Quote:
Originally Posted by ahealy
I'm just being a dramatic ninny 
In all seriousness, it's great what they've done with that area....I just want to see more of that kind of retail downtown. |
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas
It's ok to bring up the negative things about a place while also pointing out the positive things.
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Exactly. I meant what I said half-jokingly. For the most part, it functions more like a mall, at the moment, especially since most of its crowd goes there for shopping and dining, but that isn't in and of itself a bad thing. I think it looks cool, quite honestly. I just think it needs a bit more time and aging to truly fit in as a defining neighborhood rather than a place the majority of the City uses as a shopping destination.
Another aspect about it, that I feel is a negative is that it closes way too early in comparison with the rest of the City. I'm not sure what time it closes on Sunday nights but on usual weeknights it closes the same time a shopping mall closes.
And not to mention, of course, the lack of cohesive sidewalks from the first to second phase. If it meets these things then I'd say its building itself out more to a real neighborhood/2nd downtown destination.
Also, are there any night clubs/bars/music venues? That place would be cool if they did build something like that. I know there are restaurant/bars but I've not seen any real bars, etc.
Another thing I find weird about it is how the area is sort of sectioned off from the proper City street grid. There's like a huge epic entrance to get in when you're in your car. It's not like downtown where once you get off the freeway or pass Lady Bird Lake, you're there. It feels like a privately owned area (is it?) where only a special few privileged get to live. The Triangle seems to fit in a bit better with the City, with easier access, etc. And once you're there, the crowds fill in on the inside, rather than truly inhabiting the place inside and out, like a real downtown. I feel that is the biggest contributor to making it feel like a shopping mall rather than a neighborhood. It reminds me of those huge outdoor malls in Houston.
If you want to give it a real comparison go there during the day and notice the Domain is more vibrant than downtown, but then that vibrancy heads over to downtown at nights when the bars start opening up. It's virtually dead by 9 pm. But it is like Kevin said, it doesn't have to build on the vibrancy that downtown already has. I personally don't care if it does or doesn't happen that way. I just feel that it also factors into how a neighborhood typically feels.
Other than that, yes, all the positives everyone else mentioned is valid. I wouldn't trade what is going on now for what it used to be. I was very excited, and still am, when something was getting built over there and especially, considering all that the city envisions for that area.
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