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It's a fair point that Houston's main industry is globally focused, while some of Chicago's largest roles are focused on the US.
The term "global" is obviously subjective like "urban" and many others.
Thank you exactly what i'm saying.
Also, I didn't make this clear the first time but the premise of this thread is laughable while certainly central Houston can look like Toronto, in fact Houston could become a denser Toronto given time, 20 years is way too short, but Houston has a massive grid over an area that is bigger than Toronto city limits. But that is looking at things from a perspective of anything is possible. Realistically Houston will never touch Toronto of twenty years ago's density let alone today.
That's a saying that refers to things being clustered. I'm saying Houston TMC claims are more about how your medical institutions are clustered in one neighborhood, and less about Houston being a top healthcare city, though it's probably one of the top handful.
Yeah the saying is pretty basic but I was wondering why you thought that was the case with the TMC. Don't think NIH funding is the only metric, although Houston lacks a bit there. It's growing though and the TMC3 will help with that growth (already is).
Also, I didn't make this clear the first time but the premise of this thread is laughable while certainly central Houston can look like Toronto, in fact Houston could become a denser Toronto given time, 20 years is way too short, but Houston has a massive grid over an area that is bigger than Toronto city limits. But that is looking at things from a perspective of anything is possible. Realistically Houston will never touch Toronto of twenty years ago's density let alone today.
Toronto is gaining faster than Houston though so it’s falling further behind not making up ground
Local and state politics play a huge role in development of cities. I know Texas is traditionally seen as auto-centric with a right-leaning government. However, what's Houston's municipal politics like? Is it leaning more towards urbanization, transit-oriented development, and promoting alternative modes of transport like cycling, walking, transit, etc? And what is Texas state government's attitude towards urban development in the Houston area (as we all know some states can go from actively supportive to borderline undermining a major city's development)?
In Toronto, this is very much defined by local politics, and local populations' appetite for change. Often times, it requires both (sound policy and active support from local communities) to go in the same direction, at the same time, before major change can occur, and that can take a years if not decades. And even in an urban-leaning city like Toronto, you'd be surprised at how often the "car vs. everyone else" debates happen (almost daily on the local news). Many times, real change happens in the form of 2 steps forward and one step back: government transforms a certain street too pedestrian and transit only (forward), but compromises by giving drivers another lane or more parking spaces on the next street (backward). It took Toronto more than 2 years to turn a pilot east-west bike lane system into permanent installation due to ongoing local business opposition that it's taking away on-street parking. Again, change is slow, change is chaotic, and can go both ways.
Local and state politics play a huge role in development of cities. I know Texas is traditionally seen as auto-centric with a right-leaning government. However, what's Houston's municipal politics like? Is it leaning more towards urbanization, transit-oriented development, and promoting alternative modes of transport like cycling, walking, transit, etc? And what is Texas state government's attitude towards urban development in the Houston area (as we all know some states can go from actively supportive to borderline undermining a major city's development)?
Houston has very lax development policies, which can allow for rapid, dense urbanity with natural mix-use ... but the few policies it does have happen to be car-favored, which results in urban-lite as mentioned above.
The Right-wing claim to be champions of free-market, laissez-faire growth that typifies lax-urban development. So Houston's urbanization shouldn't be an issue if the Texas government truly practices what they preach.
Last edited by kemahkami; 06-09-2019 at 01:24 PM..
Houston has very lax development policies, which can allow for rapid, dense urbanity with natural mix-use ... but the few policies it does have happen to be car-favored, which results in urban-lite as mentioned above.
The Right-wing claim to be champions of free-market, laissez-faire growth that typifies lax-urban development. So Houston's urbanization shouldn't be an issue if the Texas government truly practices what they preach.
Agreed, the main thing killing the city is parking minimums, and a lack of proper sidewalk development. Outside of that Houston has the perfect demographics and laws, or should I say lack of laws for a much denser core. The entire inner loop is gridded, and much of the area outside of it as well. Density is definitely increasing but the eastern-half of the loop is ignored, and in time instead of ending up as dense as the western side it my just end up where the rich move when the Western half of the city becomes midrise central and too crowded.
Neighborhoods to look at though are- Midtown, EaDo, Downtown, Northside, Third Ward looking 20 years in the future. Especially the Third Ward and Midtown with four universities in the area as well as two business districts the entire are could shift quite quickly.
Agreed, the main thing killing the city is parking minimums, and a lack of proper sidewalk development. Outside of that Houston has the perfect demographics and laws, or should I say lack of laws for a much denser core. The entire inner loop is gridded, and much of the area outside of it as well. Density is definitely increasing but the eastern-half of the loop is ignored, and in time instead of ending up as dense as the western side it my just end up where the rich move when the Western half of the city becomes midrise central and too crowded.
Neighborhoods to look at though are- Midtown, EaDo, Downtown, Northside, Third Ward looking 20 years in the future. Especially the Third Ward and Midtown with four universities in the area as well as two business districts the entire are could shift quite quickly.
The inner-loop has developers keep the uncurbed streets .... much more along with the ditches left in front of the new infill. Many have the ugly power-line poles in front of nice multi-residential housing also maintained. Rather than moving them in whole block renewal.
Some the developer curbed their side of the street and across it not and with the ditch. All the city's fault. It cost tax $$$ to curb streets. Though the ditch-system is to collect water in storms. But a bit 3rd World.
Houston is its own kind of city with other Texas cities. To claim it will become the dense old-style city in the future ..... would still mean city planning and some requirement for developers to go high-rises more too. Zoning could work toward that. Otherwise ..... Houston will get what few choices developers build and in home choices on a slab.
Time will tell of course ..... if Houston gets the high-rise level you think it not just could ..... but will.
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