Where are the pedestrians in San Antonio? (Houston, Garland: house, neighborhoods)

[hello13685]

Hello,

I just spent four days touring Houston with some friends who are from San Antonio. One of my native San Antonian friends remarked that one of the things he used to love about living in Houston (he lived there for 12 years) was that you would actually see people out and about and doing things on the street--things like window shopping, jogging, walking dogs, power walking, just plain 'ol walking with a friend for the heck of it. I thought that maybe it was because there were sidewalks in many places in Houston, but even where there were not any sidewalks, people were out in droves, living life. This got me curious because over the past couple of years I've been trying to pinpoint some of the reasons that San Antonio seems to lack vitality for me, and I think that this may be part of the reason. Maybe this is part of the reason that San Antonio doesn't have a city feel to me. I'm a native of Chicago, then lived many years in Santa Barbara before coming here. In those places, people got outside and biked, walked, hiked, window-shopped, and I saw even more of that in Houston. Am I the only one who has noticed this? Can anyone theorize as to why San Antonians don't seem to take to the streets?

[Steel Man]

In my subdivision, I see lots of people walking, jogging, and ridding their bikes along the two main roads. I also see lots of bicycle riders on the weekends heading west on Highway 16 toward Bandera and some heading west on 471 (Culebra), and some heading north on 211 (between 471 and 16).

Don't most of the folks around here do their "window shopping" in indoor malls in air conditioned comfort? You don't want to work up a big sweat!

[210]

Why is it every single post by Hello have some negative spin to it about San Antonio?

For walking, biking, and window shopping?

Try Alamo Heights, Southtown, King William, Deco District, Downtown.

There's other places.

As well as soon the be developments that will have a very urban feel that are being built in the suburbs.

[hello13685]

Actually, that helps to give me a clue. Many of the more "active" areas in Houston were older, more central, neighborhoods that were not strictly residential, I guess. They had businesses scattered throughout. Maybe suburban Houston would have a San Antonio feel too, because it would be all housing developments and malls--no mix.

[momof2dfw]

There are TONS of people in San Antonio out walking. They are just not at street level as they are down on the Riverwalk. Can't hardly stir'em with a stick most of the time. All around the Alamo, lots of people walking. And as Steelman pointed out, we like to "power walk" and "window shop" in the air conditioned malls. Just recently have developers in Texas started building more "urban" shopping centers/villages, etc. Supposedly we have the first "outdoor" mall in Texas by Simon here in Garland, Tx. It's been open 1 year now and is PACKED!!!! I don't even bother trying to park on the main streets thru the place as there are WAY too many pedestrians. We all love the outdoors and being out in it but like I said, only recently have the developers here in Texas started building these "lifestyle" centers w/ a mixed use tenants and living quarters. Same goes for developers in housing, they finally realized we WANT bike/walking paths and trails. If they build them, we will come.

[210]

I believe the first "outdoor" mall is The Shops at La Cantera.

[neddy]

I see lots of people walking in the early morning or later at night but not during the day. Most of the time to hot.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by 210

I believe the first "outdoor" mall is The Shops at La Cantera.

Yes, La Cantera opened on September 16, 2005 while the Firewheel Town Center Mall opened on October 7, 2005. But I did say "supposedly" and "in Texas by Simon". This was Simon's first outdoor mall IN Texas.

[RedOregon]

When my house was being built, I used to cruise out with the wife to check status. You know you live in a good neighborhood when you go out at 9:00 at night and see people walking their dogs, jogging, and kids playing out in the street. Calm, friendly, unafraid. Lots of neighborhoods like that around here.

[Sampaguita]

I think it's a different variety of walking spaces that makes SA seem less pedestrian friendly. I lived in Santa Barbara (Montecito) for 8 yrs and I walked everywhere - to Vons, the PO, coffee shops, restaurants, the beach, UPS, video store - but that's because I lived in a village setting. I long for that now in San Diego but I just don't happen to live in that kind of neighborhood.

When I was in Houston this summer, I walked around Rice Village but it was sweltering; I will admit to wishing all the shops were indoors.

Alamo Heights affords one a lot of walking opportunities as I described above about Santa Barbara.