Houston vs. Dallas (San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth: mall, title, rankings)
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With regards to downtown/uptown Dallas vs. Houston's, Dallas is more continous. I dont think anyone can argue that. Separation b/t Houston's comes close to the separation b/t Downtown Las Colinas and Downtown Dallas. That's why I've made the comparison of continuity b/t LC and DT Dalllas and Downtown Houston and Uptown Houston.
You're forgetting the fact that downtown Houston is already built out more than downtown Dallas, so the actual skyline is already larger than downtown Dallas and uptown. Dallas is hot right now with its uptown but like Guerilla said, Houston's midtown is comparable with Dallas's uptown. Houston's midtown bleeds right over into Houston's musuem district which has quite a skyline of its own and then spills right to the Texas Medical Center. Also, not to mention the Houston Heights small skyline which is only separated from Downtown by no more than a mile. So tell me how that makes Dallas more continuous?
As i've said before, Dallas's downtown and uptown, turtle creek, and victory combined don't match what Houston's skyline already is (in terms of buildings). So we can drop the Dallas continutity claim right now. But in terms of urban planning (i.e mass transit), Dallas is leading Texas in that field.
Hi all. First time poster. I actually live in detroit michigan but have been in houston for the last week. I love houston. This is my first time in houston and compared to detroit, this is heaven. The tree's alone do it for me. There seems to be some cultural diversity, which is nice. People are very friendly here but I believe that's a great trait of most Texan's. People in Detroit are very, very mean and it's horribly divided racially. It's not a nice place to live at all, to be honest. I've felt very welcomed and when i tell people where I live they're very kind and respectfull.
My parents were from Abilene and Bryan so I got to expierence Texas a long time ago when I was younger. I appreciate it so much more now as an adult and father. I am actually thinking of relocating down here now.
You're forgetting the fact that downtown Houston is already built out more than downtown Dallas, so the actual skyline is already larger than downtown Dallas and uptown. Dallas is hot right now with its uptown but like Guerilla said, Houston's midtown is comparable with Dallas's uptown. Houston's midtown bleeds right over into Houston's musuem district which has quite a skyline of its own and then spills right to the Texas Medical Center. Also, not to mention the Houston Heights small skyline which is only separated from Downtown by no more than a mile. So tell me how that makes Dallas more continuous?
As i've said before, Dallas's downtown and uptown, turtle creek, and victory combined don't match what Houston's skyline already is (in terms of buildings). So we can drop the Dallas continutity claim right now. But in terms of urban planning (i.e mass transit), Dallas is leading Texas in that field.
Actually I havent forgotten that Houston has more buildings. Please see previous posts.
But fact is uptown Houston is 9.76 miles away from downtown Houston. There is a definite gap. Though MPOPE did provide a very nice angle which captures downtown and uptown Houston. But believe me, Houston is no NYC, It's not Chicago.
And the context of previous posts on Dallas was that Dallas is adding 25 high rises currently, and 25 more in the next 5-10 years. I have said in previous posts that the dallas urban core has fewer, but we maybe more architecturally distinct b/c we're building more buildings, and that dFW overall has at least the same if not more high rises. Please see previous posts...
As for continuity, then you can say Downtown/uptown Dallas bleeds into Market center which semibleeds into Las Colinas (which is a stretch by my admission)...but essentially you're saying that. If you look at MPOPE's picture, there is a gap. downtown houston in the foreground, uptown in the horizon 9.76 miles away.
Last edited by metroplex2003; 06-26-2007 at 02:31 PM..
But fact is uptown Houston is 9.76 miles away from downtown Houston. There is a definite gap. Though MPOPE did provide a very nice angle which captures downtown and uptown Houston. But believe me, Houston is no NYC, It's not Chicago.
No one is arguing that anymore.
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And the context of previous posts on Dallas was that Dallas is adding 25 high rises currently, and 25 more in the next 5-10 years. I have said in previous posts that the dallas urban core has fewer, but we maybe more architecturally distinct b/c we're building more buildings, and that dFW overall has at least the same if not more high rises. Please see previous posts...
It isn't like Houston isn't adding anymore buildings. First of all, DFW is trying to catch up to what Houston is now. If Houston didn't add any highrises, and those 25 that are proposed in the next 5-10 years are built (you know damn well they are not all approved), then they still won't match Houston in number of buildings. Houston's buildings have been known to have great architectural style as well. Still though, with Houston still building (not like Dallas is doing, but still going very strong), DFW will have a hard time catching up.
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As for continuity, then you can say Downtown/uptown Dallas bleeds into Market center which semibleeds into Las Colinas (which is a stretch by my admission)...but essentially you're saying that. If you look at MPOPE's picture, there is a gap. downtown houston in the foreground, uptown in the horizon 9.76 miles away.
He isn't saying that. He is talking about Houston's Midtown, which is just a hop across the freeway from Downtown. Houston's Uptown really is connected into the Museum District (by rail as well), then the Museum District really does bleed into the TMC. It is all a continuation. If you just ride down Main Street, you could easily tell.
How many times do I have to say that Houston's Midtown is its version of Dallas' Uptown. You can't compare Houston's Uptown to Dallas' Uptown. And since when does Las Colinas have a Downtown? Las Colinas is a business park in Irving. It is mostly filled with suburban office campuses. Add up the metro areas, and Houston still wins. The city itself actually has over 880 highrises (according to Emporis).
To answer your question,
You have to compare apple to apple. Your 888 is not highrises, it's all buildings "all types" vs. highrises, Houston drops down to 338. If you think a/b it, it makes absolute sense...b/c just think a/b NYC's skyline.
So, when compiling the skyline ranking, they use high rises only, not all buildings which would include one and two story buildings, etc.
So if you include non highrises, Houston proper outnumbers dallas proper 888 to 500, but pop density is almost the same on the grand scale of things.
If you include high rises only, then houston leads dallas 333 to 238 (which only accounts for high rises exclusively). So my previous arguments were as follows: Since Dallas city limits are much smaller, the surrounding towns, though they maybe the same distance roughly (you got me by 2 miles) have skylines in their own right that add to the aesthetics of the overall area. Las Colinas has several, so does the Tollway district.
And I am wrong in saying LC has 69...b/c i didnt read the fine print...it's all building types. But there are clearly several highrises along the tollway district that adds to the skyline as well that's not far mileage wise from downtown dallas.
The best view is when you're on Las Colinas Blvd. heading SE towards La Villita Blvd. You access it from the Bush Turnpike access road just past the McArthur Exit. B/c then you see downtown Dallas/uptown, Market Center, Tollway district all at the same time.
But there is no argument a/b Houston's number or density of buildings as another has pointed out to me....I do believe I go on record as saying that Houston does have more buildings...I'm just saying that Dallas is having a bigger construction boom right now with the 25 current and 25 more high rises a/b to be approved. IN fact, just 2 weeks ago, they have approved of another 50+ story tower for downtown Dallas.
Now to say there are 888 high rises in downtown Houston and Uptown, just think a/b that for a second. That's what caused me to read the fine print b/c it' dawned on me that the 69 number for Las Colinas was too high...dont get me wrong, LC has lots of high rises that would qualify under the Emporis formula, but it did seem overstated.
Anyway, that's the long winded answer to your question.
And FYI, I'm not comparing the culture of LC to uptown Houston, just the distance. Downtown and Uptown Dallas are literally across the street from each other. There was another post, not by you, that says that uptown houston and downtown houston are connected...I just disagree with that. MPOPE's picture is great...b/c it shows one is in the horizon, the other is more in the midground (foreground).
Uptown Dallas literally starts when you take Pearl St. right across the Woodall Rodgers. It's not like there is a gap in high rises. There are high rises on both sides...and one side is officially downtown, and the other side if officially uptown. If you're thinking a/b Turtle creek area, that's a different area of high rises that are not part of the uptown district. Uptown starts where downtown ends officially. Now culturally (ie night life, etc)...that's a different story...this discussion has been a/b highrises. LC does not compare to midtown or uptown Houston. But high rise wise, downtown/uptown dallas is very continous. I see midtown seems more separated off when I visit Houston than uptown dallas to downtown dallas.
BUt in terms of gaps, you can see it...NYC and Chicago have no gaps in their continuity of high rises.
Last edited by metroplex2003; 06-26-2007 at 03:04 PM..
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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It must be all relative.
I think both cities tried to add unique architecture with a few of the downtown buildings that are "different". I don't know the names, but take the building in Houston that looks like a Mayan temple on top.
To me, the Houston examples work. The Dallas examples ended up looking tacky and dated... I just don't like them.
I also think Houston's downtown looks more dense and large, and definitely has more trees in the surroundings and a waterway. Just more attractive overall.
Actually I havent forgotten that Houston has more buildings. Please see previous posts.
But fact is uptown Houston is 9.76 miles away from downtown Houston. There is a definite gap. .
Okay, although its not a big deal and i hate to nitpick but, where are you guys getting the 9.76 miles from? The Uptown/Galleria area is only about 7 miles from downtown. In between the two, there's Greenway Plaza which is another business district, not large but it does serve as a halfway point in filling the gap you speak of.
Hey, but Houston doesn't have mountains like Dallas. So THERE!
You know I'm pro-dallas obviously, but I cant say I like this picture.
Dallas and Houston. No mountains. It's all about lots of space and lots of flat land to build on.
As much as I would like Houston or Dallas to have more scenery, it just does not have much. Dallas has the Cedar Hill Nature Preserve, which IMO are tall hills..., but that's pretty much it. The rest is flat land that has unlimited growth potential for decades to come. Ok, now I'll be awaiting the Houston people to go into the scenery of the gulf coast and woodlands after I have just made that comment. So till the next post
I love Houston's flatness. The "hills" from the Woodlands on up are different from the rest of the area though. I'm glad we don't have mountains. They stop development. In Denver, some new retail would be built on the top of a large hill, and you would have to go up to the top to get there. Wastes time. It also is bad with views. You can't see what is in front of you sometimes (especially on the freeway).
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