Some seem to think Houston doesn't take pride in its appearance. Thoughts? (Dallas: townhomes, neighborhood)

[West Side Houston]

Originally Posted by C2H (ComingtoHouston)

Your novel idea is not good enough for passengers. I'm sorry but other cities may have ghetto in them but they can hide it much better than Houston. Houston is starting to do what it can with the tree planting but it's not helping I45 at all. As i said in the other thread Moderator cut: orphaned, take a drive in Denver CO on their main freeway of I-25. It looks clean, prestine, and brand new. Houston on the other hand, many of the freeways (exept West Loop, and Katy Freeway) appear muddy and old. Anyone ever pay attention to the medians in the middle of 45 separating the HOV lanes by University of Houston at Main Campus? Next time you travel, i would suggest you do. You will see the paint peeling. Looks atrocious.

HOUSTON is a HUGE city. Do you really think it costs the same to maintain HUGE Houston than LITTLE Denver?

[jfre81]

So why do we have so much "ghetto" along the freeways, one might ask. Since nobody wants to live in a freeway, and nobody well-heeled enough to fight it at the time when they were built let them come through their neighborhood, we're left with plenty we apparently have to line with trees to hide from the tourists.

OK, great. So what happens when another big hurricane comes around? Suppose we have all these trees laying in the main routes going into town. That wouldn't be very good.

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by dv1033

I don't think it's so much as a pride issue. I think Houston does need to "clean up its act" so to speak. I don't think zoning is the answer, that is zoning that dictates what goes where. I think Houston has a unique, gritty vibe and I like it. Cities that have everything clean and orderly look way too sterile and fake to me, but that's not to say Houston can't look better without losings it unique image. I think Houston can improve by enacting better form based zoning (which we already do have, I hate when people say we don't have zoning) that dictates landscaping, sidewalks, and general aesthetics.

I've lived in San Diego, L.A., the SF Bay Area, Dallas, Washington DC and now Houston. Sure there is room for improvement but I agree with dv1033, I like Houston's gritty vibe. Sure it is not for everyone but after living here two months I think there is alot to like about Houston. The people here are great, it's an exciting city in terms of opportunities and the random nature of how the city is laid out keeps neighborhoods interesting. I live in a fairly ghetto part of town but the whole city is not like my little corner of the woods.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by jfre81

I find a lot of the "why can't be we be like (x)" comparisons interesting, considering they usually reference some "touristy" part of another city, one that everyone sees even if they only see the stuff in the city the travel brochures tell you about (they'd prefer it that way, lest you see the grit of the "real" city) - then this part of this one city either gets compared to Houston as a whole or to some of the worst parts of the city, including I-45 frontage.

I could come up with some equally useless comparisons. We want to talk about the French Quarter? Well, why couldn't the Lower Ninth Ward look as nice as River Oaks even before the hurricane? Why can't the grimiest street on Chicago's South Side look like Heights Boulevard?

As for the freeways - none of that's going away anytime soon. Comes with the territory of sprawl. If you don't want to look at it, here's a novel idea: look straight ahead and at your mirrors and pay attention to your driving. Then we'll have fewer wrecks and fewer traffic delays, and you won't have to look at the traumatizing blight for as long.

I totally agree with this. The problem does have undertones of poor infrastructure. While Houston does have a fair amount of history, many tourist attractions are not located in the central area of the city and neighborhoods are not built around them, whereas in many other cities, it is just the opposite.

For example, neighborhoods like Beacon Hill in Boston showcase the city's oldest architecture, statues, trails, etc; However, the bad areas of Boston, tend to lack these things (ie. Fanieul Hall, Freedom Trail, Paul Revere House--the things people want to see). These are all in central Boston, while lower-income areas like Mattapan, parts of Roxbury, Dorchester are in the outskirts. This is how other cities tend to hide their flaws and the tourists never see the mess that lies outside of the touristy parts.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by dv1033

I get what you are saying but you aren't entirely fair in your comparisons.

How do you figure? What's unfair in my assessments.

[blkgiraffe]

Why are we talking about making Houston pretty? it needs to remain ugly. If we try to be pretty.......we'd be Dallas!

The grittiness and ugliness is what makes Houston.....Houston.

Houston has lots of beautiful areas scattered around the area. However, our ugly areas are more present and shown. It's like driving through a town and you see nothing but Mcdonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King,etc and people automatically assume their is nothing but fast food chains there.

[Huckleberry3911948]

no pride in this. violence is ugly. . pretty houston come back.

[TVC15]

[quote=jluke65780;9993156]Why are we talking about making Houston pretty? it needs to remain ugly. If we try to be pretty.......we'd be Dallas!

Dallas is not really that pretty either. I moved here back in March and I live in uptown which is a stones throw away from downtown Dallas and it is not as pretty as you might think. It does have very pretty neighborhoods and parks but it really does not look that much different from Houston. Houston's downtown is much more impressive to see then downtown Dallas. Downtown Houston has the feel of Houstonians out and about. Downtown Dallas is more touristy and does not have feel of the Dallasites out and about. However at night from a distance (like the view from my balcony) Downtown Dallas buildings are lit up and outlined with neon lights and look very pretty. However driving into Dallas on 45 in the daytime when you first see Downtown Dallas you immediately notice that all of the buildings are brown everything is brown unlike coming in on 45N towards Downtown Houston...WOW how pretty it looks! With the unique architecture and shiny glass buildings. Houston has very pretty areas and some very ugly areas and unfortunately the easy to see ugly areas are along the major freeways. Look around and find the pretty spots in Houston because they are certainly there! I am not in any way trying to compare Houston to Dallas. Both cities have very pretty areas, both have very similar looking areas, and both have very ugly areas as well. Find the beauty in all things!

I miss you Houston! ...but I am not far away and not forever gone!

[AcresHomes44]

In a way it's good that Houston's ghettos are more visible along the freeway because at least you know not to get off on the wrong exit unless you're asking to get jacked or shot. Also, those same hoods have interesting history and culture connected to them. Let Houston be Houston and Dallas be Dallas.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by AcresHomes44

In a way it's good that Houston's ghettos are more visible along the freeway because at least you know not to get off on the wrong exit unless you're asking to get jacked or shot. Also, those same hoods have interesting history and culture connected to them. Let Houston be Houston and Dallas be Dallas.

Yes! Because they are what they are...similar, different, fun and interesting!