Dallas or Houston (Richmond, Kirby: insurance, vs, rail)

[Metro Matt]

Dallas will eventually have to convert all or most of its downtown buildings into residential to remain a viable city center.

It might be cool having an "uptown" right across the way & all, connected by a superficial freeway park, but not when its sucking big business out of downtown.

[dalparadise]

I lived in both places--much longer in Houston, if that makes a difference.

Both are fun places to go out. Dallas does the "upscale lounge" thing a bit more successfully than Houston, but both have a great set of options in that area. I will say that Houston people are friendlier and generally more approachable. Dallasites, as a rule, are a bit more style conscious and seem more urban minded, to me, though. So, it becomes a trade-off for singles--friendlier, more casual dating, or stylish, more competitive dating? Each has its appeal. You sound like you might lean toward Dallas.

Houston has much better food. Dallas has better shopping. Houston has better high culture. Dallas has better pop culture. Houston is rougher around the edges. Dallas looks more like it's expecting company and has a few more walkable pedestrian places that are interesting. Dallas rarely goes to Fort Worth or vice-versa.

All in all, I always preferred Houston, but enjoyed Dallas' slicker, more urban vibe. Houston feels more real, though, with a kind of kinship among Houstonians that their city is underrated and that's fine. Dallas recognizes no such humility, often to its embarrassment.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Dallas will eventually have to convert all or most of its downtown buildings into residential to remain a viable city center.

It might be cool having an "uptown" right across the way & all, connected by a superficial freeway park, but not when its sucking big business out of downtown.

It could be viewed that way, but the bulk of the office occupancy in Uptown comes from the fringe or suburban office areas or other areas of the U.S. The area of "Uptown" with the highrise buildings is really an extension of downtown, Victory Park is technically not in Uptown. As both areas continue to grow together it's becoming one central core. Essentially it is one city block that divides the two. A lot of that now is a vibrant city park.

I agree that a lot needs to be converted to residential or even hotel space and that is currently what is happening. There are a lot of positive things going on in central Dallas. It does take time though, it can't happen over night. Most people view it as being on the right track.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by R1070

It could be viewed that way, but the bulk of the office occupancy in Uptown comes from the fringe or suburban office areas or other areas of the U.S. The area of "Uptown" with the highrise buildings is really an extension of downtown, Victory Park is technically not in Uptown. As both areas continue to grow together it's becoming one central core. Essentially it is one city block that divides the two. A lot of that now is a vibrant city park.

I agree that a lot needs to be converted to residential or even hotel space and that is currently what is happening. There are a lot of positive things going on in central Dallas. It does take time though, it can't happen over night. Most people view it as being on the right track.

One day Houston's Uptown will be connected to Downtown too. Its happening, slowly. Having light rail between the two will only speed up that process. You've gotta understand, Uptown Houston is a separate business district some 7 miles outside of downtown. If it were its own city, it would be right up there with Downtown Los Angeles in terms of office space.

[jbarn]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

One day Houston's Uptown will be connected to Downtown too. Its happening, slowly. Having light rail between the two will only speed up that process. You've gotta understand, Uptown Houston is a separate business district some 7 miles outside of downtown. If it were its own city, it would be right up there with Downtown Los Angeles in terms of office space.

So Uptown Houston is 7 miles from Downtown Houston but will someday be connected to it? The two will never be a contiguous, urbanized area as they are too far apart, with too much suburban-style development in between.

[flguy147]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

I lived in both places--much longer in Houston, if that makes a difference.

Both are fun places to go out. Dallas does the "upscale lounge" thing a bit more successfully than Houston, but both have a great set of options in that area. I will say that Houston people are friendlier and generally more approachable. Dallasites, as a rule, are a bit more style conscious and seem more urban minded, to me, though. So, it becomes a trade-off for singles--friendlier, more casual dating, or stylish, more competitive dating? Each has its appeal. You sound like you might lean toward Dallas.

Houston has much better food. Dallas has better shopping. Houston has better high culture. Dallas has better pop culture. Houston is rougher around the edges. Dallas looks more like it's expecting company and has a few more walkable pedestrian places that are interesting. Dallas rarely goes to Fort Worth or vice-versa.

All in all, I always preferred Houston, but enjoyed Dallas' slicker, more urban vibe. Houston feels more real, though, with a kind of kinship among Houstonians that their city is underrated and that's fine. Dallas recognizes no such humility, often to its embarrassment.

Thanks great reply right here. You tried to be objective and really tell me the differences in the cities.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

One day Houston's Uptown will be connected to Downtown too. Its happening, slowly. Having light rail between the two will only speed up that process. You've gotta understand, Uptown Houston is a separate business district some 7 miles outside of downtown. If it were its own city, it would be right up there with Downtown Los Angeles in terms of office space.

This doesn't really make sense and I'm not sure why you responded to my post with it. Uptown Houston has nothing to do with Uptown Dallas. Apples and Oranges.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

I lived in both places--much longer in Houston, if that makes a difference.

Both are fun places to go out. Dallas does the "upscale lounge" thing a bit more successfully than Houston, but both have a great set of options in that area. I will say that Houston people are friendlier and generally more approachable. Dallasites, as a rule, are a bit more style conscious and seem more urban minded, to me, though. So, it becomes a trade-off for singles--friendlier, more casual dating, or stylish, more competitive dating? Each has its appeal. You sound like you might lean toward Dallas.

Houston has much better food. Dallas has better shopping. Houston has better high culture. Dallas has better pop culture. Houston is rougher around the edges. Dallas looks more like it's expecting company and has a few more walkable pedestrian places that are interesting. Dallas rarely goes to Fort Worth or vice-versa.

All in all, I always preferred Houston, but enjoyed Dallas' slicker, more urban vibe. Houston feels more real, though, with a kind of kinship among Houstonians that their city is underrated and that's fine. Dallas recognizes no such humility, often to its embarrassment.

This is exactly how I would compare the two.

[Carlito Brigante]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Downtown Houston has an overall office vacancy rate of 12.1%. Downtown Dallas is over twice that.

How is that in any way a failing downtown?

Yeah...office space is the thing that REALLY makes me decide whether or not I wanna live in or visit a city.

[Lakewooder]

Well a lot of us don't go to upscale lounges, we go to Lee Harvey's, Lakewood Landing, **** and Bull, Balcony Club, Gingerman, Ozona, Amsterdam Bar, Double Wide, Barcadia, Old Monk, The Wine Therapist, Times Ten Cellars, many places in North Oak Cliff (Bolsa, Kessler Theater), Lower Greenville, Oak Lawn, even on the other side of White Rock Lake and find lots of friendly, intelligent people who are not into materialism. I can also find friendly people in upscale places like Marquee, Inwood Lounge (well not that upscale), Melrose Hotel bar, Mansion Bar, Cafe Pacific bar, Ritz Live Oak bar, Dragonfly etc. I also meet a few a-holes in those places but I can deal with them, I'm not insecure.