How did Houston end up with so many skyscrapers? (Austin: living in, floors)

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Does anyone have any conceptual design work for projected construction in the works? What will the skyline look like in the next five years?

There aren't any significant new towers proposed in the city that I know of that aren't already under construction, apart from the new Skanska tower downtown (for which the parking structure had been already underway). I'm not sure if the Marlowe has topped out yet. There's also Hanover's second apartment tower in Uptown.

Other than those, things won't look much different from the present.

[radiolibre99]

Uptown looks like another city. It's grown so much. I think it's just almost as big as downtown Austin.

[DavePa]

Too bad these separated Business districts in Houston are not more part on one cohesive growing core and truly together. At least Atlanta has its Midtown and Downtown next to each other to grow together.

Houston having and boasting these multiple business districts. Like a Medical district and Uptown with more retail. Are still as separate office parks. True downtown hopes more living there will help urbanize and add vibrancy to the street-level the tunnel network robs. But Big Oil slowing development there has it being asked if the 80s boom will return there? Inner-Loop infilling might help. Time will tell how vibrant a core it can grow into.

It surely can only get better. But this era is a era of declining retail street-level to just try to build one. Main street is a total failure as a shopping street. If it had the shopping centers of Uptown at least? Would be huge boost that probably never will happen there. Time will tell if downtown Houston can best downtown Dallas? So far........

[Weatherguy]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Bingo. Excellent post. I'm in Austin right now on business and I have to say that I find Houston to be a way better city overall. I don't get the hype about ATX over Houston at all. Houston's improvements over the last decade put it on a level above the much hyped up college town. Yet it gets hated on like no other city in Texas. It's just weird. Houston is the best the state has to offer in terms of a major city. Can someone explain the hate? Is it leftover from years of neglect?

You're exactly right. Houston gets better and better, and Austin (where I live) gets worse. You can't believe how trashy Austin has gotten. We can't even get medians mowed and cleaned of trash. Houston does a much better job at that. Austin does have a great looking downtown, but outside of downtown, it's boring. Houston has a lot of exciting areas outside of downtown that are getting better and better. This is why I'm leaving Austin for Houston as soon as I can.

[Weatherguy]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Well, a number of our freeways feature uglier streetscapes than other Texas cities (and that's saying something). Since that's the primary view of Houston many folks get, they translate that into saying the whole city is horrible.

I agree to a certain extent, if you're talking about freeways like I-45 north and south. Unfortunately, those are the first views of the city coming from both airports. The clutter along I-45 is just awful.

But...Loop 610 West through Uptown is spectacular. 59 through Greenway is pretty nice in itself. I-10 west through the Energy Corridor presents with some nice new highrises. 288 coming in from the south has a great view of downtown. So it's a mixed bag. I just wish there was a way I-45 could get cleaned up. The unsightliness of both north and south I-45 basically needs to be razed, and completely new buildings constructed along the entire length. And that's not going to happen. If the billboards could be removed somehow and a ton a trees planted, it would help some.

On Youtube there are many videos taken of drives through cities. Many have ugly, billboard-lined freeways, which surprised me. Most aren't as bad looking as what we have in Texas, though, because of the lack of feeder roads in so many cities.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by Weatherguy

You're exactly right. Houston gets better and better, and Austin (where I live) gets worse. You can't believe how trashy Austin has gotten. We can't even get medians mowed and cleaned of trash. Houston does a much better job at that. Austin does have a great looking downtown, but outside of downtown, it's boring. Houston has a lot of exciting areas outside of downtown that are getting better and better. This is why I'm leaving Austin for Houston as soon as I can.

I'll be leaving Austin for Houston and will make a bigger thread about it soon to compare the two cities and the changes I've seen. I like Austin, I think it's a cool city but I was surprised about how skungy it's become in some parts. I just don't get this big city feel at all.

It's amazing how transplants have affected both cities. Houston is turning into something akin to Chicago or NYC with all the development. Sure it's not as cohesive as those two but the feel is that it's large and growing a relevant major city vibe. It's developing a major east coast look and feel. It's attracting a lot of New Yorkers too.

For Austin, it's almost as though I am back in California. I can see why they dub it Austin, California. It has the look and feel of the Bay Area minus SF. It reminds me a lot of San Jose and it has attracted a lot of the same people too.

I am torn because I am moving back to Texas from CA really soon and I want the big city feel of Houston but the nature element of Austin. I love the outskirts of Austin, the lakes, the hills, but the city itself to me is lacking. I prefer the diversity and largeness of Houston. And also how clean most of the inner loop is. If I could combine Houston's cityscape with Austin's natural landscape I think we'd have a winning combo.

[the topper]

Other downtowns have more high rises than Downtown Houston: Philly, Portland, L.A., SF, Seattle, NY, Chi, San Diego and Boston. Houston has other subdistricts with mid to high rises. Downtown Houston still have holes(many surface parking lots/vacant lots). It needs more development of high rises and mid rises to make it more dense and become lively.

[the topper]

Oil boom of the 80's brought most of the high rises and then over the time brought more to where you see it as of today, thanks to more diverse industries.

[BCLRRE]

Originally Posted by the topper

Other downtowns have more high rises than Downtown Houston: Philly, Portland, L.A., SF, Seattle, NY, Chi, San Diego and Boston. Houston has other subdistricts with mid to high rises. Downtown Houston still have holes(many surface parking lots/vacant lots). It needs more development of high rises and mid rises to make it more dense and become lively.

Lol, no way...Philly, Boston, Portland, San Diego do not have more high rises than Houston, that's laughable. I've been to all of those cities. NY has the most of all cities by farrrrrrrr, of course...but NY is in a class of its own. Downtown LA and Downtown Houston look about the same. Downtown Chicago has more than LA and Houston. But Houston has several skyline districts far beyond its downtown, that most cities except for NY, Chicago and maybe Miami, can't touch. And the way Downtown Houston is filling in, within about 5years there won't be a vacant lot left that's not developed or tagged for development.

[BCLRRE]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

I'll be leaving Austin for Houston and will make a bigger thread about it soon to compare the two cities and the changes I've seen. I like Austin, I think it's a cool city but I was surprised about how skungy it's become in some parts. I just don't get this big city feel at all.

It's amazing how transplants have affected both cities. Houston is turning into something akin to Chicago or NYC with all the development. Sure it's not as cohesive as those two but the feel is that it's large and growing a relevant major city vibe. It's developing a major east coast look and feel. It's attracting a lot of New Yorkers too.

For Austin, it's almost as though I am back in California. I can see why they dub it Austin, California. It has the look and feel of the Bay Area minus SF. It reminds me a lot of San Jose and it has attracted a lot of the same people too.

I am torn because I am moving back to Texas from CA really soon and I want the big city feel of Houston but the nature element of Austin. I love the outskirts of Austin, the lakes, the hills, but the city itself to me is lacking. I prefer the diversity and largeness of Houston. And also how clean most of the inner loop is. If I could combine Houston's cityscape with Austin's natural landscape I think we'd have a winning combo.

Great post.