Dallas Skyline(WOW)Yes another Dallas to Houston comparison thread! (Arlington: beach, suburbs)

[JJG]

Originally Posted by savanite

Well, it's true that there is a lot of grassland in the North Texas region, but there is a lot of woodland, as well, such as in the watersheds, and riverine bottomland. And also, the thick forest known as the Cross Timbers region bisects the DFW area, going thru places such as Arlington, Southlake, Denton, Euless, parts of Irving, etc. The Cross Timbers forest, east and west branches, is about 40 miles wide, and extends about 200 miles north and south, through North Texas and Oklahoma.

The Cross Timbers forest actually became a natural defensive boundary , protecting the local tribes from the maurading horsemen to the west. The Cross Timbers were so thick, you couldn't "cross" them.

Outside of the Cross Timbers forest, it seems that the North Texas Prairie is about 1/3 woodland and 2/3 grassland.

The Houston area touches the pine forests at its northern edge, but is predominantly on the Gulf Coastal plain, and is not particularly forested, especially in its southern reaches.

Within the built up urban areas, Dallas and Houston seem to have the same degree of leafy suburbs with planted street trees, and urban areas with ornamental trees on the sidewalks.

Well yeah, I know we have some wooded area, but it's not gonna be like Houston or East Texas.

[soletaire]

One thing, I think, definitively puts DFW above Houston is the fact that Houston only feels like 2/3's or 3/4's of a city at times. Its eastside is virtually uninhabitable due to refineries/the port and, with the occasional exception of maybe Pasadena/Baytown, you dont really ever hear people here mention anything on the eastside. Everything is either about the West end (galleria, westchase, Uptown, Memorial, Katy, etc.), the Northside (The Heights, Spring, Woodlands, Greenspoint, Jersey Village) or the Southside. And to me, since Houston is not a downtown oriented city, it should be able to make use all areas of the metro to build on.

In DFW, it seems like, all areas of the metro are able to be used for residences and businesses to varying degrees.

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by soletaire

One thing, I think, definitively puts DFW above Houston is the fact that Houston only feels like 2/3's or 3/4's of a city at times. Its eastside is virtually uninhabitable due to refineries/the port and, with the occasional exception of maybe Pasadena/Baytown, you dont really ever hear people here mention anything on the eastside. Everything is either about the West end (galleria, westchase, Uptown, Memorial, Katy, etc.), the Northside (The Heights, Spring, Woodlands, Greenspoint, Jersey Village) or the Southside. And to me, since Houston is not a downtown oriented city, it should be able to make use all areas of the metro to build on.

In DFW, it seems like, all areas of the metro is able to be used for residences and businesses to varying degrees.

False. Dallas is the more underdeveloped when it comes to cities. Hell, Downtown Dallas is no where near the center of what Dallasites like to promote as "Dallas". Approaching Dallas from the south you won't even know that you're in a major city until you get to downtown. Large parts of west Dallas are underdeveloped as well.

[soletaire]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

False. Dallas is the more underdeveloped when it comes to cities. Hell, Downtown Dallas is no where near the center of what Dallasites like to promote as "Dallas". Approaching Dallas from the south you won't even know that you're in a major city until you get to downtown. Large parts of west Dallas are underdeveloped as well.

When I say "definitively puts DFW above Houston", I mean in regards to having a balanced metro -- nothing more... Houston metro feels lopsided due to its inability to develop the east side of its city.

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by soletaire

When I say "definitively puts DFW above Houston", I mean in regards to having a balanced metro -- nothing more... Houston metro feels lopsided due to its inability to develop the east side of its city.

Houston's east side is no more underdeveloped than Dallas' South and west sides

[JJG]

Actually, I also think Houston is more urban, and seems to be building at a faster rate than ANY other city in Texas. Even Austin.

[MobileDave]

Originally Posted by soletaire

One thing, I think, definitively puts DFW above Houston is the fact that Houston only feels like 2/3's or 3/4's of a city at times. Its eastside is virtually uninhabitable due to refineries/the port and, with the occasional exception of maybe Pasadena/Baytown, you dont really ever hear people here mention anything on the eastside. Everything is either about the West end (galleria, westchase, Uptown, Memorial, Katy, etc.), the Northside (The Heights, Spring, Woodlands, Greenspoint, Jersey Village) or the Southside. And to me, since Houston is not a downtown oriented city, it should be able to make use all areas of the metro to build on.

In DFW, it seems like, all areas of the metro are able to be used for residences and businesses to varying degrees.

I agree with marcopollo. Every Houstonian enters Dallas from the south so this is one thing you cannot hide or tell us is not true. We all see how you drive into Dallas from the south and seems to just appear out of thin air like Dallas begins with its skyscrapers and heads north. In Houston you know you are in a large city from 20-30 miles out in every direction.

I will admit that we do have refineries on that end of town and the fourth largest port in the country (#1 in overall foreign tonnage). Our east backs up to a massive body of water.

There was a big push to revitalize East Downtown (EaDo) and now the Metro line going down Harrisburg is almost finished and we have a multi-million dollar soccer stadium there now. If you have been down this way lately you will see a lot of residential development along the line and a lot of new artist have come to call this place home that find Montrose too expensive. I think when this revitalization is completed that EaDo will be one of the most walkable areas in Houston.

The East End gets its own street festival: Home of new Dynamo stadium, Ninfa's to rock the rebirth - 2012-Apr-06 - CultureMap Houston

[soletaire]

Originally Posted by MobileDave

I agree with marcopollo. Every Houstonian enters Dallas from the south so this is one thing you cannot hide or tell us is not true. We all see how you drive into Dallas from the south and seems to just appear out of thin air like Dallas begins with its skyscrapers and heads north. In Houston you know you are in a large city from 20-30 miles out in every direction.

I will admit that we do have refiners on that end of town and the fourth largest port in the country (#1 in overall foreign tonnage). Our east backs up to a massive body of water.

There was a big push to revitalize East Downtown (EaDo) and now the Metro line going down Harrisburg is almost finished and we have a multi-million dollar soccer stadium there now. If you have been down this way lately you will see a lot of residential development along the line and a lot of new artist have come to call this place home that find Montrose too expensive. I think when this revitalization is completed that EaDo will be one of the most walkable areas in Houston.

The East End gets its own street festival: Home of new Dynamo stadium, Ninfa's to rock the rebirth - 2012-Apr-06 - CultureMap Houston

Ive never traveled to Dallas from Houston. I always come into the city (dallas) from the East. But its good to see Houston placing an emphasis on developing its east side. Hopefully that development will eventually extend out to Channelview and points north and south of it.

[MobileDave]

I would personally love to see Dallas extend to the south. They could completely start from scratch and build the area however they would like.

The point about trees and greenery is a valid one. I was given the opportunity to move to Colorado for work a while back so I was taking a bunch mini trips to get a grasp of the area. One thing I noticed is how much I would miss Houston's vegetation and rain that I've become so accustomed to. There's just something about the greenery and trees of Memorial Park, The Heights and so on that you can't get anywhere else in Texas if you still want to live in a big city.

[savanite]

Originally Posted by JJG

Well yeah, I know we have some wooded area, but it's not gonna be like Houston or East Texas.

Nor does it have to be.

I believe the God that made Houston or East Texas also made North Texas. It's not a good idea to criticize the big guy.