Imagine Your City In 2050 (skyline)

[Spade]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

In Dallas, it depends on the neighborhood. It's true in some areas such as Victory Park. But it's more like your Houston example in Oak Cliff, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Lower Greenville, Deep Ellum, etc. Sure, some streets in those neighborhoods will have a megaproject apartment. And even so, those megaproject apartments are generating a lot of revenue for the city of Dallas so that they can fix the roads, improve police response times, preserve older buildings, etc.

I also disagree that Houston's urban core has a brighter future. I believe its Downtown will become vibrant, but the surrounding areas are just too far behind including Midtown. Both Downtown Houston & Dallas are pretty equal as of now. But beyond that, Dallas is just way ahead in terms of pedestrian friendly design, public transit, and neighborhoods with an identity and walkable business district. Downtown Dallas is better connected to its bordering neighborhoods than DT Houston is. Houston lacks cohesiveness and sense of place outside of its Downtown, with the exception of the Heights and a few other areas. Eventually, you can take a trolley from Uptown Dallas to the Bishop Arts District. Greater Downtown Dallas also has more buildings that were built pre-1945 than greater Downtown Houston.

I don't even think Houston has a plan for its highways around Downtown. Dallas just completed the CityMAP study, the first of its kind I might add that analyzed several options for the highways around Downtown and the economic impact -- removing, re-routing, burying, or keeping it the same. There's no neighborhood in Houston's greater Downtown like Deep Ellum in Dallas. The rebirth of the Main, Elm, and Commerce corridor from the West End through Deep Ellum (Old Dallas) will be interesting to watch. Lots of old buildings, narrow streets, etc... Can't that say I can find an equivalent area in Houston other than Main St.

In the end, Houston excels at some things and Dallas excels at some things.Houston definitely has a plan with it's highways around downtown. All the plans call for a demolish of the Pierce Elevated that separates Downtown and Midtown. I disagree Dallas that is way ahead in public transit and neighborhoods with an identity. While Dallas does have the more extensive light rail system and a trolley as well. Houston has a higher ridership per mile, takes you where people want to go, and has a better bus system. If Houston ever builds the East-West line connecting Uptown to Downtown, it would have about as much ridership as DART with half the miles. While both cities have a bike plan, Houston is the only one with a bike sharing system and it's growing too. I think Houston's inner loop has a higher density than Dallas inner loop 12 and that poster is correct, I do not see the great number of dense town homes and SFH's in Dallas like I see in Houston constructed right now. They are in a couple spots, but not as much as Houston. I also disagree that Dallas has a more walkable business district. Both are pretty much the same here.

Both are really about the same in urbanity. While, Midtown is not up there with say a Deep Ellum, the Pierce Elevated could merge the two together and with those two along with the museum district and montrose, and TMC, that could be one long stretch of urbanity that could rival anything in Dallas as it continues to build up. All of those neighborhoods I just named are at least decently walkable.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Spade

In the end, Houston excels at some things and Dallas excels at some things.Houston definitely has a plan with it's highways around downtown. All the plans call for a demolish of the Pierce Elevated that separates Downtown and Midtown. I disagree Dallas that is way ahead in public transit and neighborhoods with an identity. While Dallas does have the more extensive light rail system and a trolley as well. Houston has a higher ridership per mile, takes you where people want to go, and has a better bus system. If Houston ever builds the East-West line connecting Uptown to Downtown, it would have about as much ridership as DART with half the miles. While both cities have a bike plan, Houston is the only one with a bike sharing system and it's growing too. I think Houston's inner loop has a higher density than Dallas inner loop 12 and that poster is correct, I do not see the great number of dense town homes and SFH's in Dallas like I see in Houston constructed right now. They are in a couple spots, but not as much as Houston. I also disagree that Dallas has a more walkable business district. Both are pretty much the same here.

Both are really about the same in urbanity. While, Midtown is not up there with say a Deep Ellum, the Pierce Elevated could merge the two together and with those two along with the museum district and montrose, and TMC, that could be one long stretch of urbanity that could rival anything in Dallas as it continues to build up. All of those neighborhoods I just named are at least decently walkable.

I have commented about Houston's bus system (in a good way) on here a few times. It definitely is a nice model that Dallas is starting to take notice of it. I may have overstated DART, but it's more extensive. Yes, Houston's ridership is higher. But I find DART's future a little brighter with plans for a Downtown subway on top of an already extensive system.

I should've clarified what I meant by pedestrian friendly design -- I agree you can walk in some of Houston's neighborhoods outside of Downtown, but the sidewalk network is pretty narrow and lousy. You tend to find more strip malls and buildings setback from the sidewalk more so in Houston neighborhoods than in Dallas (to be fair, Dallas isn't *that* much better in the greater scope of things). In general, I find Dallas easier to navigate on foot than Houston. Both Downtowns are equally pedestrian friendly, though. And I didn't mean Dallas's CBD was more walkable than Houston's -- I meant Dallas has more neighborhoods with a walkable business district (think Bishop Arts or Lower Greenville) than what you see in Houston (sans the Heights and a few other areas).

All and all, I'm glad you clarified your disagreement and it was pretty fair. More often that not, you'll have posters with strong opinions, but leave out the details.

[dollaztx]

Originally Posted by OuttaTheLouBurbs

And I didn't mean McKinney, Plano and Frisco specifically. I meant Dallas suburbs and exurbs in general. If you meant some other suburbs keep spreading out in their place after they go under though, then the problem will only get 10 times worse. That's the last thing you want.

I'm sure most Dallas residents (including me) would like to see all that suburban growth go to the urban Dallas core instead, but we can't close our eyes and pretend there's no land beyond McKinney/Plano etc. It's the reality, there's no mountains, no swamps, no natural barriers to assume that if those suburban cities fail, the metro will as well. Look at Arlington, Irving, they eventually slowed and Plano/Frisco took the helms of suburban economic growth. Even so, Arlington and Irving aren't dying by any means.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by dollaztx

I'm sure most Dallas residents (including me) would like to see all that suburban growth go to the urban Dallas core instead, but we can't close our eyes and pretend there's no land beyond McKinney/Plano etc. It's the reality, there's no mountains, no swamps, no natural barriers to assume that if those suburban cities fail, the metro will as well. Look at Arlington, Irving, they eventually slowed and Plano/Frisco took the helms of suburban economic growth. Even so, Arlington and Irving aren't dying by any means.

We can stop building the highways passed Prosper though

I also see urban Dallas having great potential. Too many posters on here are overlooking the amount of adapative reuse occurring in Dallas. While there is some boo hooing over the new apartment complexes, they are built in a pedestrian friendly design and generating revenue for the city. Of course we want to be careful with what is approved. After all, there is a balancing act.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

I have commented about Houston's bus system (in a good way) on here a few times. It definitely is a nice model that Dallas is starting to take notice of it. I may have overstated DART, but it's more extensive. Yes, Houston's ridership is higher. But I find DART's future a little brighter with plans for a Downtown subway on top of an already extensive system.

I should've clarified what I meant by pedestrian friendly design -- I agree you can walk in some of Houston's neighborhoods outside of Downtown, but the sidewalk network is pretty narrow and lousy. You tend to find more strip malls and buildings setback from the sidewalk more so in Houston neighborhoods than in Dallas (to be fair, Dallas isn't *that* much better in the greater scope of things). In general, I find Dallas easier to navigate on foot than Houston. Both Downtowns are equally pedestrian friendly, though. And I didn't mean Dallas's CBD was more walkable than Houston's -- I meant Dallas has more neighborhoods with a walkable business district (think Bishop Arts or Lower Greenville) than what you see in Houston (sans the Heights and a few other areas).

All and all, I'm glad you clarified your disagreement and it was pretty fair. More often that not, you'll have posters with strong opinions, but leave out the details.

Well of course because there is hardly any objectivity on here.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Spade

Well of course because there is hardly any objectivity on here.

And I do hope for a better Houston, btw. I enjoy visiting cities, so it's a plus when any city improves.

[PhilliesPhan2013]

Here is how I predict that Philadelphia will look like in 2050:

• Our population will surpass 2 million residents.
• All surface parking lots in Center City will be occupied by buildings.
• Aside from Chestnut and Walnut Streets, the numbered streets (especially the ones closer to Rittenhouse Square) will see a retail boom.
• West Philly will have a skyline that competes with Center City
• North Philly (especially along North Broad) will have more tall buildings.
• South Philly above I-76 will run out of buildable lots. Point Breeze and Grays Ferry will be completely filled in by this point. Major development may occur around the Sports Complex, converting the current sea of surface parking lots into a mixed-use nightlife district.
• Lower North Philly (roughly Poplar to Lehigh, Schuylkill River to Front Street) will be completely gentrified. By this point, most of Central North Philly (roughly Lehigh to Route 1, Schuylkill River to Front Street) will undergo gentrification. Hunting Park and Nicetown will start to see the early signs of gentrification.
• Much of West Philly will be gentrified, especially north of Market Street. East and West Parkside, Belmont, Carroll Park, and Mill Creek will all improve tremendously.
• The neighborhoods that are currently stable (ex. the Oak Lanes, Bridesburg, Fox Chase, etc.) and those that are rich (ex. Rittenhouse Square, Chestnut Hill, Society Hill, etc.) will likely remain stable. This also applies to Northwest Philly.
• The Lower Northeast (Frankford and Mayfair) will likely rebound. The Central Northeast will likely decline due to an aging housing stock and auto-orientation. Southwest Philly will likely remain the way it is, with some gentrification occurring along Woodland Avenue and in parts of Kingsessing closest to the 49th Street Media/Elwyn Line station.
• City Council will likely become MUCH more competent as the figureheads of "Old Philadelphia" are voted out by a younger, more passionate voting base.
• We will gain more Fortune 500 HQs as more companies discover the affordability (without giving up the urban experience) that Philly holds compared to NYC, Boston, San Fran, etc.
• Subway expansions will likely happen, as will Regional Rail expansions.

I am 21 now, so I very much plan on being alive to see all of these list items (hopefully) realized!

[That_One_Guy]

^^^^
I really hope Philly does get some subway expansions. They deserve better much better than what they currently have, and I mean that as a compliment to the city. They have the demand and the population density in many areas. Their commuter rail is really extensive tho.

[Turnerbro]

D.C will actually have a skyline.