A Reflection of Houston and Dallas after years in both.... (Austin: 2014, luxury)

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

The other thing about this that seems unpopular on city data (yet not so much in real life) is that I don't see Dallas having an upscale shopping edge over Houston. While there's a few reasons for this, the number one reason comes down to Houston having so many luxury boutiques that Dallas doesn't (i.e. Dolce Gabbana, Prada,Rolex, now Breitling) list goes on. In this factor Houston exceeds Dallas in luring boutiques like this, and the way I see it, if Dallas' shopping is so much more advanced than Houston's, than why does Dallas lag these and Houston does not.

But again, this is only a city data response. My theory is that the older generation (which dominated city data) is used to seeing Dallas as the leader of shopping. The US News had Houston over Dallas, didn't even include Dallas in their top 10. The recent invesments Houston has done in shopping especially over the last decade have caused a boom.

Bottom line, when the conversation is about either shopping or nightlife on city data, I know that most likely, the rest is non sense.

Go read through this and get back to me. Some of the more nationwide chains arent as popular in Dallas because Dallas has so much local, homegrown, shops:

//www.city-data.com/forum/texas...-paradise.html

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Just like Midwesterners defending their crappy four-season weather to Californians. Among themselves they bicker which Midwestern winter is better: Wet snow/dry snow? Below 0 Celsius/0 Fahrenheit? Being bored with sunshine everyday/Dark winters? Etc.

The low-70s highs of Coastal California summers (usually within TFZ--the Five-mile Zone) are hands-down more preferable to low-90s humid Houston or 100s "dry" Dallas (and "dry" is relative--a Las Vegan would not be comfortable anywhere in eastern Texas).

Believe it or not, some people do actually prefer 4 season weather, I know I do. I would say on any given day coastal California is more likely to have better weather than most 4 season places, but you can't ice fish and don't get fall color in coastal California and in an odd way, feeling a little hot or cold is satisfying. Completing a full year cycle of seasons is satisfying to some people.

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Remember that awful flooding around DFW that afternoon a couple months ago, in early September? That's the typical late-afternoon Houston rainstorm. That typical rainstorm caused so much havoc in Dallas for that one afternoon--can't imagine DFW having Houston's rainstorms daily.

Lucky we don't get that much rain daily, but if we did, the whole area would be pretty different.

Dallas is more windy though according to both my experience and the weather service.

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Dallas is no more aesthetic than Houston. Same commercial conglomeration along the freeways and side streets. Same ugly sprawl, but DFW has more now that there is development crossing US 380 in Collin County. Texas (even Dallas') sense of aesthetic is lacking compared to overly self-conscious L.A. or creative-class S.F.

I think Dallas is pretty ugly too. While I dislike zoning, it does give the metro a more polished look than Houston. Houston also just has more parking lots, even more than Dallas. I also think most of metro Austin's development is as ugly as anything in Dallas, and really only saved (kind of) by the hills.

You won't get any disagreement from me that even LA is prettier than all 3.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by ScrappyJoe

But sadly, there's nothing of value to be seen at your valley...

LOL come on dude, lighten up and have a sense of humor

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Go read through this and get back to me. Some of the more nationwide chains arent as popular in Dallas because Dallas has so much local, homegrown, shops:

//www.city-data.com/forum/texas...-paradise.html

Go read the date this post was made. This list is beyond outdated, and proves my point of how much has changed in 4+ years. Get up to date on everything that’s changed since this and get back to me.

As for the home grown shops, there’s no denying this. This doesn’t change the fact that Houston attracts luxury boutiques more so.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

I think Dallas is pretty ugly too. While I dislike zoning, it does give the metro a more polished look than Houston. Houston also just has more parking lots, even more than Dallas. I also think most of metro Austin's development is as ugly as anything in Dallas, and really only saved (kind of) by the hills.

You won't get any disagreement from me that even LA is prettier than all 3.

Zoning has nothing to do with it except excluding industrial from residential and retail areas. Quit attributing things to zoning that are unrelated.

Houston still has sign and landscaping ordinances even though it lacks zoning. The problem is that these areas didn't come into full effect until the 1980s-90s, and there's lots of legacy development from the 1960s-70s that is primarily responsible for Houston's reputation for ugliness. Un-landscaped parking lots and junky pole and pylon signs have a pretty damaging impact on the visual environment.

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

Houston also just has more parking lots, even more than Dallas.

Again, do you have any kind of data to back that up? You seem to have an issue of confusing belief with fact, hence the shoddy nature of your arguments.

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

LOL come on dude, lighten up and have a sense of humor

Oh I've had lots of fun dealing with your arguments, they're less structurally sound than a house of cards.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Zoning has nothing to do with it except excluding industrial from residential and retail areas. Quit attributing things to zoning that are unrelated.

Houston still has sign and landscaping ordinances even though it lacks zoning. The problem is that these areas didn't come into full effect until the 1980s-90s, and there's lots of legacy development from the 1960s-70s that is primarily responsible for Houston's reputation for ugliness. Un-landscaped parking lots and junky pole and pylon signs have a pretty damaging impact on the visual environment.

I'm one of the few people you will find who actually thinks linear zoning is a bad idea. I love that Houston doesn't have it and think they never should have had parking minimums to begin with. I also think Houston should legalize chickens, like a normal city, and not just relegate them to industrial sized lots lol So I'm not hating on the no zoning, I love that and wish Houston had more of it.

The fact remains that Dallas did have zoning during the same period before Houston's sign and landscaping ordinances kicked in is a feature of how it developed. It let Dallas put industrial in it's own zones. That doesn't mean that 35 isn't an ugly stretch of urban interstate though lol.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by ScrappyJoe

Again, do you have any kind of data to back that up? You seem to have an issue of confusing belief with fact, hence the shoddy nature of your arguments.

Eran Ben Joseph wrote a book called "Rethinking a Lot" where he cited Houston having 30 parking spots per car. That was according to the MIT study.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/loc...on-5730523.php

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/09/...friendly-city/

Comment of the Day: Too Many Parking Spaces | Swamplot

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opi...s-13220515.php

Houston has modified it's parking requirements and now in a lot of cases requires about the same amount or less than Dallas, and they removed parking minimums in the Loop, which is a great start. Dallas also has way too much parking, I bet it is close to the Houston numbers.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Treasurevalley92

Houston has modified it's parking requirements and now in a lot of cases requires about the same amount or less than Dallas, and they removed parking minimums in the Loop, which is a great start. Dallas also has way too much parking, I bet it is close to the Houston numbers.

I'll give Houston credit for one thing -- it has notably less spaces dedicated to valet parking than Dallas. Those valet parking stands in the middle of sidewalks in Dallas are incredibly annoying. It seems like in Houston, valet is more for high end places whereas in Dallas, even mid-range and lower end places have them. Shell Shack off of Henderson has valet parking, which is beyond absurd! I wouldn't be surprised if a Taco Cabana location somewhere in Dallas had valet parking. There is no such thing as lack of parking in Dallas or Houston, but Dallas does go the extra mile for pure laziness (aka valet parking).

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Go read the date this post was made. This list is beyond outdated, and proves my point of how much has changed in 4+ years. Get up to date on everything that’s changed since this and get back to me.

As for the home grown shops, there’s no denying this. This doesn’t change the fact that Houston attracts luxury boutiques more so.

Actually very little has changed in the last four years in this regard.