Houston: Jacksonville's Larger Sibling?

[Metro Jacksonville]

Houston: Jacksonville's Larger Sibling?



Next City's 2016 Vanguard Conference takes us on a visit to the urban core of a larger "Jacksonville": Houston. Here's a look at a southern metropolis that shares several similarities with Florida's largest municipality.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-may-houston-jacksonvilles-larger-sibling

[jcjohnpaint]

Great Tour

[David]

Never been to Houston, but those first few photos it seems interesting. Definitely has a "big city" look to it.

Can't remember if it was Dallas or Houston, but someone said it's basically Atlanta without the trees. Not sure how true that is.

[thelakelander]

^They both feel that way. However, they're also both larger than Atlanta and flat.  Inside Houston's Inner Loop feels more compact and cohesive than inside the 285 beltway in Atlanta. Atlanta's topography may have a lot to do with it. Anyway, outside of their larger downtowns and Central Florida's lakes and theme parks, they'd feel and look just like metropolitan Orlando.

[fsujax]

I have been to Houston and stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in one of your pics. My first reaction was, it is almost like Jacksonville, except 5 times bigger and a slightly more vibrant downtown with a LRT. I just really didn't care too much for it and turned down the job offer I had there.

[thelakelander]

^The courtyard is where I stayed in 2006. This time around, I stayed in the same building, but in the Residence Inn by Marriott wing. That tunnel system really hurts the vibrancy of downtown Houston though. However, the city does have some cool neighborhoods surrounding downtown and housing options are plentiful and diversified.

[cif]

weather and everything outside of downtown

[mtraininjax]

The Dallas/Ft Worth metro area with Arlington is huge, larger than anything else in Texas. But the winter can be tricky with ice and snow, its a nice city regardless.

[fsujax]

I thought the very same things when I visited Houston, Jacksonville on steroids. Minus the beach and river of course.

[Adam White]

I thought the very same things when I visited Houston, Jacksonville on steroids. Minus the beach and river of course.

...and full of **shudder** Texans.