People Say Houston's ugly but not cities like Chicago, NYC, etc? (Bellaire: codes, stores)

[nana053]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

What I don't understand is why OP is saying Chicago isn't classified as ugly. Chicago is praised for its great skyline but then again, so is Houston. Chicago is known to be ugly in the streets. Definitely more so than Houston.

Have you actually been to Chicago? No, it is not ugly in the streets except in the very poor segregated black neighborhoods on the south and west sides (where no tourist ever goes, btw).

I lived in Rogers Park and in Uptown - there are a few ugly areas, but most are quite nice. Chicago is a place where you can walk around the streets - you can live there without a car and take the *el* or the metra. It is a very clean city - much more so than NYC because it has alleys where the trash and garbage are put out.
It also has a wonderful lakefront that is walkable and bikeable.

Lincoln Park (affluent neighborhood)



Edgewater (near the lake)



Uptown (this is the new Vietnamese area - I lived closer to the lake in Uptown)



Rogers Park (near Loyola University - shopping and movie theater)

[Pine to Vine]

Feeder roads have led to aesthetic problems in Houston. They allow for miles and miles of uninterrupted billboards, strip development and big box stores; in other words: sprawl. Outside of Texas, I've noted most interstates do not have feeder roads. Instead, they have only off-ramps, where the commercial development is concentrated. In between, the highways are usually landscaped, or at least lacking commercial development. Too bad Houston didn't develop all its freeways like 288 South.

Next time you're driving out of state, take a look at how they handled interstate access.

[krogerDisco]

I guess Houston is mostly a working city/metro. You come here for the job. I'm fine with Houston but it is annoyingly so...flat. Not a whole lot to look at.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

I guess Houston is mostly a working city/metro. You come here for the job. I'm fine with Houston but it is annoyingly so...flat. Not a whole lot to look at.

So is Chicago but Im of the opinion that it's a great beautiful city. I think this beef against it is unfounded. I think Chicago is highly underrated. If it wasn't freezing cold I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Houston is not ugly anymore. I can see how the terrain might be bland but unless you're an insufferable urbanist it's become more aesthetically pleasing. Ten years ago there was a case for it being an incredibly bland and ugly city but it's grown. I get told all the time by people I meet here in CA that Houston is a nice city and comment on how everything is new.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Agreed. Maybe ten years ago the detractors had a case but Houston has grown into a pretty nice city. It's not super attractive but it's still nice IMO. I've heard people that have recently visited consider it a nice looking city, but that is mostly because everything is all new and shiny.

You have to realize that people look at Houston like they do Dubai. They think of places such as Rome to be beautiful and places such as Dubai to be too cookie cutter, too manufactured. It's the same when they discuss Houston vs NYC, LA, SF. The latter may be new, shiny and actually cleaner but it's still seen as vulgar because it's too soulless compared to historical NYC. It's really dumb urbanist chauvinism.

It's not how new Houston is. The city is "ugly" because for hundreds of square miles from downtown you have no zoning and almost no landscaping. Being a nice looking city requires more effort and vision than Houston has put forth. Dallas has done a better job.

I like the swampy look of the loblollies, magnolias and cypress trees, so I think the natural landscape is great, but you have to go to the less developed parts of the area to truly appreciate it.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Feeder roads have led to aesthetic problems in Houston. They allow for miles and miles of uninterrupted billboards, strip development and big box stores; in other words: sprawl. Outside of Texas, I've noted most interstates do not have feeder roads. Instead, they have only off-ramps, where the commercial development is concentrated. In between, the highways are usually landscaped, or at least lacking commercial development. Too bad Houston didn't develop all its freeways like 288 South.

Next time you're driving out of state, take a look at how they handled interstate access.

We're spoiled by the feeder roads, for sure. I've lived in cities that don't have them and you get by just fine. Turnarounds should be everywhere, though.

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Feeder roads have led to aesthetic problems in Houston. They allow for miles and miles of uninterrupted billboards, strip development and big box stores; in other words: sprawl. Outside of Texas, I've noted most interstates do not have feeder roads. Instead, they have only off-ramps, where the commercial development is concentrated. In between, the highways are usually landscaped, or at least lacking commercial development. Too bad Houston didn't develop all its freeways like 288 South.

Next time you're driving out of state, take a look at how they handled interstate access.

This, to a "T". I can't stand what the feeder roads do aesthetically, and I would say even culturally, to Texas.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

It's not how new Houston is. The city is "ugly" because for hundreds of square miles from downtown you have no zoning and almost no landscaping. Being a nice looking city requires more effort and vision than Houston has put forth. Dallas has done a better job.

Ok what about coming in totown from Katy along the Katy Freeway, all the way in to downtown, it looks very nice. And west loop, although not sparkling "nice", is not bad looking either. North Freeway (Northside) is still below par between downtown and Greenspoint, and Gulf Freeway between downtown and BW8 South could be better. But I'm with Radiolibre, Houston has really stepped it up with all the new infill and parks. It's actually quite nice. Midtown, East downtown, Buffalo Bayou Park (west of downtown), River Oaks, Upper Kirby,West U/Bellaire, Medical Center, Uptown/River Oaks District. You can't tell me those aren't nice. Just remember, every city has their shabby, unkept parts.

You should give credit where credit is due and recognize.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by stoneclaw

Ok what about coming in totown from Katy along the Katy Freeway, all the way in to downtown, it looks very nice. And west loop, although not sparkling "nice", is not bad looking either. North Freeway (Northside) is still below par between downtown and Greenspoint, and Gulf Freeway between downtown and BW8 South could be better. But I'm with Radiolibre, Houston has really stepped it up with all the new infill and parks. It's actually quite nice. Midtown, East downtown, Buffalo Bayou Park (west of downtown), River Oaks, Upper Kirby,West U/Bellaire, Medical Center, Uptown/River Oaks District. You can't tell me those aren't nice. Just remember, every city has their shabby, unkept parts.

You should give credit where credit is due and recognize.

Yes, it's not about saying that Houston is the most beautiful city but that it's really upped it's game the last decade. I do not even recognize the city every time I go back each year. Each time there is an improvement that amazes me. It is a nice city in a lot of ways.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Feeder roads have led to aesthetic problems in Houston. They allow for miles and miles of uninterrupted billboards, strip development and big box stores; in other words: sprawl. Outside of Texas, I've noted most interstates do not have feeder roads. Instead, they have only off-ramps, where the commercial development is concentrated. In between, the highways are usually landscaped, or at least lacking commercial development. Too bad Houston didn't develop all its freeways like 288 South.

Next time you're driving out of state, take a look at how they handled interstate access.

Feeder roads are extremely convenient, and I'd rather have businesses on the main arteries than grouped on the roads outside of neighborhoods. I'm more concerned about the asthetics close to home than on the freeways carrying people through our city.

Next time you're in Pittsburgh or LA and heading across town while needing gas, tell us how wonderful it is.

I'll take feeder roads any day of the week.