Astrodome History At 8400 Kirby Dr.

[Guest Plastic]

Houston has everything that a rave scene needs accept the match to start it. We tried big raves in HOuston in Austin like Cyberfest and Electric Daisy carnival with 20,000 people but they got busted.

They problem is not only is Texas is The Southwest it's also in The South. And The South as you know isn't known for clubbing,liberalism, and hard thinking. On one side we're like California and in East Texas we're like Louisiana and Mississipi. Houston is caught inbetween them.

The younger peopel are ,ore like those in Southern California's Valley and the older people are often old southern conservatives. While the liberals have style and love to party the conservative run the government and the corporations. WHile we have fans and people who'd like it we've no authority or government to make it happen. Hence why Houston is behind on everything, just now getting a rail and plans for a Times Sqaure.

So until we get government with some sort of plans Houstonis off the list. Not only do we need government and leaders to support the party ,also we need the powers that be to stop busting the party. They keep such horrible care of the city, the people and city has no spirit and they wonder why we can't get an Olympics. First we have to solve the traffic dilema.

What's I'm sayinf is Houston, we have a problem. We have no plans for our fututre. things are just fliping and flopping with no order or synchronization. Right now all the energy's being put into Downtown a project that should have been done 50 yearss. After they're done with that the res tof Houston will just become a wasteland.

We are doing good with the sciences and technology. The Med centerm unversities, NASA< ans technlogy sector are all things that make a city desirable.Nightlife,technology,and arts district,gay population and a street with light rail down it are all things that make a city desirable. But, but you have to have the spark. Festivals would be a start. Our far smaller brother Austin has a much larger reputation because of it's music scene and a festival called South By Southwest. In Berlin they have a huge rave with 1 million people called Love Parade.

Start the spark and get the ball rolling. What I'm saying is one reason our electronic scene isn't thriving is cause alot of people don't know about it or even know what elecronica is. We've gone down this road, if we go down anyfurther it's start the balll moving or scrap and startover.

[Montrose1100]

I think my post was deleted, so nevermind.

[Trae]

This is easily the stupidest name I have ever heard....AstroDisco.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Yo Plastic, why do you think the Astrodome Hotel is a bad idea?

[Guest Plastic]

This is easily the stupidest name I have ever heard....AstroDisco.

I was going to use Astrodome Disco.

[infinite_jim]

I was going to use Astrodome Disco.

BAN.

for making craptastic threads

[TheNiche]

What's I'm sayinf is Houston, we have a problem. We have no plans for our fututre. things are just fliping and flopping with no order or synchronization.

So basically, we're like one gigantic two-million-person rave? No rules or regulations; a free for all!

[Guest Plastic]

So basically, we're like one gigantic two-million-person rave? No rules or regulations; a free for all!

CORRECTION it's 5 million.!!

Edited August 28, 2006 by Plastic

[TheNiche]

CORRECTION it's 5 million.!!

Well, two million in the City of Houston and 5.6 million in the metro area, except that a portion of those in the metro area live in regulated suburban cities like Bellaire, Sugar Land, and League City.

[Metro Matt]

Plastic

Raves have been around in the United States since the early 90's. They peaked in popularity between 1999-2001. Throwing these types of "parties" on any large scale in Texas is illegal due to various laws being passed meant to ban raves. There are still parties that take place every now & then, but its more underground like it used to be before the "Kandy Kids" killed the scene.

Promoters these days are just too affraid (and with good reason) to throw massive parties anymore in an uncontrolled environment. The crowds have gotten a lot smaller & so have the venues.

Think of it this way Plastic...

Ravers in the 90's were what the Hippy generation was in the 60's. Everything is constantly evolving musically & culturally...nothing stays the same.

[TheNiche]

Plastic

Raves have been around in the United States since the early 90's. They peaked in popularity between 1999-2001. Throwing these types of "parties" on any large scale in Texas is illegal due to various laws being passed meant to ban raves. There are still parties that take place every now & then, but its more underground like it used to be before the "Kandy Kids" killed the scene.

Promoters these days are just too affraid (and with good reason) to throw massive parties anymore in an uncontrolled environment. The crowds have gotten a lot smaller & so have the venues.

Think of it this way Plastic...

Ravers in the 90's were what the Hippy generation was in the 60's. Everything is constantly evolving musically & culturally...nothing stays the same.

...and if the 60's died at Altamont, then the 90's died at Woodstock.

Unfortunately, that means that we're probably in for a couple decades of crappy music until things really start going again.

[Guest Plastic]

Plastic

Raves have been around in the United States since the early 90's. They peaked in popularity between 1999-2001. Throwing these types of "parties" on any large scale in Texas is illegal due to various laws being passed meant to ban raves. There are still parties that take place every now & then, but its more underground like it used to be before the "Kandy Kids" killed the scene.

Promoters these days are just too affraid (and with good reason) to throw massive parties anymore in an uncontrolled environment. The crowds have gotten a lot smaller & so have the venues.

Think of it this way Plastic...

Ravers in the 90's were what the Hippy generation was in the 60's. Everything is constantly evolving musically & culturally...nothing stays the same.

ANd where do you find these undergrounds?

[DJ V Lawrence]

ANd where do you find these undergrounds?

Um, I'd look under....ground...

[Pumapayam]

Um, I'd look under....ground...

Can this be moved to "Way off Topic" forum, I hate seeing this in the "Going Up" forum.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Plastic i admire your active mind in the way you have thoughts that are original. It is entertaining and sometimes thought provoking, but this thread makes about as much sense as Little Richard screaming at the top of his cake make-up covered face on that GEICO commercial.

[312]

...And we couldn't build a Schlitterbahn at the Astroworld site? That with the Astrodome hotel within walking distance would kick ass!

I think that's a great idea. The rendering is actually what gave me the idea for Shclitterbahn. No offense, but the rendering looks sort of like a redone Astroworld that even has the green Asrto-water, and I'm sure they could squeeze an Astro-disco or something out of it somewhere. It just has such a "kid attraction" type of look for a hotel to me.

[mm mm good]

Livin' in your own private Idaho, underground like a wild potato...

I say knock down the 'Dome and pave over the hole. Yes, there's memories aplenty there and it will be painful for many to witness its demise, but time marches on.

The neighborhood surrounding the 'Dome is blighted, forget about family attractions going in its place. No financier will touch it.

The only way I'd see the 'Dome becoming a successful hotel/convention center venue is if all of the other motels (read - ma-&-pa fleabag dives) that surround the complex went away. The neighborhood is seriously overdue for urban renewal on a mass scale.

Nightclubs, like raves, are fleeting - the idea of turning the 'Dome into a giant disco sounds like a joke. As someone else suggested I'd rather see it knocked down before it was disgraced by being transformed into a puke pit.

Remember when the Shamrock Hotel met its demise? People cried but the scars healed. Sometimes letting go can be a good thing.

[DJ V Lawrence]

It just has such a "kid attraction" type of look for a hotel to me.

Yo, did you seen the KHOU report on the Astrodome Hotel last week? They showed brand new renderings on it. Looks nice!

[Guest Plastic]

Maybe we could turn it into a museum. DCs got the Air&Space and The SMithsonian. We could the Astronium.

[houstonfella]

I say let the folks who come up with all that money to finance this venture, build it out and let's see. We might all be totally surprised and delighted with the outcome.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I say let the folks who come up with all that money to finance this venture, build it out and let's see. We might all be totally surprised and delighted with the outcome.

OYE OYE OYE!!!

[TheNiche]

Livin' in your own private Idaho, underground like a wild potato...

I say knock down the 'Dome and pave over the hole. Yes, there's memories aplenty there and it will be painful for many to witness its demise, but time marches on.

The neighborhood surrounding the 'Dome is blighted, forget about family attractions going in its place. No financier will touch it.

The only way I'd see the 'Dome becoming a successful hotel/convention center venue is if all of the other motels (read - ma-&-pa fleabag dives) that surround the complex went away. The neighborhood is seriously overdue for urban renewal on a mass scale.

Nightclubs, like raves, are fleeting - the idea of turning the 'Dome into a giant disco sounds like a joke. As someone else suggested I'd rather see it knocked down before it was disgraced by being transformed into a puke pit.

No financier will touch it? I've got to disagree. It has a whole lot going for it, in fact. 1) Lots of contiguous land under one owner, 2) adjacent to freeway and light rail, 3) part of convention & sports district, 4) psychological and physical barriers between subject site and unappealing neighborhoods, 5) landmark status, 6) proximity to Texas Medical Center, and 7) the proposed development vastly outclasses the competition (it isn't even in the same market as all the rat-hole motels around there).

By the way, if the dome is tuned into a viable upscale neighborhood with destination retail (as I'd like to see happen), then most of the existing Class C and Class D apartments between Fannin and Almeda will be sitting on land that is more valuable than the improvements and will be prime candidates for redevelopment on a pretty substantial scale. That neighborhood could turn around fairly quickly, all things considered, because properties in that area tend to be very large and under consolidated ownership.

Remember when the Shamrock Hotel met its demise? People cried but the scars healed. Sometimes letting go can be a good thing.

FYI, people still whine about it on this forum.

[istanbul]

There are several new housing develeopments in the medical center area. 1000 square foot homes are going for 170K or more. However, there are a glut of cheap condos very close to these developments going for 40k or more. How come developers do not demolish these relatively old complexes and build luxury housing? Do you guys think it is a good idea to buy these cheap condos for the investment purposes? I am just curious.

[musicman]

it could be a good deal IMO. once you figure out your monthly costs to own it, you have to determine whether you could get adequate rent from a tenant to pay your bills. and if there really are a lot of units, i'm sure that will probably keep rents down.

Edited February 25, 2007 by musicman

[TheNiche]

There are several new housing develeopments in the medical center area. 1000 square foot homes are going for 170K or more. However, there are a glut of cheap condos very close to these developments going for 40k or more. How come developers do not demolish these relatively old complexes and build luxury housing? Do you guys think it is a good idea to buy these cheap condos for the investment purposes? I am just curious.

I live in and own one that would probably sell for about $52k if I were to sell it. Considering that I effectively own a 1,460sf share of the land on which the complex sits, that is just over $35 per square foot. For the TMC area, that is a very reasonable price for land if the improvements are considered to have no value at all (but they do).

I think that there is still plenty of land between Almeda and 288 as well as south of the Loop to warrant big demolition and rebuilding of 25-year-old properties just yet. Give it another 10 years, though...

What that area needs and is slowly getting is more and higher quality retail services. The new Class A apartments along OST should further justify an improved retail base.

[texas911]

Slowly but surely south Main is making a turn around. All the cheap Motels are closing (remember the Surrey House?) and being replaced with high end buildings. But until the low priced apartments are taken care off, it won't make the big comeback possible. An aside. I hope the city keeps those oak trees they planted for the super bowl, nicely trimmed. Oaks need to be trimmed or else they'll end up looking like big bushes. Should look like the Rice U area, oh in say about 50 years!

[bostonhater]

Slowly but surely south Main is making a turn around. All the cheap Motels are closing (remember the Surrey House?) and being replaced with high end buildings. But until the low priced apartments are taken care off, it won't make the big comeback possible. An aside. I hope the city keeps those oak trees they planted for the super bowl, nicely trimmed. Oaks need to be trimmed or else they'll end up looking like big bushes. Should look like the Rice U area, oh in say about 50 years!

Yeah I see the same development everytime I go to Target on South Main. It is a slow development but it sure is there. That is why the condo/apartments are priced decently.

[Pumapayam]

There are several new housing develeopments in the medical center area. 1000 square foot homes are going for 170K or more. However, there are a glut of cheap condos very close to these developments going for 40k or more. How come developers do not demolish these relatively old complexes and build luxury housing? Do you guys think it is a good idea to buy these cheap condos for the investment purposes? I am just curious.

Crack houses are too value to tear down.

Those thing have been priced at $40K since I looked at them in 2003.

No one want them because of the trouble makers that live there.

[Vertigo58]

No one want them because of the trouble makers that live there.

That means those $99.00 move in apts will be the next promo if not already. This is what destroyed the dome and Greenspoint Mall area years ago. The show "cops" could film there weekly as the norm.

Houston wonders why we get a black eye? This cheap apt plague is the first thing tourists see. Geez...

Time for another mushroom cloud and start fresh.

[TheNiche]

No one want them because of the trouble makers that live there.

That means those $99.00 move in apts will be the next promo if not already. This is what destroyed the dome and Greenspoint Mall area years ago. The show "cops" could film there weekly as the norm.

Houston wonders why we get a black eye? This cheap apt plague is the first thing tourists see. Geez...

Time for another mushroom cloud and start fresh.

Vertigo, I live in a condo that I bought for $42k in the Astrodome area back in 2002. The community is chock-full of medical students, TMC employees, and some students of UH or TSU that don't want to live in 3rd Ward or the East End. Disproportionate numbers of Asians and Indians. Extremely high educational attainment. Low crime, and extremely little violent crime. The area is patrolled not only by HPD, but by the University of Texas.

And Puma, there has been very positive change since 2003, and it is reflected in the retail offerings along S. Main and activity along upper Almeda and along OST.