Is the emphasis on city skylines completely overblown?

[JJG]

Originally Posted by talkispoison

It's a joke to think Houston actual has a vibrant street life downtown.

Whatever.

[talkispoison]

I'm beginning to wonder if any of the Houston boosters have actual been outside of their downtown.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by talkispoison

I'm beginning to wonder if any of the Houston boosters have actual been outside of their downtown.

That's the thing. Some of us AREN'T Houston boosters or even from Houston.

But some of us actually see more than what you do. And for the last time, no one, NO ONE is saying that Houston is on par with the most vibrant core cities in America, but it's not as dead as you make it seem.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

I LOVE skylines WHile they don't make a city, it can represent the financial image for that city or metro.
So I think they speak in volumes. As far as on here, yes they are overblown, but in outside life skylines are important to cities. Should one argue about them? No. Is it okay for people do discuss them and compare them? Of course, but what bothers most people is the fact that it gets out of hand say comparing San Fransisco to St. Petersburg Fl skyline. That kapoowey.

Another reason why I like Orlando's skyline. We dont have tall buildings , but it works for this city.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

OH wow....big shocker, Another thread of Houston offenders and defenders going around in cirlces. First few pages actually a relevant discussion to the OP's topic, then weeding through several pages of of Houston is "this". No it's not Houston is "that".



Dwavies, I see you're relatively new here, but you've got to realize this is such and old and tired topic that has been beaten to death so many times here on C-D. You're not going to win this argument.

Originally Posted by Dwavies

I currently rent a loft in DT Houston....

I have a relatively neutral opinion on Houston as I haven't been there, but I've traveled to many other large sunbelt cities so I can certainly learn and associate from opinions about it on both sides of the spectrum and I never really buy into such black and white opinions about any city. You're opinion doesn't seem to hold very much water though as you are complaining from a standpoint in which you are malcontent yet you are still living in Houston? That beg's the question what the hell are you doing there? And I also wonder if a response to that question wouldn't come with some scapegoated type of answer.

[Pine to Vine]

Growing up on the East Coast several decades back, impressive skylines used to correspond with bustling street activity. This equation stuck in my mind and so I used to judge the vibrancy of cities by their skyline. Two things changed this for me: 1) Travel through Europe, where the cities in general have woefully limited skylines but incredible street life and 2) Living in an unnamed sunbelt city with an impressive skyline but a pretty dead CBD after hours. (In fact, I actually working in a 50 floor building for over 20 years only to watch the commuter exodus from DT every day at 5.)

I can appreciate skylines from an aesthetic standpoint. I also think for a handful of cities, skylines can offer iconic images that help them with their marketing (think NYC, the Chicago lakefront, a view of SL over the arch, the Space Needle, etc.). But that said, I would never consider visiting or living in a city because of its skyline. A city has to "show me the money." That means it needs to offer me something interesting at ground level, and I'll invest time and money to go there and check it out.