Downtown Survey Have you Taken It ? (Houston, Center: hotels, employment, income)

[Truth713]

The New Downtown retail force the mayor created has released a new survey to feel out what people want. To me It feelings like running in cicrles.. We have been to this song and dance every ten years and still DT misses the mark. From readers comments it seems the same old thing..

Lack of unique retail that would warrant coming DT.
A out of control homeless problem
Expensive parking.

These are the general feedback you tend to get.


My Take on these problems-

Retail:
Houston DT is one of the few places I have been where there is almost no High end store in a city core and now with macy close no mid level income store ither. Instead of trying to force Main st in the role of retail center. let it become what is is slowing becoming, a bar/ food area.. like within the last year 5 new places have opened that cater to that niche .. Refocus the retail plans along the discovery green convention route .. that is where the largest concetion of hotels is at and that will be where most of your out of towners send most of their time.. The new convention hotel ground level retail will be a great spark for this but dont wait till then start a retail infill now.

Homeless:
Now I consider myself a caring person but even I have to admit this problem has gotten out of hand. I remember walking past molly pub and a group of people where getting annoyed because a homeless guy keep bugging him for money.. even after the guy made it clear it was not going to happen he kept right on.. this kinda thing will turn a person off to a area fast..hell just last month i was walking dt and a dude drop pants and started taking a crap in public !!!! come on now!! There has to be a humane way to both address this problem and still be caring city.

Parking:
For a city that is so obessed with the car, we plan poorly on where to put them.. I fear that the city leaders will see the demanded for more parking as a sign to create more parking lots, as oppose to parking towers. which can also double as ground level retail.. just look at the chicago marina tower car park as a model

[theSUBlime]

Parking is downright cheap in Houston compared to most downtown areas in the US -- I'm not going to even get started on that. Also, we need to look more at why people are homeless people as people and not just as an obstacle to our personal consumption.

I'd say the problem with Houston is the fundamental lack of understanding of how a wholly successful downtown looks and functions. Unfortunately, this is where no zoning is con, because downtowns don't just happen -- they're planned.

[Truth713]

It does not matter what in comparison if that is the held view point of the people..no one cares what they are paying in nyc because they arw are not in nyc...they can only be concern with where they are. And the general conseus is cost.. second we know full well what causes homeless no need to re invent the wheel..that being said it is still a problema that needs addressing

[Johnhw2]

What is the infatuation with downtown and trains? When work locations are spread over the city neither of these are needed other than for the outdated model cities who use zoning to force offices in a confined area which can benefit a DT in those cities. Houston central is moving both north and west as the center of the city is moving and evolving

[Truth713]

Center is not moving..expanding yes.. most dt were created for logical reasons..Houston dt was due to access to the waterways. At first the bayou now the ship channels

[theSUBlime]

We live in a global economy. Once we get out of the idea that we live in a bubble, things might change. Parking is cheap here, whether Houstonians know it, don't know it, like it or not. And while many people think they know what causes homelessness, they're usually misinformed, as it's more than just drug use.

[Truth713]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

We live in a global economy. Once we get out of the idea that we live in a bubble, things might change. Parking is cheap here, whether Houstonians know it, don't know it, like it or not. And while many people think they know what causes homelessness, they're usually misinformed, as it's more than just drug use.

The majority of homeless suffer from a form of mental illness due to poor funding most cities lack the resources to proved round the clock care that most of them need..it not what people think.
belive it or not they actually have done studies into these things..few homeless have drug abuse problems and even fewer choose to be. The second largest reason is employment related reason