How Downtown Houston Went from Barren to Bustling (Dallas, Howe: lease, school)

[Spade]

Originally Posted by Houston parent

HA! Show those same Chicago spots in the dead of winter.

I remember back in December 2004, an artic blast came through Chicago and the wind chill was in the single digits. On one of the vibrant shopping areas in the city, the sidewalks were still packed with people. You could have sworn it was 70 degrees. But it clearly was not. Chicago does not die even when the seasons change.

[CCrest182]

Originally Posted by Spade

I remember back in December 2004, an artic blast came through Chicago and the wind chill was in the single digits. On one of the vibrant shopping areas in the city, the sidewalks were still packed with people. You could have sworn it was 70 degrees. But it clearly was not. Chicago does not die even when the seasons change.

Very true.... I feel like some winter-averse people on this site think things like coats, gloves, hats, scarves etc. don't exist. It's not like the city just stops moving once it becomes cold... but admittedly, it does get annoying once the Holiday season has passed. By February people can't wait for late April/May to come sooner.

That said, Chicago is definitely more vibrant in the summer time, probably more than any other time of the year.

[timtemtym]

Downtown Houston as a kid in the 90s was a dystopian wonderland after dark! We used to go to No Tsu Oh at odd hours of the night and you could park right in front of it. It was 24 hours and there were always people sleeping on the couches. We were dumb kids and wandering the empty streets didn't feel too dangerous. You could drive at exactly 30 miles per hour and the lights were timed all the way through downtown. Sometimes we were the only moving car in sight. The only residential area was the rice and that sketchy condo tower right alongside the Pierce elevated... and the homeless sleeping in city hall park.

Now some of the conservative friends I had in high school in Clear Lake who were too scared to go into the city (they called it "Houston" meaning the central city even though Clear Lake was city of Houston) have fancy condos downtown. It feels like a real city now. It used to only feel that way right around the theater district.

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by Snapper_head

I was curious so I just checked the climate data for Buenos Aires. Sadly, it’s much milder and cooler than Houston. (I got my hopes up.)

Houston seems to be very similar to Hong Kong or Hanoi. So there’s hope.

Originally Posted by Spade

You're right. It can get sticky and humid in the summer in Buenos Aires but the averages are cooler than Houston.

But I've read that Hong Kong is more like Galveston than Houston. Galveston seldom sees temps go that far above 90 throughout the summer. A couple days of 92-94. But most days are between 88-90. That's pretty much the same as Hong Kong I've read. I think if Houston didn't get so much of the southwesterly winds strong as it does, you could see a climate similar to Shanghai.

Houston's heat is mainly the warm/shallow Gulf + urban heat island + dry spells from time to time due to higher atmosphere conditions (not SW winds).

But how walkable is Dubai? That city gets true 100F+ desert heat along with humidity from the Persian Gulf.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by CCrest182

Very true.... I feel like some winter-averse people on this site think things like coats, gloves, hats, scarves etc. don't exist. It's not like the city just stops moving once it becomes cold... but admittedly, it does get annoying once the Holiday season has passed. By February people can't wait for late April/May to come sooner.

That said, Chicago is definitely more vibrant in the summer time, probably more than any other time of the year.

This walking video is definitely proof of that.

After all ..... Houston desires to over-take Chicago by city-proper population.
But will downtown Houston reach this bustling? In more favorable temp months .... let's say??

From May 31st 2019. Busy busy.
Love seeing street performers. Great Blues one on State St just after the 40-minute mark.
Starts on Ohio I believe .... then south on Michigan Ave, into Park then down to State St.
A BluesFest in Millennium Ark Petrillo Pavilion. The Bean of course and to some of the RiverWalk.
ALL IS BUSTLING. as is in the thread title on Bustling Houston? But why time of year does is it bustling?

His videos tend to be dark. But it still kept me watching for the whole hour.
I found it very interesting. Not NYC. Very Clean, flowers, outdoor cafés and no one will say sterile.....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpaAykZAWwY

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Snapper_head

Because of clothing, humans have a much greater range of activity in extreme cold than in extreme heat.

To walk around for a couple hours at a reasonable pace, a person in standard clothing can probably do that comfortably when it’s anywhere from 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 12 degrees above or below room temperature (72 degrees).

But with typical winter clothing like a sweater, thick coat, scarf, gloves, and a hat, a person can easily walk around for a couple hours when it’s 15 or 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. That’s 50 to 60 degrees lower than room temperature.

But when it gets higher than 85 degrees, there’s not much you can do. When it’s 95 degrees, it’s a struggle for most folks to walk for an hour at a reasonable pace. When it’s 100 degrees, it’s a struggle for most folks to walk half an hour at a reasonable pace. And when it’s over 105 degrees, it’s a struggle for most folks to walk for more than a few minutes at a reasonable pace.

Until someone invents air-conditioned clothing, walkability is much easier for humans at very cold temperatures than very hot temperatures.

A couple hours at 15 or 20 degrees????? 15 minutes sure. But a couple hours would be a "struggle for most folks."

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by DavePa

After all ..... Houston desires to over-take Chicago by city-proper population.
But will downtown Houston reach this bustling? In more favorable temp months .... let's say??

I don't think anyone in both cities cares about this in real life. Even on this forum, it's mostly just mentioned in the context for questioning debate.

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by ScrappyJoe

I don't think anyone in both cities cares about this in real life. Even on this forum, it's mostly just mentioned in the context for questioning debate.

Facts. I don't understand why this seems to be such an obsession for some here.

[RocketSci]

Originally Posted by bu2

A couple hours at 15 or 20 degrees????? 15 minutes sure. But a couple hours would be a "struggle for most folks."

Unless you are facing a strong wind or sitting still it is not a big deal. It can be zero and still, but if sun is out you can still feel warm. People ski, sled, and hunt all day in cold weather.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by RocketSci

Unless you are facing a strong wind or sitting still it is not a big deal. It can be zero and still, but if sun is out you can still feel warm. People ski, sled, and hunt all day in cold weather.

Yep. In fact, if you actually are wearing the correct clothes on a cold blustery day in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid Atlantic, you can actually start sweating if you're walking.