Tweet
Like fish, I have a hobbyist's love for architecture and urban planning. I found this article: http://culturemap.com/newsdetail/12-...f-development/ , and realized that I disagree with seven of his ten choices.
Just for giggles, here are mine:
1. Minute Maid Park - I think this is what convinced everyone who didn't already work downtown that it was safe to return downtown.
2. Randalls Midtown - As the writer states, it helped bring stability to Midtown, allowing the newly developed townhomes and apartments to hold their occupancy, and finally reversed the donut effect of the last 30 years.
3. Hilton Hotel Americas - Everyone wants to give Discovery Green all the credit but it was this Hotel that anchored the GRB Hall E expansion, helped the Baseball district, brought the Toyota Center, and most recently Discovery Green, Discovery Tower, One Park Place, and the Embassy Suites.
4. METRO Lightrail Redline - Has helped establish Houston as more than just another post WW2 car and freeway town. Its slow going - but it is going.
5. Reliant Stadium - brought us to the modern age in sports arenas and brought us a Super bowl which helped fuel the early completion of the first segment of the metro light rail, main street redevelopment from UHD to Braeswood, and the redevelopment of the downtown entertainment district along Main street.
6. Westchase District - The creation and branding of this district helped bring in more major business to one area that any other part of the city. I think its organization and results is what secured the home sales and retail in the Andreu Airpark aka Royal Oaks neighborhoods/shopping centers. Even if all those living in the Royal Oaks country club don't work in Westchase, it surely helped sell the security of the new neighborhood.
7. Gulfgate Shopping Center - Breathed new life into a dying area's antiquated mall, and has since been used as a model for Northline and I suspect eventually Sharpstown.
8. Woodlands Market Street - Unless I'm mistaken, this was built before the Sugar Land Town Center. It should be the one that is given credit for ushering in a new age for the shopping experience by attempting to more accurately recreate the urban, pedestrian friendly retail/entertainment district.
9. Westpark Toll & Fort Bend Toll - Unlike any freeway redevelopment or expansion, these two were created from nothing, allowing other ways to connect to Houston's fastest growing suburbs, no doubt fueling that growth - as is evident all along and at the ends of each tollway.
10. Alamo Draft House - Because I didn't have a tenth development, its an awesome movie theater, and its spawned many imitators - which ultimately gives us all more options.
Just for giggles, here are mine:
1. Minute Maid Park - I think this is what convinced everyone who didn't already work downtown that it was safe to return downtown.
2. Randalls Midtown - As the writer states, it helped bring stability to Midtown, allowing the newly developed townhomes and apartments to hold their occupancy, and finally reversed the donut effect of the last 30 years.
3. Hilton Hotel Americas - Everyone wants to give Discovery Green all the credit but it was this Hotel that anchored the GRB Hall E expansion, helped the Baseball district, brought the Toyota Center, and most recently Discovery Green, Discovery Tower, One Park Place, and the Embassy Suites.
4. METRO Lightrail Redline - Has helped establish Houston as more than just another post WW2 car and freeway town. Its slow going - but it is going.
5. Reliant Stadium - brought us to the modern age in sports arenas and brought us a Super bowl which helped fuel the early completion of the first segment of the metro light rail, main street redevelopment from UHD to Braeswood, and the redevelopment of the downtown entertainment district along Main street.
6. Westchase District - The creation and branding of this district helped bring in more major business to one area that any other part of the city. I think its organization and results is what secured the home sales and retail in the Andreu Airpark aka Royal Oaks neighborhoods/shopping centers. Even if all those living in the Royal Oaks country club don't work in Westchase, it surely helped sell the security of the new neighborhood.
7. Gulfgate Shopping Center - Breathed new life into a dying area's antiquated mall, and has since been used as a model for Northline and I suspect eventually Sharpstown.
8. Woodlands Market Street - Unless I'm mistaken, this was built before the Sugar Land Town Center. It should be the one that is given credit for ushering in a new age for the shopping experience by attempting to more accurately recreate the urban, pedestrian friendly retail/entertainment district.
9. Westpark Toll & Fort Bend Toll - Unlike any freeway redevelopment or expansion, these two were created from nothing, allowing other ways to connect to Houston's fastest growing suburbs, no doubt fueling that growth - as is evident all along and at the ends of each tollway.
10. Alamo Draft House - Because I didn't have a tenth development, its an awesome movie theater, and its spawned many imitators - which ultimately gives us all more options.
Comment