Trendy "Urban" Developments

[VelvetJ]

Though I do not agree with everything Tierwestah has stated, I also understand his frustration. It's true that although we have gone over this many many times, I think a better question he could have asked was why has it taken Houston so long to even get the IDEA for these projects? Projects, particularly large ones, take time to plan let alone build. So while these large mixed-use projects in Dallas and Atlanta that are now finished or close to being finished were being conceptualized in 97' and 98' for those cities, what were thinking of at the time for Houston? New baseball and basketball arenas (things those cities had already built or were in the process of building)?

More times than I personally like, Houston does indeed seem to do things after many other places have done them and at times it can seem a little embarrasing and create a sense that the city is not progressing. For example, yes there is a Houston "answer" to Dallas' Victory Project, but that "answer" is still on the Drawing board while Victory is almost done.

The city of Houston has a lot of great things going on and coming, but because we always seem to be a step behind in certain areas, it can give the impression the city is not progressing at all, which then gives way to threads like this.

[nmainguy]

Though I do not agree with everything Tierwestah has stated, I also understand his frustration. It's true that although we have gone over this many many times, I think a better question he could have asked was why has it taken Houston so long to even get the IDEA for these projects? Projects, particularly large ones, take time to plan let alone build. So while these large mixed-use projects in Dallas and Atlanta that are now finished or close to being finished were being conceptualized in 97' and 98' for those cities, what were thinking of at the time for Houston? New baseball and basketball arenas (things those cities had already built or were in the process of building)?

More times than I personally like, Houston does indeed seem to do things after many other places have done them and at times it can seem a little embarrasing and create a sense that the city is not progressing. For example, yes there is a Houston "answer" to Dallas' Victory Project, but that "answer" is still on the Drawing board while Victory is almost done.

The city of Houston has a lot of great things going on and coming, but because we always seem to be a step behind in certain areas, it can give the impression the city is not progressing at all, which then gives way to threads like this.

[mainvoice]

I think we need to move ahead and go with what we got ! I am going to point out some positives that I see.

Imagine if Houston Pavilions had opened followed by tremendous growth in the area and then we started our light rail construction thereafter for the next three years...Maybe downtown is truly ahead of the game if we can all agree that light rail was developed to eventually connect the entire city bringing circulation throughout the city and also solving a lot of parking problems in the process. In fact downtown might be years ahead of the other areas in the city if you start to consider that in the future constructing or developing along those areas serviced by light rail is going to maybe have an impact on the perceived quality level and significance of those developments of the future. I think there is a lesson to be learned here from downtown. For example, in the future will the light rail connect or have stops near the new development planned for the old Saks center or the galleria mall. What kind of impact would rail have on the galleria area during construction and could it take years to complete and recover ? As far as cars are concerned, yes we all like to drive our cars. I would have to say that if the residential construction is targeting the higher income group and it sounds like that is what i keep reading then it would also make sense that some of these people already work in the area, and might end up living in a new residential development closer to work which they would not require a car to get to everyday.Houstonians like to drive, but then again not too far. Paying high rentals to live close to work might equate to gas savings and the ability for those with bemers to say that their car is parked in the garage and that they live close enough to work to walk. They might even say hey lets all look out my office window at where i live. As far as drugstores are concerned i'm sure we all have our favorites and that those of us that want to walk across town to another drug store can always do so. Everybody in Midtown might just have to take a day off from work to protest and walk down westheimer to Avalon Drugstore for a burger. I don't think even the urban CVS's are offering burgers and shakes yet ? This might irritate CVS enought to take off for ever. Seriously though Midtown in my opinion has been absorbing the demand that downtown couldn't accomodate during light rail construction and I think most of the commercial and larger projects will increasingly go back more and more towards downtown where they belong. It's not meant to be downtown. Midtown is a residential neighborhood and over time people are going to want it to remain more residential without loud music and lots of retail development and kind of think that is really for the most part how it should be. I think the good news is that i am seeing a lot of positive momentum downtown and it could be getting ready to take off again , but this next time it won't have the light rail or anything to slow it down again.