How did Houston end up with so many skyscrapers? (Dallas: transplants, apartment)

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by Spade

I have no idea why Texas cities placed freeways around their city centers. I don't believe any other state has done this like Texas does and both Houston and Dallas regret doing that. It has basically made their city centers islands and away from the rest of the city. Dallas wants to get rid of 345 as much as Houston wants to get rid of Pierce Elevated. But looking at the latest video for rerouting 45, I don't like that either. It would remind anyone of the connector in Atlanta. Houston needs better leaders when it comes to transportation in their city.

Houston needed better planning for decades. It still makes more mistakes in low planning and lost so much of what had old Houston vibrancy. Creating its core tunnel network allowing for all normal surface conveniences to come underground. Hurts the surface still in vibrancy big-time.

Its amazing a city that feels it can't build homes with basements and little in underground parking? Can create tunnels still in its core --- that prove even a subway then could be supported. Time will tell if at least more living in the core with new high-rise residents. Will improve a more sterile street-level.

I get a kick out of

Originally Posted by BCLRRE

A big mistake, I totally agree. But this is what happens when the decision is being made by pols and other TxDOT interests in Austin and the Texas legislature (including pols from DFW)...many of whom wish ill of Houston and continually do everything in their power to sabotage Houston in an effort to boost Austin and DFW, over Houston.

Houston haters have infiltrated TxDOT, the TX legislature, The Houston Chronicle, etc...you'd be surprised the extent to which powerful/influential Houston haters within Texas go to thwart/sabotage Houston every chance they get. This re-route is no different...they hate the awesome approach to Downtown Houston on I-45S, it's the most stunning/dynamic in Texas, that's why the Houston haters in Texas want it dismantled/re-routed.

DFW and Austin leaders would never let such happen in their cities. But Houston, meh.

What's pitiful is Houston's sorry a$$ leaders let it happen, often participate in f@cking their own city (Culberson/Rail...Whitmire/UT Houston Expansion), look the other way and ignore it, or are too f@#king ignorant to see what's really going on. So, yea, big mistake for Houston. The money would be better spent repairing the city's raggedy-a$$ streets, expanding MetroRail and adding Commuter Rail, especially to the Galleria/Uptown and both airports. Yea Houston, You Have A Problem: your leaders are dumb as hell.

Ironically, this thread is to boast Houston as Texas Emerald City. You point it out as anything but.....

[BCLRRE]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Houston needed better planning for decades. It still makes more mistakes in low planning and lost so much of what had old Houston vibrancy. Creating its core tunnel network allowing for all normal surface conveniences to come underground. Hurts the surface still in vibrancy big-time.

Its amazing a city that feels it can't build homes with basements and little in underground parking? Can create tunnels still in its core --- that prove even a subway then could be supported. Time will tell if at least more living in the core with new high-rise residents. Will improve a more sterile street-level.

I get a kick out of


Ironically, this thread is to boast Houston as Texas Emerald City. You point it out as anything but.....

Indeed, I agree Houston is the Emerald City of Texas...Houston is Texas at its tip-top best. But it's always been hated for it, from haters inside and outside Texas, who continually do all they can to hinder it. That will never stop because Houston continues to get better, and better in spite of its haters.

What Houston can do is promote a much higher quality and caliber of leadership, and do much better at planning and aesthetics.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by BCLRRE

Indeed, I agree Houston is the Emerald City of Texas...Houston is Texas at its tip-top best. But it's always been hated for it, from haters inside and outside Texas, who continually do all they can to hinder it. That will never stop because Houston continues to get better, and better in spite of its haters.

What Houston can do is promote a much higher quality and caliber of leadership, and do much better at planning and aesthetics.

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?

[LocalPlanner]

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?

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.

Plus, Houston's segregation is much more scattered. Low/mod income residential areas with people of color are interspersed everywhere, including suburban areas. A lot of snotty white folks think that's awful. Austin is pushing its lower income people of color out of the city entirely, which many view as virtuous, and Dallas has mostly segregated them out of the northern suburbs, also viewed positively. Never mind whether that's actually a good thing. It wins those places favor points.

[Texyn]

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.

Half true.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Back in the 1970s-80s, many high rise office buildings were constructed that were not justified by the market or financial returns. Lending was too loose, and some were built more as tax shelters than to house growing office employment. Houston really ended up with more high rises than it should have had by the mid-1980s.

Now fewer high rises are built on each up-cycle. Plus, it's harder to financially justify office buildings over 30 stories, the construction costs get really high. You have to be sure that tenants will be willing to pay the elevated rents you have to get to make the numbers work.

Well people were betting on $100/bbl oil. That contributed to the '79-'82 boom. Also, the rest of the country was in a recession, leaving few places to invest. There was a period where 25% of the new housing starts in the entire country were in Texas.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Does anyone have a pic of the entirety of the Houston skyline? I know I've seen those pics of Houston where someone was able to capture uptown, downtown, med center and other buildings in a single panoramic shot. Where can you take a pic like that?

Coming up 288 from the south.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Texyn

Half true.

Which half?

[brock2010]

Do you think Houston will ever have a highrise boom reminiscent of the 80s or at least get a new tallest?

[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?