Why Do They Call It The East End

[samagon]

They really should rebuild the downtown freeways - 45, 59, 10 - underground...

this would certainly give east downtown more credibility as being part of downtown.

they could also double as storm sewers when we have apocalyptic floods.

and when the demise of cars comes eventually, they can be turned into regular sewers.

[Trae]

Yeah, 59 needs to be submerged. It would connect the East side of Downtown with all the new development much easier. It's too bad 59 is only submerged near the interchange with 45.

[Highway6]

Yeah, 59 needs to be submerged. It would connect the East side of Downtown with all the new development much easier. It's too bad 59 is only submerged near the interchange with 45.

A submerged freeway is still a barrier unless its covered over with at least park land... ( and that would then be a tunnel, which so many houstonians think is impossible) Regardless, just look at 59. Montrose is no more connected and at one with University Place just because you now get from one to the other via an aesthetically pleasing bridge instead of an underpass.

Even if 59 were fully submerged, you'd still have the 6 block long GRB acting as a huge barrier for 1/3 of the way.

Downtown and Easton shall never be one.

[Specwriter]

They really should rebuild the downtown freeways - 45, 59, 10 - underground...

For years I have had the thought (fantasy really) that the Pierce Elevated should be "deconstructed" and the Pierce and Calhoun (presently St. Joseph PARKWAY it's not a "parkway" dammit) surface streets could become one broad avenue like the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The blocks between the two streets could be planted with alles of trees like North and South Blvd in the Shadowlawn neighborhood or Unter den Linden in Berlin. Additionally, there could be a walking path (like Heights Blvd.) and vendor's carts. All that walking could make one want a cool drink or light snack.

What to do with the thousands of cars that use the Pierce Elevated each day? Screw them or maybe just redirect traffic to US 59 and Interstate 10. 2016 Main could become as chic as some of the apartments along Park Ave. in Manhattan (roll up your sleeves). There would definitely need to be upgrading of some of the businesses fronting this grand boulevard. Pappas' Bar-B-Que could be left as is though because this is Texas after all and, heck, I like bar-b-que.

[samagon]

A submerged freeway is still a barrier unless its covered over with at least park land... ( and that would then be a tunnel, which so many houstonians think is impossible) Regardless, just look at 59. Montrose is no more connected and at one with University Place just because you now get from one to the other via an aesthetically pleasing bridge instead of an underpass.

Even if 59 were fully submerged, you'd still have the 6 block long GRB acting as a huge barrier for 1/3 of the way.

Downtown and Easton shall never be one.

they could always bury GRB too..

For years I have had the thought (fantasy really) that the Pierce Elevated should be "deconstructed" and the Pierce and Calhoun (presently St. Joseph PARKWAY it's not a "parkway" dammit) surface streets could become one broad avenue like the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The blocks between the two streets could be planted with alles of trees like North and South Blvd in the Shadowlawn neighborhood or Unter den Linden in Berlin. Additionally, there could be a walking path (like Heights Blvd.) and vendor's carts. All that walking could make one want a cool drink or light snack.

What to do with the thousands of cars that use the Pierce Elevated each day? Screw them or maybe just redirect traffic to US 59 and Interstate 10. 2016 Main could become as chic as some of the apartments along Park Ave. in Manhattan (roll up your sleeves). There would definitely need to be upgrading of some of the businesses fronting this grand boulevard. Pappas' Bar-B-Que could be left as is though because this is Texas after all and, heck, I like bar-b-que.

You know, since I jumped off the deep end in this thread about 2 posts ago, they should just redo the whole 59/45/10 interchange into a MASSIVE roundabout.

thinking about this more, it's a perfect solution, it would kind of suck if you are coming up the gulf freeway and want to get on 59 south, but since it would be just a bunch of cars going counterclockwise anyway, you have double the freeway capacity.

not only would it likely be the worlds largest roundabout (and most heavily trafficked), but it would be the worlds first fully underground roundabout that doubles as a storm sewer!

[Dan the Man]

A submerged freeway is still a barrier unless its covered over with at least park land... ( and that would then be a tunnel, which so many houstonians think is impossible) Regardless, just look at 59. Montrose is no more connected and at one with University Place just because you now get from one to the other via an aesthetically pleasing bridge instead of an underpass.

One of the original plans for widening 59 between Hazard & the split with Spur 527 included building a park over the freeway trench in an attempt to reconnect the adjacent neighborhoods. The park component of the project was probably dropped due to its expense.

[CHiPs]

A submerged freeway is still a barrier unless its covered over with at least park land... ( and that would then be a tunnel, which so many houstonians think is impossible) Regardless, just look at 59. Montrose is no more connected and at one with University Place just because you now get from one to the other via an aesthetically pleasing bridge instead of an underpass.

Even if 59 were fully submerged, you'd still have the 6 block long GRB acting as a huge barrier for 1/3 of the way.

Downtown and Easton shall never be one.

Implode GRB..Just kidding'.

[rene]

howdy, east enders!

my fiance and i recently moved into the 'hood. we are really starting to explore different parts of the east end, and are enjoying our home purchase decision thus far.

just wanted to chime in---lots of informative threads in here, i'm sure we'll run into somebody from these boards some time.

[LTAWACS]

welcome aboard!

[CHiPs]

Welcome to HAIF and to the East End, Rene!

[samagon]

indeed, welcome!

[Subdude]

Uptown-common (and ours has no directional congruency with Midtown or Downtown)

look at uptown, I still defiantly call it the galleria area, but 9 times out of 10 someone corrects me now and I don't have the patience to tell them why it's called that, and they likely wouldn't care either.

I still go with 'the Galleria area' as well. 'Uptown' was also a canned rebranding marketing effort, just like 'EaDo'. The local business association sponsored the rebranding because they thought it gave the area more tone than 'Galleria area'. Originally Uptown was the area around the Shamrock Hilton at Main and Holcombe, hence there was some directional congruency with Midtown and Downtown. I used to have an old phone book that listed tons of businesses in Uptown, but they were all along South Main.

[little frau]

I still go with 'the Galleria area' as well. 'Uptown' was also a canned rebranding marketing effort, just like 'EaDo'. The local business association sponsored the rebranding because they thought it gave the area more tone than 'Galleria area'. Originally Uptown was the area around the Shamrock Hilton at Main and Holcombe, hence there was some directional congruency with Midtown and Downtown. I used to have an old phone book that listed tons of businesses in Uptown, but they were all along South Main.

Would you by chance remember what year that old phone book was? I'm not doubting you, just wondering when the Shamrock area was called Uptown.

[Subdude]

Would you by chance remember what year that old phone book was? I'm not doubting you, just wondering when the Shamrock area was called Uptown.

It's been years but I'm guessing from the 1960s.

[RobNPhx]

I'm going to venture a guess that it was originally referred to as the "East End" because of it's eastern border with the Port of Houston. Back in our early history, Houston didn't extend eastward beyond that area. If I remember correctly, Houston's eastern borders once ended where Harrisburg and Buffalo Bayou met. My thoughts are in no way conclusive, but they seem as good an answer as any, I suppose.

[NenaE]

Magnolia Park, Central Park and Harrisburg were annexed in the late 1920's - 1926, I believe. They were outside the city limits. I'm assuming 2nd Ward was considered the limits of the East End of Houston until that time.