Houston - Downtown Tunnel System

Urbannizer · #1 Posted **Nov 21, 2009, 3:52 PM**

No one here on SSP has never really seen the underground tunnel system in DT Houston, but here it is, the main tunnel system. Its a series of tunnels and skywalk connections, about 20ft underground, and 6-7 miles long (95 full city blocks). Other tunnel systems that are not connected to the main tunnels include the Harris County Tunnel, which totals 10 blocks. St. Joseph Medical center skywalks in SE downtown and skywalk connections between Hilton Americas, GRB Convention Center, Toyota Center, and Houston Public Library.

Pics of the main tunnel system:

All Pics By ANVAR SO BUSY RUSSIANTEXAN on FLickr.

philvia · #2 Posted **Nov 21, 2009, 4:45 PM**

i'm curious what reasons the city had to build these... YES LETS KILL STREET LIFE IN OUR ALREADY LIFELESS CITY

Dan Denson · #3 Posted **Nov 22, 2009, 3:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by philvia

i'm curious what reasons the city had to build these... YES LETS KILL STREET LIFE IN OUR ALREADY LIFELESS CITY

I'm sure someone will say "the weather", but it's great at least 7 months out of the year. And the sidewalk cafes there (e.g., Midtown) are busy even during the hottest months. So I don't get it either.

Dallas has an extensive system as well. I don't know which other cities do.

cabasse · #4 Posted **Nov 22, 2009, 10:12 PM**

it's not necessarily an either-or situation. plenty of cities exist with both highly utilized tunnel systems and and vibrant streetlife. montreal is a good example of one.

cool pics! it looks quite nice actually.

TexasPlaya · #5 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by philvia

i'm curious what reasons the city had to build these... YES LETS KILL STREET LIFE IN OUR ALREADY LIFELESS CITY

Lifeless eh?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Denson

I'm sure someone will say "the weather", but it's great at least 7 months out of the year. And the sidewalk cafes there (e.g., Midtown) are busy even during the hottest months. So I don't get it either.

Dallas has an extensive system as well. I don't know which other cities do.

I wouldn't say anywhere in Texas has great weather for 7 months of the year and I'm a native. Houston is hot, humid, and can have very heavy rain falls, I would imagine in a place where people are wearing business attire that being inside with AC is a high priority. I can't think of any reason besides weather of building things.

Personally, I don't see the big deal of having under tunnels with stores and places to eat compared to at street level. Perhaps it reminds people of malls? The tunnels have practically any store you would see street level any downtown, aside from maybe street venders.

Dan Denson · #6 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 3:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Lifeless eh?

I wouldn't say anywhere in Texas has great weather for 7 months of the year and I'm a native. Houston is hot, humid, and can have very heavy rain falls, I would imagine in a place where people are wearing business attire that being inside with AC is a high priority. I can't think of any reason besides weather of building things.

Personally, I don't see the big deal of having under tunnels with stores and places to eat compared to at street level. Perhaps it reminds people of malls? The tunnels have practically any store you would see street level any downtown, aside from maybe street venders.

It's hot and humid from May through September. Outside of those months, temperatures are almost always pleasant. It can be pretty rainy, though, I'll grant you that.

llamaorama · #7 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 7:01 AM**

But unlike a city street, everything closes at 4 pm Mon-Fri...

VivaLFuego · #8 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 3:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by philvia

i'm curious what reasons the city had to build these... YES LETS KILL STREET LIFE IN OUR ALREADY LIFELESS CITY

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Denson

I'm sure someone will say "the weather", but it's great at least 7 months out of the year. And the sidewalk cafes there (e.g., Midtown) are busy even during the hottest months. So I don't get it either.

Yes, the weather.

And 7 months out of the year of good weather means 5 months of getting to work or returning from lunch drenched in sweat. That's enough to matter. It does mean, and my limited experience bears it out, that when they aren't needed, they aren't used as much. No doubt Houston in November or February is a lovely place to stroll outside, and downtown has gotten much nicer in that regard (Street level) in recent years, so the streetlife during the good-weather months is presentable.

Reverberation · #9 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 3:52 PM**

Try getting caught in a summer thunderstorm and getting hailed on. I would love more street life but those things have been clutch in the past when I'm in a suit and don't want to get soaked or cooked.

TexasPlaya · #10 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama

But unlike a city street, everything closes at 4 pm Mon-Fri...

It's not like there isn't any street activity, because like Viva mentioned when the weather is nice, people generally walk outside. There are shops and places to eat street level but it really is dependent on the weather.

urbanactivist · #11 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 7:15 PM**

The tunnel system started as a single connection between two theaters. It had nothing to do with weather, or anything like that when the first one was built. People in Houston thought it was COOL, and (as is typical with human nature) became envious and wanted more of them. Then they figured out that "the tunnels are safer" and "they can be air conditioned" and "we can put businesses down here"... and so the system was born. In fact, part of Class A office space criteria in Houston for a long time was the inclusion of a tunnel with retail. So it literally became a fashion statement of the buildings there. Thankfully now, the city is getting past those attitudes and starting to invest in the street again.

Dale · #12 Posted **Nov 23, 2009, 7:34 PM**

Still, tunnels are cool. I guess it's the kid in me, and not so much the doctrinaire urbanist.

sabino86 · #13 Posted **Nov 28, 2009, 3:45 AM**

Pretty neat stuff...

TexasPlaya · #14 Posted **Nov 28, 2009, 4:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanactivistTX

The tunnel system started as a single connection between two theaters. It had nothing to do with weather, or anything like that when the first one was built. People in Houston thought it was COOL, and (as is typical with human nature) became envious and wanted more of them. Then they figured out that "the tunnels are safer" and "they can be air conditioned" and "we can put businesses down here"... and so the system was born. In fact, part of Class A office space criteria in Houston for a long time was the inclusion of a tunnel with retail. So it literally became a fashion statement of the buildings there. Thankfully now, the city is getting past those attitudes and starting to invest in the street again.

Of course the first tunnel weren't about weather. However, Greenway Plaza and the Galleria have tunnels and the TMC is connected through skybridges without much street level activity. The weather most certainly has been a factor in the tunnels since the started expanding them.

photoLith · #15 Posted **Dec 1, 2009, 2:26 AM**

I hate the tunnel system, if it werent for them downtown Houston during the day would seem almost as busy as a new york street. Main Street now that there is some good shopping and resturaunts on it has pedestrian traffic during the day but for the rest of downtown, its pretty much deserted at all times, except for when the buses leave for the suburbs at 4-5.

glowrock · #16 Posted **Dec 1, 2009, 3:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Of course the first tunnel weren't about weather. However, Greenway Plaza and the Galleria have tunnels and the TMC is connected through skybridges without much street level activity. The weather most certainly has been a factor in the tunnels since the started expanding them.

Where are the tunnels around the Galleria?

Aaron (Glowrock)

Dale · #17 Posted **Dec 1, 2009, 5:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photolitherland

I hate the tunnel system, if it werent for them downtown Houston during the day would seem almost as busy as a new york street. Main Street now that there is some good shopping and resturaunts on it has pedestrian traffic during the day but for the rest of downtown, its pretty much deserted at all times, except for when the buses leave for the suburbs at 4-5.

What, you think the tunnels are keeping people off the streets because they have McDonald's and Sunglass Huts down there ?

stranger · #18 Posted **Dec 29, 2009, 5:15 PM**

I live in downtown Dallas and work in downtown Dallas - I love the tunnels for about 6 months out of the year. When it's raining or 105 degrees, they make perfect sense. Some claim that the tunnels kill street-level businesses, but how can this be true when the tunnels close down at 5pm? There is no street-level business past then anyway- no reason to even keep the tunnels open.

northbay · #19 Posted **Dec 29, 2009, 5:34 PM**

tunnels are only cool when u put trains in them...

or when they connect trains stations

northbay · #20 Posted **Dec 29, 2009, 5:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stranger

I live in downtown Dallas and work in downtown Dallas - I love the tunnels for about 6 months out of the year. When it's raining or 105 degrees, they make perfect sense. Some claim that the tunnels kill street-level businesses, but how can this be true when the tunnels close down at 5pm? There is no street-level business past then anyway- no reason to even keep the tunnels open.

wait, businesses in dallas shut down at 5 pm? cmon, the BOOKSTORES in downtown santa rosa are open past 8. thats pretty sad.