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.
Talking about "feeble attempts of some to pretend they are experts regarding a city of which they've clearly never seen a lick", to quote Bill Loney, most of Houston's prominent buisness and commerce clusters are located inside the loop or have boundaries which extend just outside the loop. All in all, an area of slightly above 100 sq miles. This includes Downtown, obviously, the Texas Medical Center, and Uptown. As well as much subtle skylines and highrise clusters like Greenway Plaza, Allen Parkway, Museum District, Upper Kirby/River Oaks etc.
The only notable clusters that actually are located outside of this much more comparable-to-other-cities area is Greenspoint, Westchase, and the Energy Corridor. None of which are considered skylines.
Point being, even if Houston was just over 100 sq miles, it would still have multiple skylines, and no, if every city were Houston's hypothetical 100 sq mile size, they would not have multiple skylines.
And while I don't want to voice an opinion on Seattle's case of being bustling, using dictionary definitions doesn't prove that one could consider Seattle "bustling", because then that would mean, based on the definition of "urban", which if you look back a few pages to the one I posted from your source, would mean that Houston is "urban", that Phoenix is "urban", that San Antonio is "urban", that Jacksonville is "urban", or any other city is "urban". And since you people say that those cities aren't indeed "urban" soley based on FACTUAL dictionary definition, only makes your argument for Seattle being "bustling" voided; you can't choose which definitions to accept and which to dissaprove of.
I do believe the question was not whether Houston or Seattle were "Urban, but rather which of the two was "More Urban" with a "big city" feel.
But perhaps we should reprint the OP's question just to be sure.
Here it is...
"Which is more urban, with more of a "big city" feel: Houston or Seattle?"
Call me ignorant, but how can a city having multiple skylines be considered less urban than a city with one dense skyline? Seattle may have better public trans, I'll give that for arguments sake, but it's not like Houston is Spokane or McAllen. It is vastly improving in this regard. And allow us to look at the highways. From what I hear, the highway system in Houston is just purely remarkeable.
And back to the skyline, Houston's CBD is by no means a slouch in density, height, nor architectural design. I voted Houston because of its sheer size. Even though it is immense and sprawled, I think this sprawl is actually a way that enhances its urbanity. If that makes any sense.
It depends on what is around it, if the high density is maintained in the neighborhoods directly adjacent then yes, but if it acts as a town center with buildings and retail and gives way to much less dense housing or non continuous density then it has much more in common with the suburbs, clusters of density/offices/retail sorrounded by much less dense residential, that is what the burbs are. So to me as two examples the Midtwon area is urban and in Houston the TMC area seems a little more suburban. It is an urban cluster that is not surrounded by cohesive dense residential. Just a few block away there is suburban like neighborhoods with tree lined streets that exist in every suburb in the coutry. It looks and feels more like a place like Tysons Corner in NOVA, part of the suburbs, yes an impressive center of buildings but an island to itself.
Now i also feel the need to say Houston is definately large metro, there is no denying this, but the city itself feels more like Fairfax or Montgomery county in the DC burbs, given the areas and similar composition these two could be considered top 10 or 15 cities in terms of population. Hell Nassua county on LI is 450 sq miles and has a density higher than the city of Houston
Now i also feel the need to say Houston is definately large metro, there is no denying this, but the city itself feels more like Fairfax or Montgomery county in the DC burbs, given the areas and similar composition these two could be considered top 10 or 15 cities in terms of population. Hell Nassua county on LI is 450 sq miles and has a density higher than the city of Houston
Not even close; I'd say it feels more like somewhere in Florida or CA. I get your point about trying to compare it to a suburban county, but Houston and it's suburbs are quite different from those places.
I think it is safe to say the streets in Seattle are bustling in its Downtown Core. Mostly because of the SHopping and lots of residental restaurants thats Downtown.. Barneys NY NOrdtroms Macys and smaller retailers can be found in that area
I could go with that.
Especially around the Market.
On my trips the market area was more bustling than any of the retail areas. I walked by retail area, but never went in them. The big draw for me was the market. The fruits there were something else. I can taste that all natural goodness just bursting with flavor in my mouth now
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.
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.
