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Houston is so dominant, that even if NW Houston became a city of 1.6 million people tomorrow it wouldn't be able to compete because all of it's commercial areas are already within the City of Houston. Now the area is seeing decline that when you look at Dallas has been managed. While Irving, Grand Prairie, Richardson, Duncanville, Addison, Far North Dallas, Carrolton, Farmer's Branch, DeSoto, Lancaster, Garland and Mesquite aren't the best of Dallas. When you compare these suburbs to areas, a similar distance from Houston. Alief, Memorial, Spring Branch, Westchase, Briarforest, Brays Oak, Stafford/Mo City, Westbury, Shadowcreek Ranch, Hobby, Edgebrook, Pasadena, Northshore/Cloverleaf, Sheldon ISD, Greenspoint, Aldine, Mount Houston and the Area North of Inwood/Acres Homes.
It's clear to me that these areas of Houston simply didn't hold their value when compared to similar areas of Dallas built at similar times.
I very much agree with this. We just spent the last week up in the Dallas area. Not only are the inner ring suburbs better managed, but the city itself seems overall nicer and better run because it focuses on a smaller area with super investments.
The 75 Central Expwy corridor from downtown to the LBJ is one of the most impressive urban freeway stretches in the state. It has so many good roads and nice parks and beautiful towers. Coming home to our Montrose neighborhood was a major letdown with dumpy, pot-holed roads. So much of the central Houston area looks like they gave up on any kind of maintenance a decade ago.
There are many nice, new developments going up in our area, but the streets are horrific. Even LA has better paving. I don't know where Houston spends its roadway dollars, but it definitely isn't on the roads. I think Houston just bit off more than it could chew in becoming the largest city in TX.
Our Southwest Freeway corridor used to be a good rival to the Central Expressway one in Dallas, but it hasn't kept up in the last 15 years.
I very much agree with this. We just spent the last week up in the Dallas area. Not only are the inner ring suburbs better managed, but the city itself seems overall nicer and better run because it focuses on a smaller area with super investments.
The 75 Central Expwy corridor from downtown to the LBJ is one of the most impressive urban freeway stretches in the state. It has so many good roads and nice parks and beautiful towers. Coming home to our Montrose neighborhood was a major letdown with dumpy, pot-holed roads. So much of the central Houston area looks like they gave up on any kind of maintenance a decade ago.
There are many nice, new developments going up in our area, but the streets are horrific. Even LA has better paving. I don't know where Houston spends its roadway dollars, but it definitely isn't on the roads. I think Houston just bit off more than it could chew in becoming the largest city in TX.
Our Southwest Freeway corridor used to be a good rival to the Central Expressway one in Dallas, but it hasn't kept up in the last 15 years.
As I have said for years, there are advantages and disadvantages on annexation.
I very much agree with this. We just spent the last week up in the Dallas area. Not only are the inner ring suburbs better managed, but the city itself seems overall nicer and better run because it focuses on a smaller area with super investments.
The 75 Central Expwy corridor from downtown to the LBJ is one of the most impressive urban freeway stretches in the state. It has so many good roads and nice parks and beautiful towers. Coming home to our Montrose neighborhood was a major letdown with dumpy, pot-holed roads. So much of the central Houston area looks like they gave up on any kind of maintenance a decade ago.
There are many nice, new developments going up in our area, but the streets are horrific. Even LA has better paving. I don't know where Houston spends its roadway dollars, but it definitely isn't on the roads. I think Houston just bit off more than it could chew in becoming the largest city in TX.
Our Southwest Freeway corridor used to be a good rival to the Central Expressway one in Dallas, but it hasn't kept up in the last 15 years.
I remember Sugar Land and Missouri City had a feud over who had to maintain the street signage on Dulles Ave in First Colony about a decade ago. Lots of finger pointing and political grandstanding.
Dallas actually has worse freeways. Central is the best in the region, but the others are heavily neglected. The Stemmons (I-35 North) is full of cracks and potholes inside I-635 LBJ.
Houston has the Katy and the NW Freeway expansions that now rival Central. Now the 610/69 interchange is going to be completely redone. Also it was mentioned that the 610 section inside the Galleria is no longer the most congested highway segment in Texas; I-35 through Central Austin took the top spot.
I remember Sugar Land and Missouri City had a feud over who had to maintain the street signage on Dulles Ave in First Colony about a decade ago. Lots of finger pointing and political grandstanding.
Dallas actually has worse freeways. Central is the best in the region, but the others are heavily neglected. The Stemmons (I-35 North) is full of cracks and potholes inside I-635 LBJ.
Houston has the Katy and the NW Freeway expansions that now rival Central. Now the 610/69 interchange is going to be completely redone. Also it was mentioned that the 610 section inside the Galleria is no longer the most congested highway segment in Texas; I-35 through Central Austin took the top spot.
Its absolutely not because that segment is any better than it used to be - its just because of how ridiculous 35 is.
And that will change in a few years when the 35 upgrades are complete and 610 remains in its current configuration - it'll be right back on top of the congestion rankings.
With Buckhead, wanting to split from Atlanta, what, if any area would you want deannexed or hope they secede from Houston.
One area in particular, had never made much sense as part of Houston, which to me is Fort Bend Houston. To compensate for this lost revenue, it would make far more sense if the entirety of Alief was in the city limits of Houston. Currently the western third within Harris County is unincorporated, and it's probably the most city-fied area not under the city. The Fort Bend Houston portion would either form a new community of Willowridge or join Missouri City.
In general, I think Missouri City makes far more sense including- Fifth Street, Arcola, Meadows Place, Sienna Plantation, Fresno, Fort Bend Houston, Stafford and Mo City in one municipality. It wouldn't quite match up with Sugar Land, but act as Katy and an counter-influence in a county they basically dominate. ( I would also do similar things with Richmond, Mission Bend, and Fulshear which I think would actually make FBC more akin to Collin County with 4 cities over 100,000 people.
Another one that would make perfect sense would be the Kingwood/Lake Houston area. It lead to anti-annexing laws and behavior from suburbanites in the first place. To compensate, it would make sense that municipalities that literally only exist due to classism/racism would become part of the city. Municipalities such as The Memorial Villages, be incorporated in Houston.
By that same token, I would deannex, Clear Lake and take in West U, Southside Place and Bellaire into the city.
I also think in general it would make sense for the city to annex Aldine, as well as the area between Willowbrook and the airport, South of 1960. Just because it make's more sense to have contiguous borders rather than a mish-mash of areas. So the city, would be similar size, with more people and roughly equal in wealth.
With Buckhead, wanting to split from Atlanta, what, if any area would you want deannexed or hope they secede from Houston.
One area in particular, had never made much sense as part of Houston, which to me is Fort Bend Houston. To compensate for this lost revenue, it would make far more sense if the entirety of Alief was in the city limits of Houston. Currently the western third within Harris County is unincorporated, and it's probably the most city-fied area not under the city. The Fort Bend Houston portion would either form a new community of Willowridge or join Missouri City.
In general, I think Missouri City makes far more sense including- Fifth Street, Arcola, Meadows Place, Sienna Plantation, Fresno, Fort Bend Houston, Stafford and Mo City in one municipality. It wouldn't quite match up with Sugar Land, but act as Katy and an counter-influence in a county they basically dominate. ( I would also do similar things with Richmond, Mission Bend, and Fulshear which I think would actually make FBC more akin to Collin County with 4 cities over 100,000 people.
Another one that would make perfect sense would be the Kingwood/Lake Houston area. It lead to anti-annexing laws and behavior from suburbanites in the first place. To compensate, it would make sense that municipalities that literally only exist due to classism/racism would become part of the city. Municipalities such as The Memorial Villages, be incorporated in Houston.
By that same token, I would deannex, Clear Lake and take in West U, Southside Place and Bellaire into the city.
I also think in general it would make sense for the city to annex Aldine, as well as the area between Willowbrook and the airport, South of 1960. Just because it make's more sense to have contiguous borders rather than a mish-mash of areas. So the city, would be similar size, with more people and roughly equal in wealth.
The Villages, West U, Southside Place, and Bellaire will never agree to become part of Houston. Being separate cities means those entities can avoid issues with all those poor people of color that make Houston such a horrible place(that's sarcasm, BTW).
Houston will never deannex anything, not should it.
Why would West U/Bellaire/Southside Place/Memorial Village residents ever agree to be annexed by CoH? They'd be giving up lower tax rates, better city services, zoning, and far more responsive police departments, in exchange for what? They have every incentive to maintain the status quo.
I've lived in City of Houston, West U, and Spring Valley Village and the difference in the competence and responsiveness of city services in the enclave communities is like night and day. When dealing with city property maintenance issues, I accomplished more with a five-minute phone call to the SVV public works dept than I was able to with dozens of emails, phone calls, and 311 reports to the City of Houston. CoH government doesn't care about its residents, you're just a number to them.
With Buckhead, wanting to split from Atlanta, what, if any area would you want deannexed or hope they secede from Houston.
One area in particular, had never made much sense as part of Houston, which to me is Fort Bend Houston. To compensate for this lost revenue, it would make far more sense if the entirety of Alief was in the city limits of Houston. Currently the western third within Harris County is unincorporated, and it's probably the most city-fied area not under the city. The Fort Bend Houston portion would either form a new community of Willowridge or join Missouri City.
In general, I think Missouri City makes far more sense including- Fifth Street, Arcola, Meadows Place, Sienna Plantation, Fresno, Fort Bend Houston, Stafford and Mo City in one municipality. It wouldn't quite match up with Sugar Land, but act as Katy and an counter-influence in a county they basically dominate. ( I would also do similar things with Richmond, Mission Bend, and Fulshear which I think would actually make FBC more akin to Collin County with 4 cities over 100,000 people.
Another one that would make perfect sense would be the Kingwood/Lake Houston area. It lead to anti-annexing laws and behavior from suburbanites in the first place. To compensate, it would make sense that municipalities that literally only exist due to classism/racism would become part of the city. Municipalities such as The Memorial Villages, be incorporated in Houston.
By that same token, I would deannex, Clear Lake and take in West U, Southside Place and Bellaire into the city.
I also think in general it would make sense for the city to annex Aldine, as well as the area between Willowbrook and the airport, South of 1960. Just because it make's more sense to have contiguous borders rather than a mish-mash of areas. So the city, would be similar size, with more people and roughly equal in wealth.
One can wish, for sure. I personally don't think anything outside of the Beltway should be within the city but that ship has sailed. Clear Lake and Kingwood never should have been annexed in the first place.
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