3 Coins In The Fountain

[Vertigo58]

Not sure if any has brought up the idea of installing more beautiful fountains as in other well-known cities.

Is it costs that prevent us from building any new fountains? I love the Mecom fnts but isn't it time for some more? I recall seeing some huge lavish, elegant fountains in Golden Gate Park in SFO for instance. For people that have travelled to places like Rome, France and Spain for example. I am sure you have seen some magnificent ones there? This would add so much more beauty and elegance to our city. It seems that with all of our talented Landscape Architects and Engineering students we could create some real show stoppers. Let's all do a Google on "Fountains" and see who comes up with the most inspirational one! Send back pics if you could. I'll import the statues from Italy if I have to.

[musicman]

Cost tends to be the problem. I believe rehabbing the mecom was more than a million. The few new public fountains that the downtown mgmt district erected have been plagued by theft. The one behind the rice had copper (leaves i think) stolen. The ones in market square have had the brass grates stolen and been replaced by cheap replacements. I think the city would be willing to try and build more but maintenance is an even larger problem on a limited budget.

[lockmat]

Let's all do a Google on "Fountains" and see who comes up with the most inspirational one! Send back pics if you could. I'll import the statues from Italy if I have to.

There are a lot.

And isn't there a deal where artists can get money from the government if they're doing something for them? Or did I just make that up? For some reason, I've got that in my memory bank.

[musicman]

There are a lot.

And isn't there a deal where artists can get money from the government if they're doing something for them? Or did I just make that up? For some reason, I've got that in my memory bank.

Getting money to build is one thing, but for lifetime maintenance is another.

[Vertigo58]

There are a lot.

And isn't there a deal where artists can get money from the government if they're doing something for them? Or did I just make that up? For some reason, I've got that in my memory bank.

That's what I'm talking about! Perfect! $ is no object!

[Vertigo58]

There are a lot.

And isn't there a deal where artists can get money from the government if they're doing something for them? Or did I just make that up? For some reason, I've got that in my memory bank.

Here is what I invision! Tourists would start flocking for sure!

[musicman]

That's what I'm talking about! Perfect! $ is no object!

Unfortunately I can see the kids grinding on it and the stone would chip off! These thugs caused quite a bit of damage esp in the 90's to quite a few downtown edifices.

[sevfiv]

not as grandiose, but the cotswold project has added some running water to downtown

this site has some pictures, too: link

that being written, i think it would be neat to add more (and more municipal art) - too bad the cost is prohibitive

[lockmat]

not as grandiose, but the cotswold project has added some running water to downtown

this site has some pictures, too: link

that being written, i think it would be neat to add more (and more municipal art) - too bad the cost is prohibitive

Maybe I could appreciate those 'monuments' at Rice if the artist was here to explain it to me. But until I understand the point of them, they're just horrible.

[sevfiv]

Maybe I could appreciate those 'monuments' at Rice if the artist was here to explain it to me. But until I understand the point of them, they're just horrible.

eh...not a huge fan here, either

http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/texas/h...zer/heizer.html

apparently there are quite a few incarnations of "45, 90, 180"

http://doublenegative.tarasen.net/heizer.html

[dalparadise]

Not sure if any has brought up the idea of installing more beautiful fountains as in other well-known cities.

Is it costs that prevent us from building any new fountains? I love the Mecom fnts but isn't it time for some more? I recall seeing some huge lavish, elegant fountains in Golden Gate Park in SFO for instance. For people that have travelled to places like Rome, France and Spain for example. I am sure you have seen some magnificent ones there? This would add so much more beauty and elegance to our city. It seems that with all of our talented Landscape Architects and Engineering students we could create some real show stoppers. Let's all do a Google on "Fountains" and see who comes up with the most inspirational one! Send back pics if you could. I'll import the statues from Italy if I have to.

Rome has the most and most beautiful fountains. Maintenance is easier for them, too, because they are fed by spring water from the aqueduct system. They don't recycle the water with pumps like we do -- they just put the fountains in-line in a manmade river. So, they never "go out" due to a pump motor burning out. Plus, you can walk up to public fountains and drink out of the jets of fresh water. It's pretty cool.

Kansas City has tried to be a city of fountains like Rome. Theirs are nice. I guess they have the most and most varied fountains of anywhere I can think of in the US. Chicago's big Buckingham Fountain is probably the nicest one I can think of in the US. Philip Johnson's (I believe) Water Garden in Ft. Worth is big, but pretty ugly. Our Water Wall is much nicer and may be one of the top three or four fountains in the US. Mecom is nice, if not overly interesting, architecturally.

[Montrose1100]

not as grandiose, but the cotswold project has added some running water to downtown

this site has some pictures, too: link

that being written, i think it would be neat to add more (and more municipal art) - too bad the cost is prohibitive

I like that fountain... Good idea rnsdr, Houston could use more fountains. Tranquility park is nice, but the pool white bottom (along with city hall's reflection pool) looks bad. But all the other ones we have are actually very beautiful... I wish the Water Wall, along with the rotating beacon would stay on all night.

Speaking of which, it would be nice to see a fountain in City Hall's relfection pool.

Maybe the city could adapt with colored/color changing fountains? It would be nice for others to see all the changing colors, not only on Reliant Energy/Main Street, The Bridges over 59, or the new TMC Tower.

[musicman]

Our Water Wall is much nicer and may be one of the top three or four fountains in the US. Mecom is nice, if not overly interesting, architecturally.

I enjoy the double water wall in the med center and the fountain where the Shamrock once stood.

[Montrose1100]

The Fountains infront of the Warwick Hotel, and Warwick Towers are nice. The Wortham & Smith Street Fountain are personal favorites.

[Vertigo58]

The Fountains infront of the Warwick Hotel, and Warwick Towers are nice. The Wortham & Smith Street Fountain are personal favorites.

It is also highly possible that the city sees fountains as a liability. Our growing homeless population could turn in to bathes or children could have mishaps like what happended in Dallas with those tourists. Designers would have to modify to where people couldn't jump/fall in, etc.

I believe Roman Holiday had great scenes of Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn in front of some famous fountains. Maybe we'll just have to see in old films for now....

[Montrose1100]

It is also highly possible that the city sees fountains as a liability. Our growing homeless population could turn in to bathes or children could have mishaps like what happended in Dallas with those tourists. Designers would have to modify to where people couldn't jump/fall in, etc.

I've seen the homeless bathe in Tranquility Park. If the city started 'modifying' fountains, it would make them all look ugly. Imagine hand rails/fence around every fountain.

[Subdude]

I love fountains, and would like nothing more than to see huge grandiose ones in Houston like they have in Rome. Imagine if something like the Water Wall were downtown, and a lot bigger. My fantasy jumbo fountain location would be the mostly vacant block at Main and Texas, right where the Shamrock isn't.

Yeah, there will probably always be a problem with the homeless using them - I've seen them washing up in "Main Street Square", but there's not a lot you can really do about it.

[musicman]

Yeah, there will probably always be a problem with the homeless using them - I've seen them washing up in "Main Street Square", but there's not a lot you can really do about it.

Mayor White's expansion of the homeless ordinance has been a joke. There's no enforcement otherwise you wouldn't see so many.

[lockmat]

Hey, maybe something like this could be in Houston's future. Some residents voiced that they want something like this at the Urban Corridors Planning workshop in which people have influence were listening. Who knows?

This is what it said in the document, "Make Houston an international city by preserving existing and creating more "destinations" that include gathering spaces, parks, open space, neigborhood centers, urban centers, and public art including gateways, statues, and galleries."

[Vertigo58]

I love fountains, and would like nothing more than to see huge grandiose ones in Houston like they have in Rome. Imagine if something like the Water Wall were downtown, and a lot bigger. My fantasy jumbo fountain location would be the mostly vacant block at Main and Texas, right where the Shamrock isn't.

Yeah, there will probably always be a problem with the homeless using them - I've seen them washing up in "Main Street Square", but there's not a lot you can really do about it.

All good points. Then it would be 3 winos in the fountain.

[Vertigo58]

Hey, maybe something like this could be in Houston's future. Some residents voiced that they want something like this at the Urban Corridors Planning workshop in which people have influence were listening. Who knows?

This is what it said in the document, "Make Houston an international city by preserving existing and creating more "destinations" that include gathering spaces, parks, open space, neigborhood centers, urban centers, and public art including gateways, statues, and galleries."

This would be kind of neat...

[Subdude]

Indeed it would, and quite appropriate for Houston. The spirit of the ship channel leading to new horizons, or something like that.

[plumber2]

My father was plumbing supertindent on the Mecom Fountain project. It was constructed in the middle 60's if I remember right. He salvaged the wood crates that the pumps came in (somewhere from Europe). He made both my brother and I a built-in desk and bookshelf out of this lumber. It was very rustic and western looking and I, of course, did not appreceiate it at the time. I would give my wife away to have those two pieces of furniture today.

[houstonfella]

I would like a really beautiful fountain in Discovery Green. How about if one of Houston's big foundations build and maintain one there? Otherwise, there will probably be a nondescript fountain put in place there.

[Houston19514]

I would like a really beautiful fountain in Discovery Green. How about if one of Houston's big foundations build and maintain one there? Otherwise, there will probably be a nondescript fountain put in place there.

I think Market Square would be a better place for a giant fountain with coordinated music. Like the International Fountain in Seattle Center.

[Vertigo58]

I think Market Square would be a better place for a giant fountain with coordinated music. Like the International Fountain in Seattle Center.

Right on!

Now that's what I'm talking about!

and Market Square is sooooo bland right now. Needs something cheerful like that. I still don't see why we can't import some Michaelangelo figures or the like and make it look even more classy. Surely a city as big as ours can accomplish this? What gives is it $.

[musicman]

Right on!

Now that's what I'm talking about!

and Market Square is sooooo bland right now. Needs something cheerful like that. I still don't see why we can't import some Michaelangelo figures or the like and make it look even more classy. Surely a city as big as ours can accomplish this? What gives is it $.

all that ripe new metal will just be perfect for the metal recyclers. there was a story on the news last week how thieves are stealing metal plaques out of church walls. that is sad.

[Vertigo58]

This would work. A bum would have to chip away with a chisel to take a smidgen of anything. Let's see they could still bathe. Oh well back to square one.

[Dream]

I know that Discovery Green is going to have an interactive fountain for childred to play in. I hope it's well designed and maintained so that it attracts families and not just another free bath for the bums. I've taken my child to the water play areas/guessing fountains at Hermann Park, Market Street in the Woodlands and the Aquariam downtown. I would like to see more public areas like this in Houston, If it's done right it can be a lot of fun and really improve the quality of life for Houston families.

I've been to the public water fountains in Portland's Pearl district and that place is just amazing. Light rail, farmers markets, mid rises with ground floor retail, side streets are closed and become pocket parks with benches, huge sidewalks and the waterfall park is great.

I know Seattle has a lot of parks with public water fountains and I hope to take my 2 year old there soon for a get wet tour. A friend told me that Chicago's Millenieum Park has a crazy fountain that shoots water out of some guys mouth on an interactive sign and the person changes every few minutes. Charlotte is supposed to have some great fountains like this as well.

I'm planning trips to parks like the ones I've described above over the next few years. Does anyone have any other suggestions. national or international?

Does anyone know of any other water parks, guessing fountains, or public spaces with water features that kids can hang out and be around diverse Houston kids?

Dream

[musicman]

I enjoy the double water wall in the med center