Detached Townhomes & What Houston Is Doing RIght - Page 8

SIGSEGV · #**141** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Doesn’t really matter what they’re called. They’re the same thing.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7490...7i16384!8i8192

what the heck the sidewalk completely disappears for patches going up and down a few blocks. Interesting to compare the various Hyde Park neighborhoods in major US cities!

bilbao58 · #**142** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:29 AM**

Here are some of the earliest in Houston. They have single-car garages, too.
https://goo.gl/maps/5u1v2G6mei93z52n6

bilbao58 · #**143** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Interesting to compare the various Hyde Park neighborhoods in major US cities!

Comparing this to Hype Park in Chicago is depressing. Not interesting. Stop gloating!

SIGSEGV · #**144** Posted **May 11, 2021, 7:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Comparing this to Hype Park in Chicago is depressing. Not interesting. Stop gloating!

Well, HP Chicago has lost some of its character over the last 10 years or so (certainly pretty different from 2014-2015 when I lived there for a year...). But there are so many Hyde Parks in the US! Austin, Boston, Cincinnati, Tampa, LA, Boise, Kansas City, St. Louis...

And the Houston Hyde Park might be the most affluent (except maybe Austin? I don't know). And you don't have hideous urban renewal monstrosities like these: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7950...7i16384!8i8192

wwmiv · #**145** Posted **May 11, 2021, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Well, HP Chicago has lost some of its character over the last 10 years or so (certainly pretty different from 2014-2015 when I lived there for a year...). But there are so many Hyde Parks in the US! Austin, Boston, Cincinnati, Tampa, LA, Boise, Kansas City, St. Louis...

And the Houston Hyde Park might be the most affluent (except maybe Austin? I don't know). And you don't have hideous urban renewal monstrosities like these: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7950...7i16384!8i8192

Austin’s Hyde Park, although regionally known for being a pocket of high wealth, is not what it used to be.

edale · #**146** Posted **May 11, 2021, 4:22 PM**

Cincinnati's Hyde Park is the city's richest neighborhood, and probably the second richest neighborhood in the metro behind suburban Indian Hill.

Steely Dan · #**147** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Well, HP Chicago has lost some of its character over the last 10 years or so (certainly pretty different from 2014-2015 when I lived there for a year...

you don't have hideous urban renewal monstrosities like these: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7950...7i16384!8i8192

yeah, chicago's Hyde Park certainly has its fair share of god-awful urban "renewal" ugly stick moments.

but then only 2 blocks from that streetview you posted, there's this gorgeous scene of utterly classic chicago residential side-street goodness:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7967...7i16384!8i8192

JManc · #**148** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

what the heck the sidewalk completely disappears for patches going up and down a few blocks. Interesting to compare the various Hyde Park neighborhoods in major US cities!

Houston until about 70 or so years ago was pretty small and underdeveloped with neighborhoods firmly inside the loop today considered far flung and semi-country around WW2. The River Oaks area deep inside the Loop was at the edge of town in the 40's and probably reason why many areas lack sidewalks (and have drainage ditches). All new construction and development requires them hence the patchwork. My neighborhood (early 70's) lacks sidewalks but was built before Houston annexed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Has there been any thought of commuter rail between Houston and Galveston? It looks like Galveston has a very nice historic Train Station right on the Strand: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.3065...7i16384!8i8192 with trolley tracks to the beach and UTMB in front of it...

I guess the problem is where it would go on the Houston end...

Yes and there was actually one years ago and there's been talk about being it back but a lot of politics and red tape.

SIGSEGV · #**149** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edale

Cincinnati's Hyde Park is the city's richest neighborhood, and probably the second richest neighborhood in the metro behind suburban Indian Hill.

wow, looks really nice!

SIGSEGV · #**150** Posted **May 12, 2021, 4:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc

Yes and there was actually one years ago and there's been talk about being it back but a lot of politics and red tape.

Right there was surely rail service in the pre-interstate era, but was there any in the last 50 years?

Looking at the map the key problem is where it would stop in Houston... the current Amtrak stop is not in a great place and not easily accessible anymore from the line to Galveston without re-instating some track.

If I were in charge, I'd move the Houston train station to underneath the UH-Downtown main building (https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7652...7i16384!8i8192 ) , and add a rail connection from approximately here: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7666...7i16384!8i8192 to here: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7676...7i16384!8i8192

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I bet a regular rail service between that relocated downtown station and Galveston would actually do quite well (intermediate stops at EaDo, Pecan Park, South Houston, Southpoint / Sam Houston Tollway, Webster, League City, Dickinson, Texas City / La Marque).

TexasPlaya · #**151** Posted **May 12, 2021, 3:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

what the heck the sidewalk completely disappears for patches going up and down a few blocks. Interesting to compare the various Hyde Park neighborhoods in major US cities!

Oh my stars!

edale · #**152** Posted **May 12, 2021, 4:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasPlaya

Oh my stars!

I mean you can make fun of him pointing this fact out, but it's really fucking strange to see this type of shit in an 'urban' neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7490...7i16384!8i8192

No sidewalk on either side of the street, less than a block off a commercial corridor. Houston is a great advertisement for the importance of city planning and zoning. Its public realm is a hot mess.

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**153** Posted **May 12, 2021, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edale

I mean you can make fun of him pointing this fact out, but it's really fucking strange to see this type of shit in an 'urban' neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7490...7i16384!8i8192

No sidewalk on either side of the street, less than a block off a commercial corridor. Houston is a great advertisement for the importance of city planning and zoning. Its public realm is a hot mess.

Big time. What a mess. How is one supposed to walk anywhere?

SIGSEGV · #**154** Posted **May 12, 2021, 5:05 PM**

Right exurban areas with low traffic can maybe get away with people just walking on the side of the road but for a city it's very strange. Unless those are taken to be woonerfs?

iheartthed · #**155** Posted **May 12, 2021, 5:07 PM**

It's also weird because there is plenty of space to create a sidewalk. I'm surprised this doesn't break some ADA regulations?

A few years ago Detroit got sued and had to make sure that sidewalks were installed properly throughout the city. They also had to install curb cuts uniformly. Because of that you'll see brand new sidewalks through neighborhoods that have been heavily abandoned.

bilbao58 · #**156** Posted **May 12, 2021, 5:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edale

I mean you can make fun of him pointing this fact out, but it's really fucking strange to see this type of shit in an 'urban' neighborhood:

No sidewalk on either side of the street, less than a block off a commercial corridor. Houston is a great advertisement for the importance of city planning and zoning. Its public realm is a hot mess.

Houston is playing catch-up after the negligence of its past leaders.

City Council Sets New Rules Aimed At Creating Walkable, Transit-Friendly Streets

Three Houston neighborhoods will be included in a pilot program as the city unveils new development standards that emphasize alternative transportation.

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...endly-streets/

JManc · #**157** Posted **May 12, 2021, 5:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Right there was surely rail service in the pre-interstate era, but was there any in the last 50 years?

I don't think so. Track is still there but I think there is a lot of politics and business interests preventing a commuter rail from being introduced.

UHD is prone to flooding so using the lower level as a terminus would be problematic.

eschaton · #**158** Posted **May 12, 2021, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartthed

It's also weird because there is plenty of space to create a sidewalk. I'm surprised this doesn't break some ADA regulations?

A few years ago Detroit got sued and had to make sure that sidewalks were installed properly throughout the city. They also had to install curb cuts uniformly. Because of that you'll see brand new sidewalks through neighborhoods that have been heavily abandoned.

Lots of cities have maintenance of the sidewalk the responsibility of the property owner, rather than the city. It's like that here in Pittsburgh. Thankfully in 99% of cases in any urban neighborhood the sidewalks were put in long ago, but you will find busted-up sidewalks which haven't been fixed for decades in front of some houses.

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**159** Posted **May 12, 2021, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartthed

It's also weird because there is plenty of space to create a sidewalk. I'm surprised this doesn't break some ADA regulations?

A few years ago Detroit got sued and had to make sure that sidewalks were installed properly throughout the city. They also had to install curb cuts uniformly. Because of that you'll see brand new sidewalks through neighborhoods that have been heavily abandoned.

Same with the city of LA... yet another parallel between the two lol

TexasPlaya · #**160** Posted **May 12, 2021, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edale

I mean you can make fun of him pointing this fact out, but it's really fucking strange to see this type of shit in an 'urban' neighborhood:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7490...7i16384!8i8192

No sidewalk on either side of the street, less than a block off a commercial corridor. Houston is a great advertisement for the importance of city planning and zoning. Its public realm is a hot mess.

No props for the bike lanes?!?

I doubt the fine people of River Oaks (detached SFH neighborhood, old money, that you decided to choose the location of) really care there are no sidewalks along a section that would never see pedestrian activity. The help have a bus stop with sidewalks leading into the old money neighborhood. I would say this particular section was designed so there are only a few entrances where people can walk in and out of this exclusive neighborhood.

Its public realm is inconsistent based on the neighborhood. It's also a sunbelt city that had a ton of inner city growth because people like what it offers.