Worst Texas Skyline (Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth: houses, movies, gated community)

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by solytaire

Comparably Tyler is certainly still a "quaint country town" and in my estimation will be perceived that way for another 10 years or so at least...It may be the best thing East Texas has going for it. However all but a couple of people whom I've talked to from major cities still DO consider it a small country town. Heck most people Ive talked to from true urban East Coast cities (Boston, NY, Washington DC) dont even regard Houston, Dallas, or SA as truly urban cities. Although they all (Dallas/FTW, Houston, SA) have practically everything those East Coast cities have and more in a few instances.

And the crime, traffic, violence, crowding, pollution, and gang violence in Tyler are not even on a comparable scale to most real/major cities. Which is why Tyler remains such a great place to retire. Our experiences may vary so Im not saying those elements you listed DONT exist, Im just saying from when I lived there, and based on all indications when I go back to visit, Tyler is nowhere near the scale of being "plagued" with the problems listed, as a majority of large cities (even cities as small as St. Louis or KC) are.

At the current rate of growth in another 10 years Tyler would be at a population of ~150,000. The only quaint parts of Tyler now are on the very outskirts of the city & even those areas are being clear cut of trees & old farm land to make way for the new tollway that will eventually form a second loop. Heck, I wouldn't even go as far as to call Lindale, Whitehouse, or Bullard quaint country towns anymore they're starting to become major suburbs of Tyler much like the cities around Dallas did way back when.

Quaint to me are the very isolated deep East Texas towns like Rusk, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, or Crockett.

[Mark-Tyler is Special]

Yes, I hate all the clear cutting - I know most outsiders or new commers think we have plenty trees but man what a change in the last ten years - at least much of the area inside the loop has many huge oaks and pines and other tree types. Three are at least 3 large apartment complex developments under construction now where they came in a just wiped out the trees. There is suppose to be a save or replant requirement for each new project but it doesn't look to be enforced.

[case44]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Tyler just got its first new residential high rise this year, Stretford at the Cascades. Its now the tallest building located outside of downtown at 14 floors & 180 feet.

Photo taken by me

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Very impressive, my friend.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by Mark-Tyler is Special

Yes, I hate all the clear cutting - I know most outsiders or new commers think we have plenty trees but man what a change in the last ten years - at least much of the area inside the loop has many huge oaks and pines and other tree types. Three are at least 3 large apartment complex developments under construction now where they came in a just wiped out the trees. There is suppose to be a save or replant requirement for each new project but it doesn't look to be enforced.

The same thing is happening around the northern parts of Houston, all those tall pines are being clear cut to make way for more development & sprawl. Thankfully, there are cities like The Woodlands that make planting trees a priority. There has been a MAJOR tree planting effort in Houston though the past few years to help beautify the freeways & rid the air of pollution.

[case44]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Here is the official website for Lubbock's downtown revitalization. The plan looks pretty impressive, but now it is just a matter of doing. I hope they build new highrises. The skyline and the downtown are often the things people look at when they form their opinion of a city, and right now Lubbock is not giving great impressions despite what we know to be the truth. The city has finally realized this fact and it looks like they are doing something about it.

Lubbock - Downtown - Information, Presentations, & Scenarios

The presentations are impressive. There's just one problem that still sticks out like a sore thumb. How can you not even dream of new high-rises?? I'm just disappointed that high rises weren't put into the actual renderings. Not even a few. It won't matter what the other bells and whistles may bring (and yes, they are needed). If cities can't make a commitment to improve their skylines and bring more business to downtown, they'll be shooting themselves in the foot.

Yes, you've got to have a great new visitor center, convention space, sidewalk eateries, clock towers, and abundant park land where you can build. But you can bring a lot of business in a thirty-to-forty-story office tower. There's less square feet on the ground when you do that. Then, after you've built a few high-rises to build your downtown district around, you can set yourself up with all the other things that will accompany them really well. I didn't say to totally saturate downtown with lots of high-rises like New York City ---- no, no. Just for Lubbock to get more than what they currently have will benefit them. They need a few signature buildings. And you can even have smaller structures when condos are in demand. Many of those don't have to go real high. This can work.

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

At the current rate of growth in another 10 years Tyler would be at a population of ~150,000. The only quaint parts of Tyler now are on the very outskirts of the city & even those areas are being clear cut of trees & old farm land to make way for the new tollway that will eventually form a second loop. Heck, I wouldn't even go as far as to call Lindale, Whitehouse, or Bullard quaint country towns anymore they're starting to become major suburbs of Tyler much like the cities around Dallas did way back when.

Quaint to me are the very isolated deep East Texas towns like Rusk, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, or Crockett.

I dont necessarily disagree with you here...Certainly parts of East Texas are far more rural than Tyler. Except that I think the only part of Tyler that ISNT quaint anymore is South Tyler. South Tyler is growing, prospering, and expanding seamlessly, which is terrific imo. However, much of the rest of the city still lags behind the juggernaut pace set by the southern portion of the city. Which I feel is what keeps it from being a true urban area at this point. If you go northwest of the loop, not even as far as to the Cracker Barrel, you will see virtually no urban development whatsoever.

The Eastern portions of town dont seem to be fairing much better out on 31 not even to Chapel Hill. Like I said, I dont disagree that Tyler is growing and will continue to grow at an even clip in the years to come. But one reason it still retains a small quaint feel throughout much of the city (outside of South/Southwest/Southeast Tyler) is because there simply hasnt been much growth/development in even distribution throughout the city, from what I've seen. Though I must say, I went driving/touring through the Cascades last Christmas, and it is quite a remarkable development...Although we were quickly followed and promptly escorted out...lol

[Mark-Tyler is Special]

You were excorted out of the Cascades? Man, been there many times, never seen that. Those are public streets with no gates planned? Just wasn't my experience, hard to explain. You need to go back They are fininshing 3 four story condos on the lake and have pretty much finished 40 two story Mansons of the Cascades rental units with garages and all, about 10 bldgs face the gold course and a about 400 unit three story assisted living is being finshed . If you came in off the Loop you need to go over a high hill that is in the middle of the golf fairway you can not ee from the home side to the rental side. on purpose I bet. I think it's a real "stretch" for Tyler to "fill up" all these units but the developers are successful in Houston and DFW areas with somewhat the same type planned community. As most people say, I really don't have much of a "life" because I watch the city council and planning a zoning meetings on the local cable. Just interested in Tyler. The areas up 69 to the Int. 20 and 271 to Int. 20 are planned for hopefully opening up growth by the city extending water and sewer line up the 6 - 10 miles to the interstate in the next four years. There is a new Tyler 21 plan just approved in April, I think, that has a section in it to help redevelop the North and Northwest Areas and for that matter the downtown area. The East Texas Symphony just bought the old Liberty Theater downtown to convert to some type of special performance even thou we have the 10 year old 22 Million dollar Cowan Center on the U.T. Tyler Campus for Symphony use. I need to close. Bye

[case44]

Originally Posted by WestTx

Lubbock definitely has a LONG way to go in terms of a skyline, and a central business district in general. There hasn't been a downtown office building built in 40 years and it shows. There are many positives to Lubbock, but downtown is not one of them. The Depot district south of downtown has some potential, but the rest of the downtown area is awful. There are plans for the future to rebuild and enhance the area. But, they're about 15 years too late IMO. Midland has an excellent skyline mostly because of the oil execs that frequent the area when times are good.

Here's the vision for downtown Lubbock:

Commission unveils plan to energize downtown Lubbock | BUSINESS EDITOR

I agree that Lubbock has a long way to go, but it certainly isn't too late. If the city and the people that want to build are proactive, it could be sooner rather than later. Westerner92 also brought up some really good points. Lubbock just needs to develop a vision for their city. The Depot District is only the beginning, but it isn't finished yet. That day will come when cranes outnumber windmills and visions do become realized. Really. It's not far-fetched.

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by Mark-Tyler is Special

You were excorted out of the Cascades? Man, been there many times, never seen that. Those are public streets with no gates planned? Just wasn't my experience, hard to explain. You need to go back They are fininshing 3 four story condos on the lake and have pretty much finished 40 two story Mansons of the Cascades rental units with garages and all, about 10 bldgs face the gold course and a about 400 unit three story assisted living is being finshed . If you came in off the Loop a high hill that is in the middle of the golf fairway you can not ee from the h you need to go overome side to the rental side. on purpose I bet. I think it's a real "stretch" for Tyler to "fill up" all these units but the developers are successful in Houston and DFW areas with somewhat the same type planned community. As most people say, I really don't have much of a "life" because I watch the city council and planning a zoning meetings on the local cable. Just interested in Tyler. The areas up 69 to the Int. 20 and 271 to Int. 20 are planned for hopefully opening up growth by the city extending water and sewer line up the 6 - 10 miles to the interstate in the next four years. There is a new Tyler 21 plan just approved in April, I think, that has a section in it to help redevelop the North and Northwest Areas and for that matter the downtown area. The East Texas Symphony just bought the old Liberty Theater downtown to convert to some type of special performance even thou we have the 10 year old 22 Million dollar Cowan Center on the U.T. Tyler Campus for Symphony use. I need to close. Bye

"I really don't have much of a "life" because I watch the city council and planning a zoning meetings on the local cable."

I do the SAME THING when I come home!..lol..its on channel 2 or 3 or something like that...Im just a closet City Council watcher..lol


About the Cascades --- I know crazy right..but I promise to God, we were driving around the Cascades viewing the houses we had heard so much about. We noticed a white van slowly following us through the small streets with no apparent direction other than the route we traversed. We finally stopped our car, at which point the man in the white van pulled up behind us and stopped.

We got out and asked if there was a problem or perhaps if there were some reason we were being followed. We were told quite abruptly that "Yeah, Im one of the owners of these properties and I was wondering what you were doing driving through here." We told him we were just touring the development we had heard so much about.

He informed us that we looked suspicious, and that people had been riding through stealing construction supplies (this was in the earlier stages of its development) and that he thought we might be attempting to do that. At that point I no longer felt the need to justify why we were in what we thought was a publicly accessible locale. I called law enforcement, we all (me, my sister, the partial property owner) waited for the police to arrive...

The officer asked for our identification, we obliged..We explained the situation to the officer. The officer gave the gentleman a warning and told him to back off. The officer then gave us a card to call if the gentleman continued his behavior. As God as my witness this happened so needless to say we kind of lost interest in the Cascades development...lol However from what we were able to see, it is a very impressive development.

[case44]

Originally Posted by Arcane

Fort Worth not in your top 18 list?

WooooHoooo Denton.

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Now, to their credit, I don't think they are one of the worst.