Market Square Area

[Lowbrow]

Way to go Deb.

[LTAWACS]

i helped my dad with a booth for a few weeks but he does not want to return.  i am so frustrated with this, as i can see so much potential for market square.  dave is doing a great job of organizing and i can't say enough good things about his efforts.  i ranted in another post yesterday (houston - dog friendly?) about dave asking a man to pick up after his big dog in the park area and how the well dressed man casually refused.  each week the vendors arrive around 7am and find it necessary to wake the bums up and coax them in to moving along.  some do and some just keep sleeping away.  they sleep on the concrete benches that are inset with old time photos of houston, which means anyone wishing to study the pictures may or may not be able to see them.  yesterday the bum sleeping by the mosiac bench where my dad was setting up woke up ill and vomited - i covered it up with paper towels but ended up going home for cleaning supplies because i knew around 12noon the smell would drive away customers and make us all sick.  i am going to contact hpd tomorrow and ask about an officer or two making a walk through - in the weeks i have been there i have never once seen a cop set foot in the park.  i'll also call the mayors office and inquire about the enforcement of the ordinance designed to stop the bums from sleeping in the park since it presents a public health hazard.  i visited with merchants, many who are becoming discouraged and thinking of dropping out and told them i was going to look into getting these problems addressed.  i asked them to try and hang in there, because right now there is a good variety of things being sold and i really think this market idea could catch on.

a bigger problem is getting some foot traffic down there.  yesterday there was an education forum at the convention center and an outdoor concert by the theater district, but market square traffic was slow all day.  many people are angry that the city wants $1.50 per hour for meter parking, but there is $2 all day parking in the lot across the street.  people on this board have so many creative, good ideas that i would be interested in getting more perspective on whether you think market square can survive.  one idea i had was extending it to include friday afternoon, when so many people are downtown.  there is already a wide variety of good food, great live music and everything from a massage therapist to a carpenter who makes custom cabinets, along with the art and jewelry.  the bums have got to go, the grass has got to be maintained doggy free but what else can be done?

deb martin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is EXACTLY why I say our city leaders are nothing more than incompetent apes with the complete inability to step back and look at the big picture. Mayor white and all city council members.

I'm stunned by the totality of their ignorance. The depth of their idiocy. The outcomes of their buffoonery.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Forgive my language, but why the hell do we have all of these organization supposedly promoting downtown if NOT ONE of them can do a damned thing to promote or assist something like this in any way.  Where are all of those people in their little pastel outfits who are supposed to be keeping downtown clean?  Why aren't they over there cleaning up after the dogs, if the police cannot enforce the laws?

Just for starters, we have the

Downtown Entertainment District

Houston Downtown Management District

Central Houston Inc.

Houston Downtown Alliance

Downtown Midtown Resdidents Association

not to mention the city of Houston itself.

None of their websites are kept up to date.  If one wants to find out what is going on in downtown Houston, they are worthless.  I find nothing about the Market Square Market, OR Party on the Plaza, OR Main Event.  How sad is it that nobody on this board knows whether Party on the Plaza or Main Event still exists?  AND nobody knows how to find out. 

Just a quick example:  The Downtown Entertainment District Alliance has a banner headline on the front page of their website announcing the St Patrick's Parade March 12 and the St. Patrick's Day Festival March 17!!  If one clicks on "calendar"  one is taken to another page that announces the SAME TWO LONG-PAST EVENTS!  I can find NOTHING about Party on the Plaza.  Nothing about the Main Event.  Sheesh.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was thinking the same thing. It seems that there is a definite lack of communication overall. In a city filled with billboards, it would be nice if the DEDA, or the Central Houston or the Downtown Management District could advertise such happenings on one of them. Something along those lines.

[texasboy]

Here are some pics courtesy of the creator of this thread to see how much potential the market has, but citizens of the Houston area are not taking advantage, and I agree it has to do with advertisement. As you can see, the vendors give a lot of time as far as setting up and organization.

[LTAWACS]

We need better leadership. Leaders who know what they're doing.

[brijonmang]

Wow this is a pretty cool idea that I had never even heard of until now...I will try to get the word spread about in my area. Way to go deb on all of your campaigning.

[LTAWACS]

I will be going there saturday morning for sure.

[MontroseNeighborhoodCafe]

[MontroseNeighborhoodCafe]

[Sunstar]

I checked this out on Saturday. There was some nice stuff and the homeless situation didn't seem too bad. As a matter of fact, there was a HPD cruiser parked nearby, which was reassuring. The only problem was the massive road construction on Travis. One thing that might help the effort would be some semi permanent booths or pavillions that could be left up for part of the year; paid for by whichever non-profit holds sway over Market Square. It might also serve as a sign of faith to the vendors, who are most likely feeling frustrated by the low turnout.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Good shots, Montrose. It seemed busier this past weekend to me (definitely cleaner). Still not as busy as you would want but busier.

[heyvg@yahoo.com]

I checked this out on Saturday. There was some nice stuff and the homeless situation didn't seem too bad. As a matter of fact, there was a HPD cruiser parked nearby, which was reassuring. The only problem was the massive road construction on Travis. One thing that might help the effort would be some semi permanent booths or pavillions that could be left up for part of the year; paid for by whichever non-profit holds sway over Market Square. It might also serve as a sign of faith to the vendors, who are most likely feeling frustrated by the low turnout.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Lowbrow]

So whats going on with the market lately?

I was down there this saturday about 10am and there were only 2 "booths" set up. Has it fallen apart?

[MidtownCoog]

Has it fallen apart?

My guess is that it melted.

[LTAWACS]

i want it to last

[ToolMan]

I live a block away and it doesn't seem to be doing too well. I guess I have some of the blame because I live next to the place and have only visited twice.

[houstonsemipro]

Nothing works in downtown for to long. Look at the Main Event, that drop too.

They should of did better by having the market somewhere in uptown, or river oaks. I'm sorry, but people will not cater to downtown. Why? What downtown have that Uptown doesn't? They trying their best to promote downtown, but it isn't working. Try harder guys.

[YakuzaIce]

Nothing works in downtown for to long. Look at the Main Event, that drop too.

They should of done better by having the market somewhere in uptown, or river oaks. I'm sorry, but people will not cater to downtown. Why? What downtown have that Uptown doesn't? They trying their best to promote downtown, but it isn't working. Try harder guys.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well the atmospheres are very different. Downtown is very urban while Uptown in itself is still quite suburban (i.e. car centric). But thankfully due to some new projects uptown is becoming more urban. But that is a whole different subject.

[LTAWACS]

Nothing works in downtown for to long. Look at the Main Event, that drop too.

They should of did better by having the market somewhere in uptown, or river oaks. I'm sorry, but people will not cater to downtown. Why? What downtown have that Uptown doesn't? They trying their best to promote downtown, but it isn't working. Try harder guys.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are not helping our cause.

[MidtownCoog]

I think a "seasonal market" would work.

Just like the ones in Ottawa. Lots of activity during the summer, but they close up shop during the winter.

Seems like ours should close shop during the summer and focus on the rest of the year.

[Talbot]

Wow, semipro, it's very hard to be optimistic with you, you are one of the most pessimistic people I have ever met.

Sorry to sound rude, but it's true.

[houstonsemipro]

No. I'm telling you and the rest the truth. They trying to make downtown a tourist stop, but its not. Downtown needs more then main street, and the main event went waaaaay down I've heard. Now its Market Street having problems. You do the math.

It's one thing I could give credit to is Dallas. They building up their downtown like craze. The new Victory Plaza will be a smash hit downtown Dallas. They building alot of condos and apartment homes in downtown. Hell, downtown Houston can't even get Shamrock off ground.

And I'm being optimistic? I see what y'all don't see. Downtown looking mighty bad now.

[MidtownCoog]

They building up their downtown like craze

Yea, and neglect the entire southern sector of the city.

Is that really progress?

[houstonsemipro]

Dallas think it is. More tourist for them, less for us.

[Subdude]

What's Dallas have to do with it anyway?

[houstonsemipro]

The reason why I've put Dallas in the mix, cause Dallas have more progession then Houston. Dallas is more aggressive, more demanding then Houston. They're living up to their motto "think big." I mean look at Dallas. Dallas got a mini supermarket downtown just open. What downtown Houston have? A CVS! Oh, wow.

For Houston we've taking little bitty baby steps, while Dallas, San Antonio, even Austin expolding.

[RedScare]

No. I'm telling you and the rest the truth. They trying to make downtown a tourist stop, but its not. Downtown needs more then main street, and the main event went waaaaay down I've heard. Now its Market Street having problems. You do the math.

It's one thing I could give credit to is Dallas. They building up their downtown like craze. The new Victory Plaza will be a smash hit downtown Dallas. They building alot of condos and apartment homes in downtown. Hell, downtown Houston can't even get Shamrock off ground.

And I'm being optimistic? I see what y'all don't see. Downtown looking mighty bad now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You talk about Downtown Dallas and include all of these areas that are not downtown, like Victory Plaza. But you don't do the same for Houston's adjacent areas, like Midtown. If you're going to commit suicide over Houston's impending implosion, at least compare apples to apples.

Besides, last time I was in Dallas (May), everyone was talking about areas OUTSIDE of downtown. They were cracking jokes about Dallas downtown proper, like the wonderful Dallas Alley.

[Subdude]

I understand, but let's not turn it into yet another Dallas v Houston thing. It's kind of been beat to death.

[RedScare]

Sorry, didn't mean for it to sound like a Dallas slap. No offense intended Dallas friends.

[houstonsemipro]

I'm not trying to turn this into another versus thread, cause I'm sick of it myself. But, one more thing I like to add. To me Houston and Dallas follow almost the same agenda. Dallas building the Victory Plaza, soon, well hopefully, Houston will get the Pavillions. Later on, the Bufflao Bayou will be fix up like to Riverwalk in San Antonio, now Dallas wanna fix up the Trinity River like the Riverwalk. Everything is the same in Texas.

Houston have to do something different then the rest of the cities in Texas, cause every city have the same crap.