Texas Cities: Best Intown Neighborhoods (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) (Center: shop, light rail)

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by BlizzardFlurry

Houston doesn't have a lot in terms of the quantity, but the interesting neighborhoods that it does offer are impressive and very large in terms of area. And yes, I've seen the pictures of Third Ward and oh lord it is not pretty! As a white man, would I fear for my life if I were to walk around there?

Ask them:

White Lives Matter protested in front of the NAACP office in Third Ward on Sunday.

[NigerianNightmare]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

1. Deep Ellum -- It has really good urban bones (esp. for Texas); however, it is still mostly an entertainment district. It's in the beginning phase of becoming more of a neighborhood. You actually missed this high rise in your street view: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7848...2!8i6656?hl=en.

There's another one that is currently being built on this vacant piece of land: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7839...2!8i6656?hl=en

That trend will continue and thankfully they're building on vacant land and not tearing down the old 1-story and 2-story buildings. DE is actually primed to be a pretty solid urban neighborhood. If they tear down the highway between DT & DE, then you'll have one continuous urban flow from Dallas's West End through Downtown and Deep Ellum. A lot is also being built on the fringes, including near Baylor & also the Farmer's Market District in DT. All within walking distance of DE. As for the lack of street-life, it's actually quite common on Google Street View for many cities. They tend to take these shots at non-peak hours. DE is very busy during the week at lunchtime and in the evening. On weekends, it's very vibrant with street-life.

2. Bishop Arts -- Actually, Jefferson Blvd. is more urban - https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7431...2!8i6656?hl=en. It's within walking distance to the Bishop Arts District and they are building apartments nearby. It's more of a street-car suburb than an urban neighborhood, but the Jefferson Blvd. business district does have some decent urban bones.

3. Domain -- Really? It's not connected to anything at all. At least you can take a trolley from DT Dallas to Bishop Arts. You literally have to drive from DT Austin to the Domain. It's not a true TOD. You definitely missed Uptown's West Village, which is a true TOD and much more connected to DT Dallas than the Domain is to Austin. https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8078...2!8i6656?hl=en.

And Uptown's State Thomas:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7972...2!8i6656?hl=en

Uptown Whole Foods:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7955...2!8i6656?hl=en

I'm not saying any of these are an urban oasis, but I mean compared to your DT Bryan example? Does anyone even live in DT Bryan?

Repped, thanks for the reply, Uptown Dallas actually looks really good as a neighborhood, but when I was streetviewing those other districts, I was getting worried. Also I'm not saying Downtown Bryan is urban but, i'm saying with the wild west style one lone business/commercial street with one story buildings lined along each side of the road the place can be mistaken for Downtown Bryan Texas.
Bishop Art's District and Deep Ellum especially, if you build that type of development IMO while it might give off a small-town "Texas"vibe, I don't think an urban area should give off that vibe.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9958...7i13312!8i6656
I don't want this to represent urbanity in Texas.

If Uptown Dallas apartment density can be replicated with it's own neighborhood style along all the neighborhoods that immediately border Downtown Dallas that will look a whole lot more impressive.
While the Domain is still suburban, I note it because it tries, many Suburban areas just ignore anything that will lead to increasing population density, The Domain tries to embrace that, although it is better compared to Las Colinas or the Energy Corridor than the city centers of either region.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by NigerianNightmare

Repped, thanks for the reply, Uptown Dallas actually looks really good as a neighborhood, but when I was streetviewing those other districts, I was getting worried. Also I'm not saying Downtown Bryan is urban but, i'm saying with the wild west style one lone business/commercial street with one story buildings lined along each side of the road the place can be mistaken for Downtown Bryan Texas.
Bishop Art's District and Deep Ellum especially, if you build that type of development IMO while it might give off a small-town "Texas"vibe, I don't think an urban area should give off that vibe.

Thanks for the rep! And yes, I can see where you're coming from. Just to clarify, they're definitely not building one story buildings in Deep Ellum. Mid-rises and high-rises are being built on vacant lots or surface parking lots.
Here's a rendering of the Epic, which will open in 2019. Currently being built on vacant land:
The Epic: Deep Ellum Moves On Up

As far as the existing one-story buildings that make up most of Deep Ellum proper, I don't think they're going anywhere. And I'm thankful for that. Too often, Dallas is quick to bulldoze anything old and has been called "soulless" many times. Those old one-story buildings are what makes Deep Ellum special. Ditto for Bishop Arts. There's still plenty of land to build on in and around Deep Ellum to give it a more urban vibe, especially along Good Latimer and the eastern edge of Downtown.

Up around Knox St., the main business district has a lot of one-story buildings. However, they're not tearing them down to build high-rises. They're being built a block over where there once was vacant land, a strip mall, or even an outdated 70s apartment:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8231...7i13312!8i6656

[supfromthesite]

Houston - River Oaks, Tanglewood, West Oak
Dallas - Highland/University Park, Old Preston Hollow
San Antonio - Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, King William, Monte Vista is almost there
Austin - West Lake Hills


Houston and Dallas wins

[R1070]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

Thanks for the rep! And yes, I can see where you're coming from. Just to clarify, they're definitely not building one story buildings in Deep Ellum. Mid-rises and high-rises are being built on vacant lots or surface parking lots.
Here's a rendering of the Epic, which will open in 2019. Currently being built on vacant land:
The Epic: Deep Ellum Moves On Up

As far as the existing one-story buildings that make up most of Deep Ellum proper, I don't think they're going anywhere. And I'm thankful for that. Too often, Dallas is quick to bulldoze anything old and has been called "soulless" many times. Those old one-story buildings are what makes Deep Ellum special. Ditto for Bishop Arts. There's still plenty of land to build on in and around Deep Ellum to give it a more urban vibe, especially along Good Latimer and the eastern edge of Downtown.

Up around Knox St., the main business district has a lot of one-story buildings. However, they're not tearing them down to build high-rises. They're being built a block over where there once was vacant land, a strip mall, or even an outdated 70s apartment:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8231...7i13312!8i6656

Deep Ellum certainly has an urban vibe and it's filling in nicely and connecting well with the Farmers Market District, etc.

[homeinatx]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

Houston - River Oaks, Tanglewood, West Oak
Dallas - Highland/University Park, Old Preston Hollow
San Antonio - Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, King William, Monte Vista is almost there
Austin - West Lake Hills


Houston and Dallas wins

This is a tad crazy. The only remotely urbanish neighborhoods on that list are the ones in San Antonio

The others are all fundamentally suburban in character - single family homes on large lots, not pedestrian friendly, low population density, very few, if any, mixed use buildings etc. Uptown in Dallas is much more urban than Preston Hollow. Parts of West Lake Hills feel almost rural ...

[BlizzardFlurry]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

Houston - River Oaks, Tanglewood, West Oak
Dallas - Highland/University Park, Old Preston Hollow
San Antonio - Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, King William, Monte Vista is almost there
Austin - West Lake Hills


Houston and Dallas wins

Almost all of these neighborhoods that you mentioned are BORING. Terrell Hills and Olmos Park have pretty houses, but there's practically nothing else inside of them. And Monte Vista is probably the worst urban neighborhood in the city. Tobin Hill completely destroys Monte Vista.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

Houston - River Oaks, Tanglewood, West Oak
Dallas - Highland/University Park, Old Preston Hollow
San Antonio - Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, King William, Monte Vista is almost there
Austin - West Lake Hills


Houston and Dallas wins

Preston Hollow is not even an in-town neighborhood, never mind an urban one.

[Gunion Powder]

I don't know if the Park Cities should be called urban, but they're definitely walkable.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Gunion Powder

I don't know if the Park Cities should be called urban, but they're definitely walkable.

Somewhat walkable. Not necessarily "urban," although there's quite a few commercial strips and shopping villages in the Park Cities that can become more urban. One example is Snider Plaza near SMU:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8485...2!8i6656?hl=en

Much of Preston Rd. looks like this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8503...2!8i6656?hl=en


Preston Center, which is technically "Dallas city limits," is the closest to an urban environment in the Park Cities area as it gets. It's spotty, but with the proper sidewalk infrastructure, you can create a more pedestrian friendly environment:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8636...2!8i6656?hl=en