Downtowns are back

[Yuri]

Downtown Houston




------------------------------ 2020 ------ 2010 ------ 2000 ------ 1990 ------ Growth ------ Density

Downtown --------------------- 17,138 ----- 14,342 ----- 11,882 ------ 7,029 ---- 19.5% ---- 20.7% --- 69.0% ------- 4.5 km² --- 3,834.9 inh./km²

Midtown ------------------------ 10,820 ------ 7,441 ------ 4,710 ------ 2,761 ---- 45.4% ---- 58.0% --- 70.6% ------- 2.8 km² --- 3,861.5 inh./km²

Houston MSA --------------- 7,122,240 -- 5,920,416 -- 4,693,161 -- 3,750,883 ---- 20.3% ---- 26.1% --- 25.1% -- 21,416 km²


Downtown Houston is the freeway loop and the 3 census tracts match perfectly with the definition.

Each one of them tells a completely different story: one is the norwestern corner, where all the tall buildings are; the other embraced the first, in an L shape, where all the parking lots are; and the third is the bit northern of the river. Apparently they've built an university campus there and population went from zero in 1990 to 8,200 now, but it actually decreased this decade, making Downtown numbers not looking that spectacular. In fact, it's actually lower than the Houston MSA, making one of the very few in the list to grow slower than its metro area.

About Midtown, located immediately south of Downtown, it's the typical central neighbourhood that's taking advantage from Downtown's boom. I brought its numbers just to register.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

Downtown Houston




------------------------------ 2020 ------ 2010 ------ 2000 ------ 1990 ------ Growth ------ Density

Downtown --------------------- 17,138 ----- 14,342 ----- 11,882 ------ 7,029 ---- 19.5% ---- 20.7% --- 69.0% ------- 4.5 km² --- 3,834.9 inh./km²

Midtown ------------------------ 10,820 ------ 7,441 ------ 4,710 ------ 2,761 ---- 45.4% ---- 58.0% --- 70.6% ------- 2.8 km² --- 3,861.5 inh./km²

Houston MSA --------------- 7,122,240 -- 5,920,416 -- 4,693,161 -- 3,750,883 ---- 20.3% ---- 26.1% --- 25.1% -- 21,416 km²


Downtown Houston is the freeway loop and the 3 census tracts match perfectly with the definition.

Each one of them tells a completely different story: one is the norwestern corner, where all the tall buildings are; the other embraced the first, in an L shape, where all the parking lots are; and the third is the bit northern of the river. Apparently they've built an university campus there and population went from zero in 1990 to 8,200 now, but it actually decreased this decade, making Downtown numbers not looking that spectacular. In fact, it's actually lower than the Houston MSA, making one of the very few in the list to grow slower than its metro area.

About Midtown, located immediately south of Downtown, it's the typical central neighbourhood that's taking advantage from Downtown's boom. I brought its numbers just to register.

Seems about right.... Central Houston has more in common with Detriot than its sun belt peers. It's cut apart by freeways and a massive economic downturn in the 80s bombed out the core. There's still significant heavy industry nearby to the east and lots of freight traffic that further dissects the neighborhoods.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Seems about right.... Central Houston has more in common with Detriot than its sun belt peers. It's cut apart by freeways and a massive economic downturn in the 80s bombed out the core. There's still significant heavy industry nearby to the east and lots of freight traffic that further dissects the neighborhoods.

Many SunBelt cities have in fact more in common with Detroit in this regard. I intend to post Dallas and Fort Worth soon, and it's not that different from Houston, at least regarding numbers. Atlanta is the outlier here, but even for them is a more recent phenomenon.

But Houston, if we ignored the parts of Loop north of CBD, where the university campus is, they have grown quite decently. I imagine they're replacing the (in)famous parking lots with highrises.

[TexasPlaya]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

Many SunBelt cities have in fact more in common with Detroit in this regard. I intend to post Dallas and Fort Worth soon, and it's not that different from Houston, at least regarding numbers. Atlanta is the outlier here, but even for them is a more recent phenomenon.

But Houston, if we ignored the parts of Loop north of CBD, where the university campus is, they have grown quite decently. I imagine they're replacing the (in)famous parking lots with highrises.

Which is why I said "Central Houston". Central DFW is more intact than Houston's, all sun belt cities have the freeways cutting through them but most don't have the heavy industrial use so close. You didn't include the areas North or East of downtown which is what separates ATL, Miami, PHX, DFW from Houston, at least in my opinion.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

I imagine they're replacing the (in)famous parking lots with highrises.

No need to imagine. Here are some photos of the infamous parking lots as they are now.









All photos by “cityliving” on HAIF https://www.houstonarchitecture.com


Plus three new residential high rises on the north end of downtown. Photo mine.