Why is Houston so "trashy" (for lack of a better word) (Dallas: rental car, rental)

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Rail System To Galveston Proposed - Click2Houston.com- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32879077/ns/local_news-houston_tx/ - broken link)

Let's see what comes of this. I think it's a good idea

It couldn't come soon enough.

[Artsywoman]

Maybe you should check what the planners etc did with my hometown Arlington, VA. Is amazing what a great job they did restoring certain areas and yet rebuilding and creating parks etc. I grew up here and can see the transformation. We actually won an award for it.

[Kenpar]

@ OP: I don't know why Houston is so trashy. They need to get it together though. I heard someone suggest we get people on community service to do it. Not a bad idea. Although I think they should have City Custodians.

I went to Maryland for work for 5 months last year. I traveled to Washington, D.C. often also. And had to try and find trash. even the freaking buildings looked clean. It made a huge impression on me. Had me wondering why Houston couldn't look that way.

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by Kenpar

@ OP: I don't know why Houston is so trashy. They need to get it together though. I heard someone suggest we get people on community service to do it. Not a bad idea. Although I think they should have City Custodians.

I went to Maryland for work for 5 months last year. I traveled to Washington, D.C. often also. And had to try and find trash. even the freaking buildings looked clean. It made a huge impression on me. Had me wondering why Houston couldn't look that way.

You were looking in the wrong places in Maryland and DC. Try a stroll through Takoma Park or SE DC and take a look around....

[Kenpar]

^ You may be right. I only hung around the FBI building for work. And the giant park, which name escapes me at the moment. In Maryland I was in Annapolis Junction. Also it's where Boeing is. The NSA was across the street from my hotel for crying out loud. They didn't like me taking pictures of it, haha.

[Artsywoman]

Yes, but our area is so huge and there are more beautiful and neat areas than bad. Most people never go into SE anyway, so you can stay away and enjoy Alexandria, Arlington etc. We are very lucky. I learned this after living in garbage ridden and ugly Tampa, FL.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

Yes, but our area is so huge and there are more beautiful and neat areas than bad. Most people never go into SE anyway, so you can stay away and enjoy Alexandria, Arlington etc. We are very lucky. I learned this after living in garbage ridden and ugly Tampa, FL.

But that's the thing...that's the impression people (tourists) get from places. They go to see all the fun, exciting attractions and the beautiful, affluent neighborhoods somewhere, and then they move there (expecting the same experience) and realize it has just as many unappealing areas as the place they left.

Unless your family lives in some unsavory area, and you go to visit them and stay with them, you'll generally leave with a positive impression, because they obviously would want you to see the cities good points and not the bad. I definitely don't hang around in SW Philly when I'm there--even my family that lives there tend to venture out into the cities more attractive parts when I'm there.

I will admit, Houston does a poor job of directing tourist attention and structuring, particularly because you have to drive through a lot of not so nice area to get to the places/things people want to see, but I feel that many prospective residents have to know what they're getting themselves into.

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

Yes, but our area is so huge and there are more beautiful and neat areas than bad. Most people never go into SE anyway, so you can stay away and enjoy Alexandria, Arlington etc. We are very lucky. I learned this after living in garbage ridden and ugly Tampa, FL.

Tampa is one big trailer park.

[Cheasare]

Originally Posted by rb4browns

You were looking in the wrong places in Maryland and DC. Try a stroll through Takoma Park or SE DC and take a look around....

Ditto!

The poster said they were near the FBI bldg near China Town/Gallery Place area so yeah that looked fine, but a short drive north on N. Captiol past the big post office and the scene would have been very different. Same thing at Hains Point, many points along New York Ave and I could go on and on.

I live in Chevy Chase now and there are parts of EW Hwy that are not so neat to say the least.

Same with VA--Rosslyn/Ballston/Clarendon corridor is fine--but there are pockets of Alexandria and Arlington (to a lesser extent) that need some attention and care.

In general one of the posters hit the nail on the head about being a tourist and actually living in an area. When we travel we usually see the nicest parts of an area and less of the grit and grime that all cities have.

Houston's major issue is the corridors from IAH along 59 and 45 into downtown are not picturesque at all--the freeways have been upgraded but the streetscapes need some serious overhauling.

C.

[matthou]

Originally Posted by austinguy2009

Where exactly is that bar district? I read about it in the NYT and went looking for it and couldn't find it! Do you have an address?

You're kidding right? Stevie Wonder could find it.