IronTiger

The "white tent things" are the practice facility and indoor track. They were here several years ago, and they're there after the renovation. IMO, these should be the first to be torn down.

Too bad those white tent things are staying up. And any view from Wellborn will be partially obscured by two huge parking garages. And those concrete spiral things were awesome.

Slick--you mentioned you were a world traveler. While I appreciate that experience, how does it gain credibility in your argument? (which is based entirely after a pseudo-documentary on a "what if we run out of oil and have no viable alternatives" scenario) What I'm saying is if you fly to [any country], stay in a hotel for a week, and fly back, is that real experience there?

Well, one of the things about downtown Houston is it seems to be tourist-antagonistic. I don't know if there are any observation decks in Houston, and better yet: do something completely crazy. Like use those parking lots to build a http://www.thegoddardgroup.com/blog/index.php/now-it-can-be-told-the-star-trek-attraction-that-almost-came-to-life-in-1992/'>full-scale Enterprise replica.

If you're so bent on suburbia's death, the thing that probably will end happening is the socioeconomic structure prior to suburbs (which were first created by trains and streetcars): the center of town is where the wealthy live, followed by middle class, followed by the poor in the outskirts. In this case, the poor people would be living in the suburbs. At least that's what I remember from a history class.

Used to be another thread on Westheimer. My dream is to rebuild the Westheimer Parkway/Westheimer Road into a full interchange, where cars could go straight to points west (or east). Maybe rebrand Elgin to Westheimer as well...

I can't remember where (suburbs I think) but there was a Speedy Stop that officially became a 7-Eleven. So.........maybe summertime?

Is it any better, though?

There's a Kmart in Killeen...it's the only one left in the Texas Triangle area.

Yes, T.B.A., as it turns out, stands for Tires, Batteries, and Accessories. Foley's, selling auto parts? Who'd a-thunk it?

They are closing May 11th.

I didn't last the suburbs because that's not technically Houston per se. When I meet people who say they're from Houston, I have to grill them again to see if they're actually from Houston. Cypress, Katy, Spring, and Sugar Land don't really count in that aspect (but sometimes I do hit true positives!)

Trying to see if there's anywhere that I didn't mention: the immediate IAH area (2011), part of the 5th Ward, technically, at a Burger King off the highway (circa 2010?), outside the Hunters Creek Village area (2013), north of Memorial City (2008), northwest of Memorial City (2006)...

Yes. I have seen parts of West U, Rice and surrounding area, and the Medical District, as well. And Midtown.

In the past five years, I have explored Houston more than I have any other major city, and more than passing through on highways or the Museum District. Uptown. Downtown. Greater Third Ward. Port of Houston. The Heights. Upper Kirby. Montrose. Spring Branch. Sharpstown. Little Saigon. Gulfgate. Gulfton. Far more than an average tourist, certainly. But I have to ask: have I seen enough to see what Houston is like? The neighborhoods in Houston are wildly diverse, something College Station is not. Just one of the mysteries of life, I s'pose...

The H-E-B store in Galveston was a dated Pantry store. Suppose that (not that it makes any difference) H-E-B was losing money on the store, and felt that Ike was a good exit plan. If it wasn't doing poorly, they would've rebranded it as an H-E-B before 2008 and continued on. Picture of mine taken in August 2008, just weeks before Ike.

What did all these bars used to be? I'm all for revitalizing areas, but what I'm wondering, did the high rent downtown drive everything else out?

I'm wondering if closing it was the best ending for it. If Mary's had cleaned up its act and starting serving the modern Montrose crowd, even if the bar was still gay-friendly, you wouldn't hear the end of people screaming about it being a "yuppie sellout" or whatever.

I can't believe they left off Detroit, which is worst than any city on that list.

A lot of cities, including Galveston and Waco tried that. Didn't work, and just ended up killing what was left of their downtowns.

Mary's closed? When was this?

Isn't Buc-ee's going to move further northwest though? They may have to rethink their plans...(I'm sure a nice gas station will be taking it, but not a Buc-ee's)

That's really cool. Would like to see a closer view of one.

I thought this was about the old Holiday Inn Select off Southwest Freeway, which even though it's an old 1970s building, recently (three years ago?) redid itself to be a Crowne Plaza. Oh well. I think the link's expired, won't load.