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Had to shatter your romantic notion of Beaux-Arts. The vacant STATE NATIONAL BLDG is a tall, narrow eyesore in a block divided into fifths--plenty of no-nos in that frontage. Sadly I have to pass by it on the way back home from church.
Here is a proper mixing of old and new. The Gulf Building (now Chase Building) has a historic banking hall with a stained glass mural depicting the Battle of San Jacinto (20 miles away) that won Texas' independence from Mexico in 1836 (100 years before). BG Place is catty-corner from Chase and has Houston's first sky garden. Then there is the J.W. Marriott that was opened a few years ago after extensive interior gutting of the 1910 skyscraper.
The real mockery is the ugly facade of a Vatican 2-era church fit for the celebration of the New Mass. Luckily you have St. John Cantius near Cabrini-Green!
It's stuffed between 3 commercial buildings, which tells a lot about Chicago's priorities. At least the Methodist church up the street has a commanding view from the tower (great alternative to the paid Willis and John Hancock skydecks).
The Catholic and Episcopalian cathedrals are in the Near North Side--a few blocks from the Mag Mile. At least Houston's is in Downtown and full-size whole block.
The courtyard of the Episcopalian Cathedral exemplifies Urbs in Horto as an oasis in the city. It has a good ground-level view of the skyline--609 Main is dominating from its catty-corner location.
The color of the stone is too dark for this latitude. The shade of red is pretty ugly even if it was in sunny Texas.
The alley way separating the hotel is a big gap and very sketchy (from homeless restroom to a secluded location to rape).
The eclectic entrance to the Rookery violates architectural principles by mixing the Romanesque arch with classical columns (even the columns could not decide between rustification or rounded columns).
Too bad the Home Insurance building (the original skyscraper) was torn down across the street and replaced by the Field Building. The CBOT and the twin Federal Reserve and Continental Bank Building around the corner is a very majestic dead-end of LaSalle Street however.
You've criticized Houston's tunnel system killing pedestrian traffic in the past. Applying Northern standards to a Southern environment does not make sense, except for Yankee pseudo-urbanists who have no idea about the principles of environment, climate, place, and adaptation.
Ever been to NYC. Best part of 5th Ave is it has Churches. N Michigan Ave has one ..... a Church across from it first super-tall. NO ONE CALLS THEM UGLY. The Catholic red marbled church in the loop is not ugly. It adds diversity. TOTALLY DISAGREE THERE TOO.
If you are Catholic? I'm not but meant times went to a Mass as my Father was. I was not raised though in Catholicism. I merely respect it. I do not get what a HUGE CRIXIFIS on a exterior of that Loop Church has to do with ugliness f Vatican 2 vs whatever?
To me you tally disrespected your en Faith to mock it as ugly.......
The Methodist skyscraper Cathedral you mentioned has the ugly Daley building across from it and Picasso. But the Plaza gets much use for events ALL YEAR.
You just picked POOR CHOICES TO MOCK SORRY.
Yes I did mention the tunnels of Houston in the past in threads. More ingrained in Houston's core in what they offer and DO KILL more street-level activity. CHICAGO'S does not. Most even locals do not know of it or use in Chicago called the Pedway . It does connect subways and metro trains and its underground parking garages for thousands of cars. Most still choose the surface but for worst weather conditions.
I saw your past post and replies to me as very week in argument. Sorry again. YANKEE INDEED meant in a derogatory fashion. Heck Toronto has a huge underground. It certainly does not kill its street-level with its offerings.
I NEVER SAID OR SAY HOUSTON IS UGLY. I've said downtown Houston is not improving. But could have still did much better. Requiring new buildings especially like on main St. To have street-level offerings. Again...... The worst possible addition was the one that replaced Macy's.
Ever been to NYC. Best part of 5th Ave is it has Churches. N Michigan Ave has one ..... a Church across from it first super-tall. NO ONE CALLS THEM UGLY. The Catholic red marbled church in the loop is not ugly. It adds diversity. TOTALLY DISAGREE THERE TOO.
If you are Catholic? I'm not but meant times went to a Mass as my Father was. I was not raised though in Catholicism. I merely respect it. I do not get what a HUGE CRIXIFIS on a exterior of that Loop Church has to do with ugliness f Vatican 2 vs whatever?
To me you tally disrespected your en Faith to mock it as ugly.......
It's obvious that St. Peter's is a teardown since the current building dates from 1953, but the parish was founded a century before. Developers dividing a block into small parcels along a street is a sign of greediness. It's a deplorable practice that is steadily being eliminated.
Catholic parishes all over America have embraced stadium seating and stripped architecture and furnishings for the last 50 years. The Mass was changed in 1970 and ended up becoming eerily similar to a Lutheran Divine Service. The altar rail is still very controversial in contemporary Catholicism , but has been retained by liturgical Mainline Protestants (Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Methodists) without controversy.
Modern is very hard to do tastefully. Our Lady of Angels Cathedral in L.A. has criticism but holds a secret--Latin Mass can be celebrated properly with moving the 4 candlesticks from the corners to the back, and adding 2 more for the required 6. There even is a special chapel that holds what I call the "Million-Dollar Tabernacle" (inspired from Elton John's Million-Dollar Piano Vegas show). It may be ugly to East Coasters and Middle Americans, but Modern architecture is deeply appreciated by Californians.
At least Houston has preserved its historic downtown churches and added a new one.
Annunciation Catholic Church: https://goo.gl/maps/vuSQhVsYPhXpg5Xi6
This is the first Catholic church in Houston. Also home to the first Latin Mass in Houston post-1970 (Sundays at 8 AM). Across the street is Union station now integrated into the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park.
New Catholic Cathedral: https://goo.gl/maps/d7BnXeymryg6KDQa9
Conceived by the previous bishop to replace the old parish church (since 1959 when Houston was added to the diocese name) in the early 2000's. Very reminiscent of a Jubilee 2000 souvenir from Rome. Combines Romanesque with Baroque accents.
Old Cathedral: https://goo.gl/maps/Q8bM99dzUdJQrbpq9
Across from the elevated interstate built shortly after becoming the additional cathedral more accessible to Houston proper.
Quote:
The Methodist skyscraper Cathedral you mentioned has the ugly Daley building across from it and Picasso. But the Plaza gets much use for events ALL YEAR.
You're lucky to have the Plaza. It's part of the original (pre-1871 fire) plan of the city. The original colonial Cook County courthouse stood on City Hall. (I can't believe I forgot to visit the Christkindlmarkt and bumped into it right after it closed for the day as I made my way back to the hotel from the Macy's on State Street.)
It would be called the Zócalo in Mexican Spanish. The most famous one is the plaza in Mexico City. I call it the Center of (the country of) Mexico--where the dirty laundry of the nation (peaceful protests) is exposed to all. It was so fascinating that all my city plans include a standard, mandatory Zócalo (to center the city) at no extra charge.
Houston is split on two squares, the old county courthouse and Market Square--which was supposed to be the permanent site of the state capitol building; until the capital moved to Austin a few years after Houston was founded.
Quote:
Yes I did mention the tunnels of Houston in the past in threads. More ingrained in Houston's core in what they offer and DO KILL more street-level activity. CHICAGO'S does not. Most even locals do not know of it or use in Chicago called the Pedway . It does connect subways and metro trains and its underground parking garages for thousands of cars. Most still choose the surface but for worst weather conditions.
I saw your past post and replies to me as very week in argument. Sorry again. YANKEE INDEED meant in a derogatory fashion. Heck Toronto has a huge underground. It certainly does not kill its street-level with its offerings.
Why the fascination with street-level activity? I keep telling you about the hot and humid summers necessitating the tunnels, but it seems you have no concept of the Texas summer sun and heat. The colonialist mentality keeps you from making a connection with climate and function. It's just like Mark Rothko persisting on making the paintings for the Houston chapel in New York, despite warnings of the differences between the NYC sunlight and the harsh Texas sun.
You keep posting based on dated stereotypes on various threads bashing the Sunbelt (and touting the supremacy of the North) using examples from Google Streetview, but have never visited Houston in-person. We keep inviting you to see not only DT Houston, but the Museum District (especially the MFAH), The Galleria mall and surrounding Uptown area, etc. It's really hard to live in denial!
Quote:
I've said downtown Houston is not improving. But could have still did much better. Requiring new buildings especially like on main St. To have street-level offerings. Again...... The worst possible addition was the one that replaced Macy's.
SORRY Downtown Houston has improved! Hess, BG, Capitol Tower, and 609 Main were built in the '10s. Texas Tower is about to be completed within the next year. You can keep denying the decline of the North out of jealousy, but the facts show otherwise.
The Avenida is a significant enhancement of Discovery Green. There was an informal car show right before Christmas. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities right now. Plenty of people visit the park on the weekends.
Does this look familiar? It's a twin of the sculpture in front of the Thompson Center. I call it the Chicago-Houston Friendship Statue.
There are lots of people skating on the park's Kinder Lake during the winter and the view of the Hess Building from this vantage point instantly transports me next to the Shedd. The Green itself is perfect for pickup football, soccer, and other sports.
The (hated) Hilcorp Building actually has a street-level retail space facing Main Street. Only problem is that retail is being decimated by online shopping or declining consumer demand right now. It's the first Downtown building with a green roof similar to Chicago City Hall.
The 1949 Foley's (Macy's) store was a windowless Streamline moderne building meant to advertise air-conditioning. The only windows were on street-level that became unused as the store declined. The stench was awful as maintenance was poor! It's not a significant architectural gem like Marshall Field's or Wanamaker's.
I would like to see Macy's build a flagship store in DT Houston, but they just announced this the other day:
Geez, do people not understand that the tunnels contain businesses that would NOT BE OPEN AFTER 3:00 PM anyway? They only divert would-be street life on weekday mornings and middays. They are irrelevant to evenings and weekends.
It's obvious that St. Peter's is a teardown since the current building dates from 1953, but the parish was founded a century before. Developers dividing a block into small parcels along a street is a sign of greediness. It's a deplorable practice that is steadily being eliminated.
Catholic parishes all over America have embraced stadium seating and stripped architecture and furnishings for the last 50 years. The Mass was changed in 1970 and ended up becoming eerily similar to a Lutheran Divine Service. The altar rail is still very controversial in contemporary Catholicism , but has been retained by liturgical Mainline Protestants (Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Methodists) without controversy.
Modern is very hard to do tastefully. Our Lady of Angels Cathedral in L.A. has criticism but holds a secret--Latin Mass can be celebrated properly with moving the 4 candlesticks from the corners to the back, and adding 2 more for the required 6. There even is a special chapel that holds what I call the "Million-Dollar Tabernacle" (inspired from Elton John's Million-Dollar Piano Vegas show). It may be ugly to East Coasters and Middle Americans, but Modern architecture is deeply appreciated by Californians.
At least Houston has preserved its historic downtown churches and added a new one.
Annunciation Catholic Church: https://goo.gl/maps/vuSQhVsYPhXpg5Xi6
This is the first Catholic church in Houston. Also home to the first Latin Mass in Houston post-1970 (Sundays at 8 AM). Across the street is Union station now integrated into the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park.
New Catholic Cathedral: https://goo.gl/maps/d7BnXeymryg6KDQa9
Conceived by the previous bishop to replace the old parish church (since 1959 when Houston was added to the diocese name) in the early 2000's. Very reminiscent of a Jubilee 2000 souvenir from Rome. Combines Romanesque with Baroque accents.
Old Cathedral: https://goo.gl/maps/Q8bM99dzUdJQrbpq9
Across from the elevated interstate built shortly after becoming the additional cathedral more accessible to Houston proper.
You're lucky to have the Plaza. It's part of the original (pre-1871 fire) plan of the city. The original colonial Cook County courthouse stood on City Hall. (I can't believe I forgot to visit the Christkindlmarkt and bumped into it right after it closed for the day as I made my way back to the hotel from the Macy's on State Street.)
It would be called the Zócalo in Mexican Spanish. The most famous one is the plaza in Mexico City. I call it the Center of (the country of) Mexico--where the dirty laundry of the nation (peaceful protests) is exposed to all. It was so fascinating that all my city plans include a standard, mandatory Zócalo (to center the city) at no extra charge.
Houston is split on two squares, the old county courthouse and Market Square--which was supposed to be the permanent site of the state capitol building; until the capital moved to Austin a few years after Houston was founded.
Why the fascination with street-level activity? I keep telling you about the hot and humid summers necessitating the tunnels, but it seems you have no concept of the Texas summer sun and heat. The colonialist mentality keeps you from making a connection with climate and function. It's just like Mark Rothko persisting on making the paintings for the Houston chapel in New York, despite warnings of the differences between the NYC sunlight and the harsh Texas sun.
You keep posting based on dated stereotypes on various threads bashing the Sunbelt (and touting the supremacy of the North) using examples from Google Streetview, but have never visited Houston in-person. We keep inviting you to see not only DT Houston, but the Museum District (especially the MFAH), The Galleria mall and surrounding Uptown area, etc. It's really hard to live in denial!
SORRY Downtown Houston has improved! Hess, BG, Capitol Tower, and 609 Main were built in the '10s. Texas Tower is about to be completed within the next year. You can keep denying the decline of the North out of jealousy, but the facts show otherwise.
The Avenida is a significant enhancement of Discovery Green. There was an informal car show right before Christmas. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities right now. Plenty of people visit the park on the weekends.
Does this look familiar? It's a twin of the sculpture in front of the Thompson Center. I call it the Chicago-Houston Friendship Statue.
There are lots of people skating on the park's Kinder Lake during the winter and the view of the Hess Building from this vantage point instantly transports me next to the Shedd. The Green itself is perfect for pickup football, soccer, and other sports.
The (hated) Hilcorp Building actually has a street-level retail space facing Main Street. Only problem is that retail is being decimated by online shopping or declining consumer demand right now. It's the first Downtown building with a green roof similar to Chicago City Hall.
The 1949 Foley's (Macy's) store was a windowless Streamline moderne building meant to advertise air-conditioning. The only windows were on street-level that became unused as the store declined. The stench was awful as maintenance was poor! It's not a significant architectural gem like Marshall Field's or Wanamaker's.
I would like to see Macy's build a flagship store in DT Houston, but they just announced this the other day:
First I want to correct by saying -- I NEVER said ever .... Houston is ugly. I used building and garages example though. Macy's closing the Houston store w as not my point. The old Macys that was on Min St was no beauty itself.
My point was Houston allowed the replacement building...... to be a ugly dark monstrosity that is like a wall in front with one revolving door and nothing street-level. After all, it is a street that should have retail and eateries etc.
Here it is in front alone. Trees lining the curb are best part in hiding it.
I think it in poor taste to mock a religious building period. A Giant Crucifix in front seems sacrilegious to say is ugly ..... especially as a Catholic. Has nothing mass type and it was not built to be a Cathedral. I was never inside it as for street-level attributes that's irreverent.
Now if you posted the Daley building as a ugly plain brown box? I would not have disagreed. Just added the activities in its plaza and other buildings. Make up for it.
Or other examples. The two you chose in that post I replied to .... I did not get choosing a Church or historic building as ugly. I'm not going to argue churches or Catholicism Masses as irreverent in this thread.
Even posting plainer uglier modernist buildings in either city. Is less the factor. Street-level is. Distance skyline views generally never come across as ugly. I don't even mind sterile looking. But too much HURTS IMPRESSIONS and can define a city as less vibrant in their cores.
I don't hate suburban-style. But cities should be ore urban close-knit then its suburbs. But eras a city boomed, planning, ordinances to zoning. Cities used to make then what they are. Sadly, some had to go thru White-flight eras and loosing industrial bases and areas of poverty grew.
Much of your post is fine with me. I prefer to stay in the areas north of the Loop or by the river. Both the CBD. But different in offerings too. City in winter vs summers is huge too as tourists flood in too and festivals and greens and flowers to vibrant outdoor seating of eateries set-up most ringed in flowers.
The tunnel network and longer hot summers I realize does not help Houston downtown street-level. But do visitors really learn to use the tunnels even in Houston? I doubt it. I know they really do not in Chicago. I did not even know of the pedway network till last year. But really have no use for it in visits.
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