Downtown Condominium Market

[H-Town Man]

How is Macy's doing? It is the only department store in the South that is in a CBD.

Besides Neiman Marcus in Dallas?

[desirous]

Besides Neiman Marcus in Dallas?

Neiman Marcus ain't a department store, it's a place for average Joes to jerk off.

Does the downtown Macy's make a profit at all? Sometimes I feel it's kept open because of the Foley's legacy.

[MidtownCoog]

Downtown Macy's is super busy during lunch. I bought a couch there a few months ago.

Apple stores are so Emo. I just don't get it.

What downtown Houston needs is something that no other part of town has. What that is I am not sure, but I really don't see it being retail.

Although I have been wishing for a "high-end" office supply. A place where you can buy a collectible pen set and some executive gifts, etc.

Edited May 9, 2008 by MidtownCoog

[crunchtastic]

Apple stores are so Emo. I just don't get it.

That's so dead-on.

[memebag]

That's so dead-on.

I wouldn't call Apple stores "emo". "Pretentious" has a much larger scope than "emo". Any store with a "genius bar" is just pretentious.

[MidtownCoog]

Pretentious?

Can I get an obnoxious?

[TheNiche]

I wouldn't call Apple stores "emo". "Pretentious" has a much larger scope than "emo". Any store with a "genius bar" is just pretentious.

A "genius bar"!?

[C2H]

Sometimes I wish we would just accept downtown for what it is: A place for business, business related activities and special events.

We are so focued on making downtown Houston look like other downtowns we can't see the forest for the trees.

Think how much there is to do a stone's throw from downtown.

I see what you're saying but the first sentence of your paragraph will not keep Houston in the competitive cities list. Houston is trying to be a world-class town so improving its city center is vital.

I agree with Jax saying there are other stores around Houston to compete with downtown. I personally think having a solid mass downtown is essential because its suppose to be the city's centerpiece, it's the birthplace, it's what most people see when they come to a large city. I think Uptown, River Oaks, Rice Village, etc should just be the icing on the cake rather than focal points to Houston.

[MidtownCoog]

Being world class means you must have cute crap in the CBD?

[crunchtastic]

I wouldn't call Apple stores "emo". "Pretentious" has a much larger scope than "emo". Any store with a "genius bar" is just pretentious.

yea, but, everyone slouches so much, I feel like I need to check my spine at the door.

How much do the genius bartenders make? I must be in the wrong line of work. There is no genius in my title. Damn.

[musicman]

A "genius bar"!?

lol yeah it's for those who are a little touched and can't use an apple product. no real apple user will admit to have been there.

Edited May 9, 2008 by musicman

[musicman]

I see what you're saying but the first sentence of your paragraph will not keep Houston in the competitive cities list. Houston is trying to be a world-class town so improving its city center is vital.

yeah it's a hard struggle

[memebag]

A "genius bar"!?

I couldn't believe it, either, when I read about it on Digg. Apparently, if you're a really good salesperson at an Apple store, you get promoted to Genius and work at the Genius Bar and fix stuff.

I see what you're saying but the first sentence of your paragraph will not keep Houston in the competitive cities list. Houston is trying to be a world-class town so improving its city center is vital.

I'm part of Houston, and I'm not trying to be a "world-class town". I don't even know what makes a town "world-class". Speak for yourself. You want downtown to be different in some way. Don't speak for Houston.

[TheNiche]

I couldn't believe it, either, when I read about it on Digg. Apparently, if you're a really good salesperson at an Apple store, you get promoted to Genius and work at the Genius Bar and fix stuff.

No. No, no, no. I don't want that within the city limits.

I propose an ordinance prohibiting Apple geniuses. If detected downtown, they are to be shot on sight.

[rsb320]

The future is now my friend.

It is unfolding right before your eyes. Don't let it pass you by.

If you could have seen downtown back in my clubbing days. Oy.

Getting to Power Tools was an exercise in urban warfare.

OMG - Power Tools. Brings back memories of slam dancing and such. It was cool how you went down from street level on the banks of the bayou.

[musicman]

It was cool how you went down from street level on the banks of the bayou.

i missed out, i just used the stairs.

I must be in the wrong line of work. There is no genius in my title. Damn.

i can give up mastermind or virtuoso if you'd like one of those.

[Jax]

lol yeah it's for those who are a little touched and can't use an apple product. no real apple user will admit to have been there.

I just went to the Apple Store in the Galleria on Monday to get the battery in my MacBook placed (for free) because mine was acting funky and it was under warranty. It was free and no waiting in line (I made an appointment online at the 'genius bar'). Therefore, the genius bar isn't so bad, and I'm not ashamed to say I went there to get my battery replaced for free. Yeah it sound pretentious but it sure beats sending the battery in and waiting for another one in the mail (like I would have to do with most other computer manufacturers).

boring is hearing people talk about how they can't buy one of these downtown

???

Musicman: I would appreciate it if you would refrain from replying to my posts. Thanks.

[memebag]

I just went to the Apple Store in the Galleria on Monday to get the battery in my MacBook placed (for free) because mine was acting funky and it was under warranty. It was free and no waiting in line (I made an appointment online at the 'genius bar'). Therefore, the genius bar isn't so bad, and I'm not ashamed to say I went there to get my battery replaced for free. Yeah it sound pretentious but it sure beats sending the battery in and waiting for another one in the mail (like I would have to do with most other computer manufacturers).

But you could have done the same thing at a place called "help desk" or "customer service". It's the name that makes one gag.

It might be OK if they had to present their latest IQ score on demand. I bet some of them aren't even geniuses.

Musicman: I would appreciate it if you would refrain from replying to my posts. Thanks.

Edited May 9, 2008 by memebag

[Jax]

But you could have done the same thing at a place called "help desk" or "customer service". It's the name that makes one gag.

It might be OK if they had to present their latest IQ score on demand. I bet some of them aren't even geniuses.

I agree with you that the name sucks, but man, it's nice being able to interact with tech support personally. Once they realize you know more about the problem then they do, they're generally willing to give you free replacement parts if it's under warranty.

Back in Canada I had to call a call center in India every time I needed replacement parts under warranty...

[TheNiche]

Back in Canada I had to call a call center in India every time I needed replacement parts under warranty...

Do they not have AAPL in Canada?

Or is the AAPL rotten?

Edited May 9, 2008 by TheNiche

[Jax]

There are 4 Apple Stores in Canada.

Three in Toronto and 1 in Laval, but nothing in Montreal or anywhere I've ever lived in Canada. The Toronto stores would be an hour and a half drive from where I grew up, but they didn't exist while I lived in Ontario.

[dbigtex56]

Think how much there is to do a stone's throw from downtown.

I don't know who's throwing that stone, but the Astros need to recruit him.

A ten-minute drive (at least) is closer to the truth.

[NewMND]

I don't know what kind of retail downtown needs, but I want downtown to have a GameWorks/Dave & Buster's type place. I would love to be able to play skee ball and laser tag during my lunch break.

Actually I did think of a retail store I'd like downtown, a Best Buy. That way, on new movie Tuesday, I can browse the New Release section during lunch.

Edited May 10, 2008 by NewMND

[NewMND]

Musicman: I would appreciate it if you would refrain from replying to my posts. Thanks.

What happened between you two? Seems like there's a story I'm missing. Is it scandalous?

[Subdude]

I once heard they had a goal of 10,000, but were quite a long way from it.

OK, here we go. 4,600. See here.

But didn't that number include the prisoners in all the jails and people living in shelters? I thought the population living downtown voluntarily was maybe a thousand or so less.

A financial district is nice if it's attractive, but the only issue is that in NYC, Chicago, San fran..the financial districts are ghost towns after closing (around 5:30 EST)

I can't address Chicago or SF, but in NYC even though the financial district empties out it is still not a ghost town. There are a decent number of bars and restaurants scattered about, and quite a few in easy walking distance.

Sometimes I wish we would just accept downtown for what it is: A place for business, business related activities and special events.

But what fun is complacency?

[KinkaidAlum]

What happened between you two? Seems like there's a story I'm missing. Is it scandalous?

I don't think anything ever happened between them. It just seems as if Musicman follows Jax around and belittles him at every turn. It's annoying especially since Jax brings a nice perspective (an outsider drawn to Houston for school) and excellent photos.

I think there's one thing Stuff White People Like has failed to add; internet message board mean girl behavior.

[RedScare]

But didn't that number include the prisoners in all the jails and people living in shelters? I thought the population living downtown voluntarily was maybe a thousand or so less.

No, the 2000 Census showed the downtown population at 12,000 to 15,000 residents. That number included institutionalized residents. The 4,600 figured would be real live rent and mortgage paying downtownies.

[desirous]

I can't address Chicago or SF, but in NYC even though the financial district empties out it is still not a ghost town. There are a decent number of bars and restaurants scattered about, and quite a few in easy walking distance.

"Financial district" is a vague term. Downtown Chicago, i.e. the Loop, is quite busy on weekends due to retail on State Street as well as simply being the city's transport hub. However, most restaurants and retail shops in the office-heavy parts of downtown are closed during non-working hours. My favorite lunch break joint, the Wow Bao downstairs at the CBOT, closed at 6 M-F and stayed closed on weekends. Another factor seems to be architecture. The western part of downtown around Wacker Drive tend to be deader because the modernist architecture makes for deader street-scapes.

Edited May 11, 2008 by desirous

[memebag]

No, the 2000 Census showed the downtown population at 12,000 to 15,000 residents. That number included institutionalized residents. The 4,600 figured would be real live rent and mortgage paying downtownies.

Whoa. That's a fascinating number. Downtown Houston might have twice as many people living in jails and shelters as it down in homes?

[RedScare]

Whoa. That's a fascinating number. Downtown Houston might have twice as many people living in jails and shelters as it down in homes?

No, it absolutley does. There are at least 5 jail facilities in the CBD (6 if you count the City Jail on Reisner). Those jails hold anywhere from 12 to 14 thousand inmates at any given time.