Better Pedestrian-Friendly Walkability/Activity - Houston or Dallas? (Sanger, West: tenant, theater)

[BigT3x]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

EXACTLY

To think most people would be walking from Downtown Dallas to Uptown over a freeway park deck is just foolish. Sure it connects to two areas, but come on, this is Texas, not NYC & that is quite a ways walk anyways. You'd be collapsed dead of a heat stroke by the time you made it across in this brutal Texas heat. Its more of a "just to say we have it & could build it" type of thing.

This is the very reason Houston has an extensive fully air conditioned downtown tunnel system.

I walk from my office in the middle of downtown out to the Arts District multiple times a week to visit the food trucks. My office to Uptown is about the same distance. It's not a bad walk, even in August.

For those who can't walk, the MATA streetcar is being extended to St. Paul Station.

EDIT: Also, on the tunnels... Dallas has them but is shutting them down.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by jbarn

I think you may have read only parts of what I said. I did not say that downtown Dallas has a good pedestrian level, as I believe that at this time it is lacking. I said that "in Downtown Dallas there is a real urban center that is forming that will appeal to both residents and tourists". There is this truly urban environment that is forming that in a few years is going to make Dallas a totally different city. also, I did not say Uptown is downtown, I said "In Downtown Dallas you can walk to .......Uptown".

Well I did misread the part about walking to Uptown, but I stand by the main point of my response.

Especially the part where you said "Downtown Dallas may not look as impressive from afar", which is something I NEVER hear. Well, almost never.

P.S., Yokandyman, no offense or anything, but I really only go to Dallas when I have to. Maybe next time during The Fair. And to be fair, what people do say about the street level being dead in DTD is exaggerated (HOUSTON TOO), but it's not perfect either. Gettin' better, though...

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by BigT3x

I walk from my office in the middle of downtown out to the Arts District multiple times a week to visit the food trucks. My office to Uptown is about the same distance. It's not a bad walk, even in August.

For those who can't walk, the MATA streetcar is being extended to St. Paul Station.

EDIT: Also, on the tunnels... Dallas has them but is shutting them down.

Not surprising.

Dallas' tunnels aren't nearly as extensive or as modern as Houston's. The ones in Houston are always being remodeled or reworked especially when new skyscrapers are built downtown.

[BigT3x]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Not surprising.

Dallas' tunnels aren't nearly as extensive or as modern as Houston's. The ones in Houston are always being remodeled or reworked especially when new skyscrapers are built downtown.

The tunnels and skywalks covered the entire CBD. The city realized how stupid it is to put all the pedestrians in tunnels and has been dismantling the system piece by piece.

Houston will realize the same thing. You guys are always slower to catch on, but you do get there eventually.

[Yokandyman]

Originally Posted by JJG

P.S., Yokandyman, no offense or anything, but I really only go to Dallas when I have to. Maybe next time during The Fair. And to be fair, what people do say about the street level being dead in DTD is exaggerated (HOUSTON TOO), but it's not perfect either. Gettin' better, though...

That's cool... You're welcome for a visit whenever you're ready. But yea, it is definitely on the upswing in Dowtown Dallas. It's good to see the city setting itself up for what is to come. Better to already have an urban park centrally located in place than to wait until you get all these people down there to live and no place nearby to unwind for natural recreation. This park will definitely make the area much more lucrative to people looking to live downtown and/or develop there. I'm excited about it.

Relax Houston... I know you're mad about it, but it's ok.

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by Yokandyman

That's cool... You're welcome for a visit whenever you're ready. But yea, it is definitely on the upswing in Dowtown Dallas. It's good to see the city setting itself up for what is to come. Better to already have an urban park centrally located in place than to wait until you get all these people down there to live and no place nearby to unwind for natural recreation. This park will definitely make the area much more lucrative to people looking to live downtown and/or develop there. I'm excited about it.

Relax Houston... I know you're mad about it, but it's ok.

Speaking of the Park, there's already a number of programs already planned for the park.


Picture of the Klyde Warren Park

Photo from the park's facebook page


http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...00341394_n.jpg

[kenshi]

Originally Posted by BigT3x

EDIT: Also, on the tunnels... Dallas has them but is shutting them down.

That sucks. They should be upgrading them, not shutting them down. People are going to be more reluctant to walk around Downtown. We could learn from Toronto.

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by kenshi

That sucks. They should be upgrading them, not shutting them down. People are going to be more reluctant to walk around Downtown. We could learn from Toronto.

The tunnels is sucking the life out of downtown.


Tunnels - Reimagining Downtown Dallas - YouTube

[Yokandyman]

The tunnel situation in Downtown Dallas will be something that's done in processes. The city doesn't see a need to keep them open 24/7 with the new push to encourage more pedestrian activity on the streets. The tunnels will still be open on weekdays, but closed at night and on the weekend according to a report that came out in April. The retail tenants operating in them are currently closing at like 3pm, because there is no reason to be open after your morning and lunch rushes, with most of the tunnels' access coming from the offices in large skyscrapers there. The city wants to push more street-level retail activity there, so tenants will have the option to either stay down in the tunnels (closing early) or come on out to the streets where everyone else is projected to be (and operate longer hours). The city is gonna play this situation by ear before it does anything too drastic. I'm betting that all retail will eventually come out of the tunnels, but the tunnels will remain open weekdays only during extreme seasons like summer and winter. We'll see.

[kenshi]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

The tunnels is sucking the life out of downtown.

What a load of crap. The climate is what's sucking the life out of Downtown. The tunnels are the only chance at bringing a crowd there during the summer. What makes you think closing them is going to make people want to walk around in the 105 degree heat? Don't be absurd.

Originally Posted by Yokandyman

The tunnel situation in Downtown Dallas will be something that's done in processes. The city doesn't see a need to keep them open 24/7 with the new push to encourage more pedestrian activity on the streets. The tunnels will still be open on weekdays, but closed at night and on the weekend according to a report that came out in April. The retail tenants operating in them are currently closing at like 3pm, because there is no reason to be open after your morning and lunch rushes, with most of the tunnels' access coming from the offices in large skyscrapers there. The city wants to push more street-level retail activity there, so tenants will have the option to either stay down in the tunnels (closing early) or come on out to the streets where everyone else is projected to be (and operate longer hours). The city is gonna play this situation by ear before it does anything too drastic. I'm betting that all retail will eventually come out of the tunnels, but the tunnels will remain open weekdays only during extreme seasons like summer and winter. We'll see.

They're already only open during business hours on weekdays. What are you talking about?