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Old 10-11-2016, 02:45 PM
 
17,183 posts, read 22,767,204 times
Reputation: 17472

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Quote:
Originally Posted by stoneclaw View Post
So this is your idea of "not" ugly?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ch...297982!6m1!1e1

And I am aware there are touristy/showy parts of town. Just like they exist in Houston.
That is close to the expressway and in a business district. It's not a residential street. There is a liquor store and an african art store close by. No one walks on those streets. The areas I think are pretty are residential neighborhoods. I was NOT talking about touristy, showy parts of Chicago, but the neighborhoods where people actually live.

Here's an area in Logan Square.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lo...093077!6m1!1e1

Here's one in Wicker Park
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9089...7i13312!8i6656

Here's on in Ukranian Village away from the expressway
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8985...7i13312!8i6656

This is in East Garfield Park (slowly gentrifying - not the best neighborhood yet)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ea...024814!6m1!1e1

Hermosa
https://www.google.com/maps/place/He...343702!6m1!1e1

There are many, many pretty neighborhoods.
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Old 10-11-2016, 03:00 PM
 
34,620 posts, read 21,447,467 times
Reputation: 22229
My advise is to not live by the feeder roads or any ugly part of town.

One of the great advantages of Houston is that most of the middle class can afford to live in the pretty areas.
Attached Thumbnails
People Say Houston's ugly but not cities like Chicago, NYC, etc?-image.jpeg  
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Old 10-11-2016, 03:22 PM
 
Location: Center City
7,528 posts, read 10,191,166 times
Reputation: 11018
Quote:
Originally Posted by PedroMartinez View Post
So, you can't get in your head that the feeder/retail setup we have that people like you find in such disdain is a trade off for convenience?
It is possible to have both convenience and aesthetics.

Again, the topic of this thread has has to do with Houston aesthetics, and I believe feeder roads are one one of the serious causes of the city's visual blight. You seem stuck on the idea that feeder roads are a convenience (to you). Just park that for a minute - that is not the topic of thread. Do you feel feeder roads add to Houston's beauty or detract from it?

I request you post you response without resorting to snark:
Quote:
Originally Posted by PedroMartinez View Post
I guess living in seven states didn't allow you to learn the meaning of convenience.
Thank you.
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Old 10-11-2016, 03:32 PM
 
34,620 posts, read 21,447,467 times
Reputation: 22229
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pine to Vine View Post
It is possible to have both convenience and aesthetics.

Again, the topic of this thread has has to do with Houston aesthetics, and I believe feeder roads are one one of the serious causes of the city's visual blight. You seem stuck on the idea that feeder roads are a convenience (to you). Just park that for a minute - that is not the topic of thread. Do you feel feeder roads add to Houston's beauty or detract from it?

I request you post you response without resorting to snark:


Thank you.
The feeders are not pretty; however, not many people live on them, and it's a small part of Houston even though it is seen by a great amount of people.

Greater Houston has a ton of pretty areas and neighborhoods. If you can't find them, get off the freeways.
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Old 10-11-2016, 04:06 PM
 
Location: Center City
7,528 posts, read 10,191,166 times
Reputation: 11018
Quote:
Originally Posted by PedroMartinez View Post
The feeders are not pretty; however, not many people live on them, and it's a small part of Houston even though it is seen by a great amount of people.

Greater Houston has a ton of pretty areas and neighborhoods. If you can't find them, get off the freeways.
The problem is that many people (particularly visitors - business or otherwise) see little beyond the freeways.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8638...7i13312!8i6656

Hence the original OP's original observation: "People Say Houston's ugly but not cities like Chicago, NYC, etc." The story behind this is not solely due to feeder roads, but these roads are (imho) a major contributor.
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Old 10-11-2016, 04:25 PM
 
Location: Houston/Austin, TX
9,738 posts, read 6,367,439 times
Reputation: 6314
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spade View Post
Because hardly anyone would classify Chicago as ugly and I never heard Chicago being known to be ugly in the streets. Ever been to Chicago?
Yes, and I also have been, and yes I've heard a lot more than just Chicago being ugly. Chicago gets bad reputation for more than just being ugly, which in my opinion is unfairly treated as so.

That being said, if you actually go to Chicago, a lot of the city looks nice. One of the best skylines in the nation and Downtown Chicago is beautiful. However, Chicago is also home to a lot of abandoned-looking buildings all over the city. Particularly when you get closer to the northside, it gets industrial and looks nothing short of ugly.

LA isn't commonly spoken about as ugly and neither is NYC. But I've heard from many that Chicago is. It is very mainstream to call Chicago not only ugly but other things as well. And to me, Chicago just like Houston have both beautiful parts to the city and ugly parts as well.
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Old 10-11-2016, 04:40 PM
 
1,483 posts, read 1,709,849 times
Reputation: 2513
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pine to Vine View Post
The problem is that many people (particularly visitors - business or otherwise) see little beyond the freeways.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.8638...7i13312!8i6656

Hence the original OP's original observation: "People Say Houston's ugly but not cities like Chicago, NYC, etc." The story behind this is not solely due to feeder roads, but these roads are (imho) a major contributor.
You're right. I don't think there are very many people who equate their first encounter with Houston with beauty and the feeders or frontage roads are a big part of the reason why. There is also the lack of zoning and the lack of sidewalks. All of these things prioritize private space over public space and automobility over walking. There are of course still nice neighborhoods here, too, but what sticks out to visitors is the stuff that they don't usually see.
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Old 10-11-2016, 04:54 PM
 
17,183 posts, read 22,767,204 times
Reputation: 17472
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag View Post
Yes, and I also have been, and yes I've heard a lot more than just Chicago being ugly. Chicago gets bad reputation for more than just being ugly, which in my opinion is unfairly treated as so.

That being said, if you actually go to Chicago, a lot of the city looks nice. One of the best skylines in the nation and Downtown Chicago is beautiful. However, Chicago is also home to a lot of abandoned-looking buildings all over the city. Particularly when you get closer to the northside, it gets industrial and looks nothing short of ugly.

LA isn't commonly spoken about as ugly and neither is NYC. But I've heard from many that Chicago is. It is very mainstream to call Chicago not only ugly but other things as well. And to me, Chicago just like Houston have both beautiful parts to the city and ugly parts as well.
What? The northside of Chicago is NOT industrial and not ugly at all. You may be thinking of the southside.

There are certainly some abandoned buildings in various parts of the city, but there are abandoned buildings in Houston as well. And certainly in other cities, there are abandoned buildings. I don't know who is telling you Chicago is ugly. Parts of many cities are ugly. I don't think you have any clue about this.

Urban Explorer Photographs Chicago

A peek at Houston's abandoned or forgotten places - Houston Chronicle
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Old 10-11-2016, 06:55 PM
 
Location: Houston/Austin, TX
9,738 posts, read 6,367,439 times
Reputation: 6314
Quote:
Originally Posted by nana053 View Post
What? The northside of Chicago is NOT industrial and not ugly at all. You may be thinking of the southside.

There are certainly some abandoned buildings in various parts of the city, but there are abandoned buildings in Houston as well. And certainly in other cities, there are abandoned buildings. I don't know who is telling you Chicago is ugly. Parts of many cities are ugly. I don't think you have any clue about this.

Urban Explorer Photographs Chicago

A peek at Houston's abandoned or forgotten places - Houston Chronicle
You're basically rewording my point. I don't think Chicago is ugly at all. Of course certain parts of Chicago are while there are nice looking areas. Same as in Houston.

What I'm saying is I think Chicago is mainstreamly thought of as ugly and other things such as "violent" when to me, Chicago has very nice looking areas and very ugly looking areas, just as Houston does. I also don't believe in the Chicago being violent, being that the murder rate in Chicago is much lower than other cities such as Baltimore, St Louis, New Orleans, etc. Houston's murder rate is similar to Chicago'a too. So to me this "Chi-raq" is non sense.

I know the violent part is off subjects, but my point is Chicago gets a bad rep not only for being ugly but also for being violent, and in my opinion it is unfairly thought of as so.
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Old 10-11-2016, 08:57 PM
 
17,183 posts, read 22,767,204 times
Reputation: 17472
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag View Post
You're basically rewording my point. I don't think Chicago is ugly at all. Of course certain parts of Chicago are while there are nice looking areas. Same as in Houston.

What I'm saying is I think Chicago is mainstreamly thought of as ugly and other things such as "violent" when to me, Chicago has very nice looking areas and very ugly looking areas, just as Houston does. I also don't believe in the Chicago being violent, being that the murder rate in Chicago is much lower than other cities such as Baltimore, St Louis, New Orleans, etc. Houston's murder rate is similar to Chicago's too. So to me this "Chi-raq" is non sense.

I know the violent part is off subjects, but my point is Chicago gets a bad rep not only for being ugly but also for being violent, and in my opinion it is unfairly thought of as so.
No, Chicago is not thought of as ugly. I have NEVER heard anyone say that at all the way people say it about Houston. (I don't think Houston is totally ugly, but I do think that the parts visitors see often are and that is NOT true of Chicago).

It is thought of as violent because the media spins the numbers without looking at the murder rate. Chi-raq is nonsense, but it would be helpful if Chicago could get a handle on the violence in its poor black neighborhoods.
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