Why does Houston feel more urban than Dallas??? (Greenville, Bishop: closing, residential)

[leaana]

Originally Posted by coog78

Is it really a stretch??? Let's include New Orleans and Miami. Do they have any neighborhoods that have top notch museums in the same district as great dining, shopping and nightlife? I mean yes, they both have very dense shopping, dining, and nightlife areas. But where are the museums? Where is the highly varied dining? Sure, New Orleans cajun/creole cooking is amazing and incredibly good! Miami's Hispanic cooking is top notch as well. Miami's neighborhoods do not have a vastly diverse population as Houston's Montrose/Museum District. New Orleans doesn't have any museums in their French Quarter (if I recall) and isn't all that diverse from what I recall either.

So back to the drawing board for you. Name me any other neighborhood besides Montrose/Museum District in Houston (basically from Allen Parkway to the Fountain circle) anywhere in the Southern United States that has the high quality dining, walkability, diverse population, culture (that would mean museums, art galleries, etc.), botique shops. Not some, but ALL.

I think people have different definitions of urban. i think of urban more along the same lines as you. I think urban has to comprise a variety of factors. i've been researching downtown areas and houston seems to be more urban to me comparative to other southern cities. you also don't usually see people describe new orleans as urban. i think an urban area usually has more diversity, at least, when it's much more modern and up and coming.

i see new orleans as slower paced and more old old world charm. i also view miami as more a sprawling predominantly hispanic community but also since it's in florida more beachy. i'm not saying that there can't be urban areas in florida but the lifestyle usually is slower-paced or too beachy to feel all that urban, so urban would also entail a kind of atmosphere as well.

[stoneclaw]

I had to pull this topic from the dead. The real answer to this question by the O/P "Why does Houston feel more urban than Dallas"

The 610 inner loop Houston is the most dense area in all of Texas. I asked a question in a recent thread i started as to what is the density of inner city Houston (inside the loop). If Houston's city limits were only inside the 610 loop and didn't sprawl over 500 sq niles (like most major cities are), sure Houston would lose its 4th largest city title but the density levels would increase, thus making it feel more urban. Yet and still, Houston contains the densest area in Texas.

[Metro Matt]

Houston "feels" like the much larger city, but Dallas is still ahead in dense urban developments & rail even though numbers might show inner loop Houston as being more dense...not by much.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Houston "feels" like the much larger city, but Dallas is still ahead in dense urban developments & rail even though numbers might show inner loop Houston as being more dense...not by much.

Houston's catching up with the urban developments such as West AVE, Houston Pavilions, One Park Place @ Discovery Green Camden @Midtown, and upcoming rail. Even though Dallas might have more urban villages *****', you still don't see any more people walking the streets in Dallas as in Houston. So the urban developments in Dallas are no more than a showcase.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Houston doesn't feel more urban than Dallas if we're talking about pedestrian friendliness and walkability. Even though you have more tall buildings in Houston, the neighborhoods north of downtown Dallas feel more urban than anything I've seen in Houston. It's not a jab at Houston, I love the place.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Houston doesn't feel more urban than Dallas if we're talking about pedestrian friendliness and walkability. Even though you have more tall buildings in Houston, the neighborhoods north of downtown Dallas feel more urban than anything I've seen in Houston. It's not a jab at Houston, I love the place.

That's changing though. Houston just has a larger urban core to cover than the tiny section north of Downtown Dallas.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Trae713

That's changing though. Houston just has a larger urban core to cover than the tiny section north of Downtown Dallas.

And when it does change, I'll give credit where it's due. Dallas is far more ambitious than Houston in this regard, so I doubt it will catch up.

Until then, it's all talk. This thread is proof of that.

[annie_himself]

If Washington Ave = Main St, Midtown would probably match Uptown Dallas as far as entertainment and residential. Houston has vast urban areas but they aren't densely populated by entertainment venues and 1st floor retail. Houston spreads the love around too much to Midtown, EaDo, Montrose, Washington Ave/Heights, and finally Downtown.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Houston doesn't feel more urban than Dallas if we're talking about pedestrian friendliness and walkability. Even though you have more tall buildings in Houston, the neighborhoods north of downtown Dallas feel more urban than anything I've seen in Houston. It's not a jab at Houston, I love the place.

I disagree. Dallas offers more walkable areas, but it still lacks the true essence and flavor of an urban city. Those parts you speak of feel stale and faux. I got more of an impression of a place trying to be more urban moreso than a place that is urban. In terms of character and atmosphere. I don't get "urban". Midtown/4th Ward in Houston imo beat anything Dallas offers in that regard.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by blkgiraffe

I disagree. Dallas offers more walkable areas, but it still lacks the true essence and flavor of an urban city. Those parts you speak of feel stale and faux. I got more of an impression of a place trying to be more urban moreso than a place that is urban. In terms of character and atmosphere. I don't get "urban". Midtown/4th Ward in Houston imo beat anything Dallas offers in that regard.

I never understand wat makes an area TRY to be more urban..If it has all the components and infrastructure of an urban area and performs as one.....then it is exactly that.