied offices at night and that would make a real difference. We could go with a 10pm shutoff and I would be happy with that.

[Johnme]

I've said this before and i'm going to say it again. I'm not suggesting that Houston be like Vegas or anything else. I merely pointed that out as an example as to how lights can have an impact on the city and make it more of a 24hour place.

I've talked with many travelers and yes, they go to Vegas primarily to see the entertainment shows and gambling. On the other hand, most of the time when they do talk about Vegas, they asscoiate, "I just love the lights and walking the strip at night".

Now for Houston. No you don't have to be Vegas, NYC, Tokyo, Atlanta, Dallas or anything else. There are many cities that light up their skyline tastefully without being too bright. Examples are: Denver, Portland, and Austin. But Houston could at least stop lighting virtually every building with Christmas lights and replace it with something else. That's all i'm saying.

Exactly, would you go to a store if the sign was off and it looked dark? That is the image downtown has now and some of the downtown clubs have suffered because the city looks like it shuts down after dark. Image is everything!

[musicman]

That is the image downtown has now and some of the downtown clubs have suffered because the city looks like it shuts down after dark. Image is everything!

which clubs are you talking about?

[lockmat]

I heard an oil industry old-timer say that back in the day, no thought was taken to energy conservation and that they would just leave office lights on without giving it a second thought. Times have changed, they just don't do that anymore.

[Arivechi]

Eh, with this being earth day "week" and with future development leaning towards LEED certified GREEN building, why doesn't Houston take the lead with NOT lighting up buildings?

We could make headlines for wanting to conserve energy in the energy capital of the world.

And, how nice would it be to eliminate some of the light pollution that has driven starry nights away?

I 2nd this one.

I already get upset when I see how many lights are on in those buildings at night. I know they can't be 100% dark so no one flies into them but I'd rather that there be as few lights on as possible.

I hate Las Vegas because of all the lights. It's distracting and overwhelming.

Turn off the lights folks, don't turn more on. And I don't really care if they're red or blue or in some sort of interesting pattern.

Sure, encourage more people to go downtown - open cool restaurants, clubs, have places to hangout, use the metro line. But I don't think that lighting up the skyline is going to make anyone go there. Install some safety street lights so people feel safe walking around.

[samagon]

I 2nd this one.

I already get upset when I see how many lights are on in those buildings at night. I know they can't be 100% dark so no one flies into them but I'd rather that there be as few lights on as possible.

I hate Las Vegas because of all the lights. It's distracting and overwhelming.

Turn off the lights folks, don't turn more on. And I don't really care if they're red or blue or in some sort of interesting pattern.

Sure, encourage more people to go downtown - open cool restaurants, clubs, have places to hangout, use the metro line. But I don't think that lighting up the skyline is going to make anyone go there. Install some safety street lights so people feel safe walking around.

I think DT (and surrounding areas, Midtown, EE, etc) needs more street level lighting, there are great LED solutions that I've heard of being implemented in NY, low power and bright.

If they can figure out a low energy way to light up the tops of the buildings at night, why not? Christmas lights (sorry, holiday lighting) are not an efficient answer though. Done well, it can be aesthetically pleasing. It should be refreshing to look out of the window, or sit on the porch at night and stare into DT at night.

Edited July 10, 2009 by samagon

[LTAWACS]

I really like those pics.

[Johnme]

I really like those pics.

Thanks; I wish that I had a better camera because of all of the glare that this one has in the photos.

[LTAWACS]

No worries. I sometimes forget to bring my cam along so im forced to use my celly.

[Johnme]

Here are a few shots around town from December 23