Better skyline Houston or Dallas? (Austin, Fort Worth: pictures, drive, sold)

[Trae713]

[First24]

Originally Posted by Scarface713

I still don't see how you say Houston doesn't have a skyline layout. That's new. The developers did it on purpose. It's in a pattern, with the Heritage Plaza in the middle. Now, there is no height limit or anything, but the skyline's layout is nice. Maybe you meant something different by skyline layout though.

The closest thing Houston has to DC is the Texas Medical Center. I don't think there is another area in Texas as built and dense as the TMC.

I never said the city didn't have a skyline layout, it just doesn't appear thoughtout. I appreciate Houston's Downtown skyline, it looks new, sleek and clean with some beautifully designed towers. My issue comes when I pan my focus outside of Downtown to the Galleria and Energy corridors. The highrise deveopment looks too scattered for my taste. Williams Tower should be Downtown, it is too outstanding of a highrise to be outside the CBD.

I agree that currently the TMC cluster has the most DC-like appearance of any other area in Texas.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by buzzpost

That whole Hong Kong "over the top" bland skyscraper thing is horrid. There are a bazillion skyscrapers in Hong Kong, and none of them appear to be unique.

It just looks like a bunch of floors stacked upon one another, and in horrid fashion.

Sure, there are a few nice ones but most of them are repetitive.

And it still looks better than 95% of the skylines of the world.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by Scout_972

I never said the city didn't have a skyline layout, it just doesn't appear thoughtout. I appreciate Houston's Downtown skyline, it looks new, sleek and clean with some beautifully designed towers. My issue comes when I pan my focus outside of Downtown to the Galleria and Energy corridors. The highrise deveopment looks too scattered for my taste. Williams Tower should be Downtown, it is too outstanding of a highrise to be outside the CBD.

I agree that currently the TMC cluster has the most DC-like appearance of any other area in Texas.

I see what you're saying about the Williams Tower. Some in Houston feel the same way. I think the Williams Tower wouldn't be as iconic as it is in the Houston skyline if it was in Downtown.

[R1070]

The buildings in Dallas are the height they are because of their distance to Love Field airport. There is no restriction in Houston on height. The Bank of America building downtown had to alter its original design due to being taller than FAA standards set for downtown Dallas. If you notice uptown Dallas has a similar height for all of its buildings. Its closer to Love airport. I live in Oak Lawn which is right by uptown and the planes fly very low here for landing and takeoff. But my point is having taller buildings doesnt make a city any better. Houston has more tall buildings than DC & Boston does that make it a better city, no. My quality over quantity comment was geared to the overall quality of development and attention to detail you see throughout Dallas in its development. Its just a nicer city hands down with a more interesting skyline whether the buildings are taller or not.

[Trae713]

Ever heard of Hobby Airport? JP Morgan Chase had to be lowered in height because of flight paths. It was going to be 80 stories.

[SouthmoreAve]

Originally Posted by R1070

But my point is having taller buildings doesnt make a city any better. Houston has more tall buildings than DC & Boston does that make it a better city, no. My quality over quantity comment was geared to the overall quality of development and attention to detail you see throughout Dallas in its development. Its just a nicer city hands down with a more interesting skyline whether the buildings are taller or not.

Well those type of discussions are to be noted in another thread that's title is not "Better skyline Houston or Dallas?"

We were talking about skylines here, not cities.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by R1070

The buildings in Dallas are the height they are because of their distance to Love Field airport. There is no restriction in Houston on height. The Bank of America building downtown had to alter its original design due to being taller than FAA standards set for downtown Dallas.

It sure did alter its original design. There were supposed to be twins towers!

[buzzpost]

Originally Posted by Spade

And it still looks better than 95% of the skylines of the world.

In your opinion Spade. In my opinion, that "look" or whatever you want to call it wreaks of third world. For reference here folks, Spade and I were talking about Shang-Hai, Hong Kong, or some other such city and I wasn't calling Houston "third world."

Best wishes to ya friend.

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Not a chance.

Houston's 2nd tallest building in Uptown/Galleria, after Williams Tower is 650 feet tall & eclipses ANYTHING in the D/FW Metroplex outside of Downtown Dallas.

Hell, even Houston's American General Tower (also outside of downtown) & standing at an impressive 590 feet is taller than Downtown Fort Worth's tallest.

You could combine every skyline in the Metroplex & it still wouldn't equal or surpass Houston's multiple skylines.

Houstons so called multiple skylines are driveby suburban nodes. Ive stayed in uptown Houston many many times and it barely resembles an urban place. Its a bunch of buildings clustered around a freeway, theres not much urban about it, no pedestrian activity, no urban fabric. You take your "multiple skylines" and I'll take downtown Ft Worth anyday!

I'll stick by my opinion that to the casual observer who travels around Dallas or Houston, they wont notice an appreciable difference highrises. Houstons average is higher, but thats it.