How active is downtown houston? (Atlanta, Wortham: apartment, loft, home)

[yaya97]

Dear All,

Not very happy with my professional life in Indianapolis we are considering moving to a different city. I will be honest, Houston was not on the the list but every time I see a job offer where my skills match the needs, 5 out of 10 times its in Houston.

I have nothing aginst Indy but it is a very slow city without any place where people just go to hang out ( except when there is a sports event) . Sure there are nice places such as the canal district but on the week end, on a good day, you might find 20 people... People in Indy just like to stay home and I respect that.Its just not me.
What about Houston? I understand its not Chicago or DC, but is it a dynamic city? Do people actually live Downtown ( we are city lovers and wish to avoid the burbs)?

Are there places ( parks....) that are rather crowded when the weather permits and people just walk around? we have 2 kids (15 and 4) and again are looking for a busy place. Could Houston be for us??

Thanks for the comments!

[the Instigator]

I think Houston is probably not for you then, if you want a more happening downtown try Atlanta.

[testmo]

downtown is pretty happening. is it nyc? no that'd be ridiculous. discovery green is always busy on a weekend and during the summer there is multiple events held there all week.

prospects for the city center is getting better and better. lots of people do live downtown, but the demographic isn't families. it's upper middle class young professionals and older wealthy people

[glorplaxy]

The real action is slightly outside of downtown, like around Washington ave, Midtown, the Heights, and Montrose. Houston would be a great place for you but don't expect some "Sex and the City" lifestyle downtown. Our downtown is large, beautiful, and has a few great places to eat (Phoenicia, Kim Son, Felafel Factory, Biraporretis) and drink (La Carafe, the Brewery Tap, Warren's) and very close is the artsy Warehouse district with cool hangouts (St. Arnold's brewery, Last Concert Cafe) and small, independent galleries...but keep in mind that our downtown is still mainly for business and law.

I think Houston would be a great change of pace for you guys. Check out the neighborhoods I mentioned that are outside of downtown..they won't disappoint.

[TVC15]

^ I agree. If I had to choose between Indianapolis and DT Houston...it would not be a difficult decision.

If you can't keep yourself entertained in and around Down Town Houston then I would consider it a personal problem.

[Cbink]

Originally Posted by testmo

downtown is pretty happening. is it nyc? no that'd be ridiculous. discovery green is always busy on a weekend and during the summer there is multiple events held there all week.

prospects for the city center is getting better and better. lots of people do live downtown, but the demographic isn't families. it's upper middle class young professionals and older wealthy people

I agree. There is plenty happening downtown and whilst you will see families at Discovery Green not many actually live downtown. It's not the most bustling city but there is plenty going on if you know where to look - it's mainly aimed at young professionals or older weather as testmo rightly says though.
(I lived Downtown on Main St for a year when I first moved to Houston)

[annie_himself]

Downtown is dead. No one lives there and it's not a real neighborhood in the sense of amenities. With that said, there are other neighborhoods which could fit your lifestyle.

[Redrover]

It is not entirely accurate to say that downtown is dead. Admittedly it is primarily geared for the weekday/workday but there is a small group of residents who call downtown home. There are several loft buildings and a highrise apartment building sits across the street from Discovery Green. Also, Houston has a very vibrant cultural arts community on the edge of downtown with Jones Hall, The Wortham, The Alley Theater and other facilities so there is almost always a steady influx of people coming into downtown after dark. There are also many decent restaurants and even a Randalls (grocery store) in fairly close proximity and access to some of the previously-mentioned areas would be fairly easy if one lived downtown (you'd likely be going against prevailing traffice). So only you can determine what exactly it would take to make you happy about a decision to live in downtown Houston but if you opt to do so, welcome.

[yaya97]

thanks for the great info!

[Pine to Vine]

Downtown is dead: Efforts to turn downtown into residential haven remain elusive - Houston Chronicle. Most people work there and then it pretty much closes up at night with the exception of a few watering holes.

There is no real neighborhood in Houston with a bustling pedestrian scene. I don't see you finding a place that will be, to use your words: "rather crowded when the weather permits and people just walk around." Except for the occasional festival, most people drive their car to a destination, take care of "business" and drive to the next venue or back home. The neighborhoods surrounding DT (Montrose in particular) offer the largest concentration and best variety of entertainment, shopping and other amenities. To limit your driving, it would be advisable to look for a home in one of those neighborhood inside the 610 loop. For a family with children, The Heights may be a good place to consider - it has a small town feel, tree-lined streets to stroll and borders downtown and Montrose.