Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Houston
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:08 PM
 
Location: ✶✶✶✶
15,218 posts, read 30,418,861 times
Reputation: 10847

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by jd2008 View Post
I guess I had a different expectation of the Rice U area (that is the area photoed I believe).

If I'm not mistaken I think it is within the 610. I thought areas within the loop were more urban and walkable. The neighborhood pictured, although certainly nice, seems like a typical suburb...
The difference is there are sidewalks and mature trees providing shade. If that's not walkable, you must not be able to walk.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:15 PM
 
134 posts, read 324,892 times
Reputation: 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by houstoner View Post
Well, now, sounds like a little history lesson is in order... Here's the ueber-abridged version: the Rice U area consists of a collection of neighborhoods that were suburbs at one time. It was considered the edge of town, like everything outside of downtown was. But the City of Houston kept growing and growing and growing and later added the 610 freeway loop (which is as much an ideological boundary as a physical one) and voilà! you get the Beast known as Houston that we have today. So some areas within the loop are urban-suburban, I think is what we've agreed to call it. Suburban in the built environment, but urban in the way life goes on, if that makes sense. Did you check out the HAIF link I gave you a while back? There's lots of info and background on Houston neighborhoods there.
Thank you for the information. Sounds similar to areas around San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC. I guess I am just used to seeing more foot traffic in those areas. Additionally, those areas are changing and increasing in density. That is especially true in Arlington, VA which used to be purely suburban. Is something similar happening in Houston? I know Midtown has changed a lot but are other areas becoming more urban, especially around transit lines?

Quote:
Originally Posted by houstoner View Post
You might wanna reconsider that job offer, it it's not too late.
Well, that is out of the cards at this point. But, in all honesty, the more I learn about Houston the more worried I get. Could be a short stint...we shall see.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:18 PM
 
134 posts, read 324,892 times
Reputation: 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by jfre81 View Post
The difference is there are sidewalks and mature trees providing shade. If that's not walkable, you must not be able to walk.
There is a difference between a neighborhood being literally walkable and a neighborhood being an active, urban walkable area. The pictures just seem to show a neighborhood where if you walked, the only person you would see is the odd guy walking his dog. Just doesn't seem to be anything within a reasonable distance...but I could be wrong.

After all, taken literally, a highway is walkable.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:29 PM
 
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,638,709 times
Reputation: 1973
If you only knew what Midtown looked like 10-15 years ago! Seriously, check out HAIF and most of your questions will be answered. Transit-oriented development, the nature of cities, Houston's growth, etc. is pretty much all they ever talk about over there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:30 PM
 
Location: where nothin ever grows. no rain or rivers flow, TX
2,028 posts, read 8,095,800 times
Reputation: 451
Quote:
Originally Posted by jd2008 View Post
There is a difference between a neighborhood being literally walkable and a neighborhood being an active, urban walkable area. The pictures just seem to show a neighborhood where if you walked, the only person you would see is the odd guy walking his dog. Just doesn't seem to be anything within a reasonable distance...but I could be wrong.

After all, taken literally, a highway is walkable.
squint your eyes a bit when you look at the pics... its really stupid hot out here. its not good for spoiled domesticated dogs to be walking out


nice pics RGV. I enjoyed seeing the more modern and interesting houses have the overgrown trees cleared out from their yards.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 03:44 PM
 
Location: ✶✶✶✶
15,218 posts, read 30,418,861 times
Reputation: 10847
Quote:
Originally Posted by jd2008 View Post
There is a difference between a neighborhood being literally walkable and a neighborhood being an active, urban walkable area. The pictures just seem to show a neighborhood where if you walked, the only person you would see is the odd guy walking his dog. Just doesn't seem to be anything within a reasonable distance...but I could be wrong.

After all, taken literally, a highway is walkable.
RGV didn't go there, but there is the Rice Village shopping center that is, well, a little more pedestrian-oriented than the typical Houston shopping center/strip mall. Also, there are more pedestrians near the university and the Medical Center. Going down the residential streets it's more quiet, but you can walk it if you want. I can walk anywhere. And yes, highways are walkable. I found that out firsthand that night I broke down between Alvin and Santa Fe at 2am a few years ago and decided I'd clear the six or so miles to my apartment on foot before I managed to come get someone to scoop me up. It really wasn't that bad. There was a Buc-ee's on the way.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 08:45 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
9,352 posts, read 19,948,878 times
Reputation: 11620
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wysiwyg View Post
squint your eyes a bit when you look at the pics... its really stupid hot out here. its not good for spoiled domesticated dogs to be walking out


nice pics RGV. I enjoyed seeing the more modern and interesting houses have the overgrown trees cleared out from their yards.

ooohhhh ... my dog does NOT do heat well ....probably has something to do with the underlayer of fur that she grows..... she is gonna HATE texas..... but when you go shelter kids, you roll the dice sometimes.....

bailey in the snow:

Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 09:14 PM
RGV RGV started this thread
 
570 posts, read 3,212,156 times
Reputation: 535
thx for the comments.

And it's always fun to start a discussion like this.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 09:37 PM
 
Location: Upstate NY native, now living in Houston
663 posts, read 2,255,753 times
Reputation: 211
RGV - great pics! Thanks for posting!

houstoner - love your history lesson!!! I need to check out the HAIF link myself!

latetotheparty - it is so insanely hot now in Houston, I loved seeing the snow pic! I miss the snow!!!! I really do.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-08-2008, 09:38 PM
 
569 posts, read 1,071,536 times
Reputation: 377
Nice pictures - thanks for posting these!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Houston

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top