Yet again, it was a scorcher in Houston Monday, but I decided it was about time to take my camera out into the city. I hope to go through several other neighborhoods soon, but here is what I came up with.



My reflection off of 1000 Main. One of Downtown's newest scrapers standing at 518 feet.

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Looking down on Main Street Square. A pedestrian mall which will burst into its full potential in a couple of years with new retail projects to make for a downtown retail district.

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Views from Binz Street Garage.
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Courthouse area view

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Magnolia Hotel. Built in 1926.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/3103/10008524jm.jpg

Sam Houston Hotel. Built in 1924.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5538/10008534ik.jpg

Christ Church Cathedral

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5945/10008546mz.jpg

Franklin Lofts Building. Built in 1904.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/3289/10008555zh.jpg

Commerce National Bank Building. Built in 1904.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/4945/10008576jr.jpg

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/2369/10008561qy.jpg

Islamic Da'wah Center

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Hotle Icon. Opened as hotel in 2004, but built in 1910.

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The Italian Renaissance styled Niels Esperson Building. Built in 1927. Took this from the 60th floor of the JPMorgan Chase Tower.

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Crown of one of the tallest art deco buildings in the nation. Hell if we are talking about America here and their history of building scrapers, maybe even the world. As you can tell, I honeslty do not know the ranking of the JPMorgan Chase Building.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/3343/10008651gt.jpg

From the year 1837-1839, the capitol building of the Republic of Texas stoood on this site and was torn down in 1882. It now stands as the Rice Hotel. Built in 1913 and was host of the 1928 Democratic National Convention.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/6356/10008662qp.jpg

United States Post Office and Custom House. Built in 1911. An outstanding example of the revival of 18th Century French Classical style.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5549/10008689so.jpg

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Old Texaco Building. Built in 1915. Hopefully soon to become Houston's second Renaissance Hotel.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/4467/10008701kf.jpg

Downtown Houston's newest boutique hotel. Club Quarters. Built in 1925.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/1481/10008710ry.jpg

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5576/10008721iy.jpg

The recently renovated Stowers Building. Built in 1913, but still looks brand new.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/6416/10008737tr.jpg

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Base of the art deco JPMorgan Chase Building. Built in 1929 and stands at 428 feet.

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St Germain Lofts. Built in 1913.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5743/10008784kl.jpg

Victorian Sweeney Combs Fredericks building.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/759/10008794kx.jpg

Harris County Courthouse. No longer in use, but hopefully this city knows how much of a beauty it is to put it back in use again and not demolish it.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/3384/10008818nm.jpg

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Full view of Franklin Lofts Building. Is it just me, or is it turning two tone on the right side?

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/4167/10008852ka.jpg

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402 Main. It has become one of Downtown Houston's nightclubs at street level. Home to the M Bar (www.monmain.com). The beauty was built in 1925.

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Kiam building. Built in 1893.
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Close up of 402 Main.
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Scanlan Building. Built in 1909.
http://img122.echo.cx/img122/7391/10008966xs.jpg

State National Building taken from Preston rail station. Built in 1923.
http://img122.echo.cx/img122/5248/10008976ka.jpg

Lady stacks up at street vendors.
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Humble Building. Opened in 1921 which houses the Courtyard by Mariott. The Humble Tower was added in in 1936 which houses Humble Tower Apartments, and the 10 storey Travis Wing was added in 1940 that now houses Residence Inn by Marriott.

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Now we head north of downtown to the warehouse district. I find it gritty but charming at the same time, but their is nothing lower class about the neighborhood home to art galleries/studios, cafes, and luxury lofts.

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JPMorgan Chase Tower peaking above trees on the right.

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Dakota Lofts. Built in 1911. Recently Renovated.

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New Sterrett Street dense infill develoment located in the late 19th century neighborhood. 18 modern rowhomes will be crammed into one small city block. The first phase shown here is located on Sterrett Street, where townhomes range from about $660,000 - $700,000. The second phase I believe will be on Richet Street which will house seven Manhattanesque rowhomes where prices will be a little over half price of the first phase. Here is the first phase located on Sterrett Street.

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Dharma Cafe.

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Downtown View from Warehoude District. The open lot you see will be home to Sterrett Street.

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/8059/10009276ij.jpg

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Here is the view from a spot where the warehouse district meets with the heavily Hispanic populated neighborhoods in the East End along Navigation.

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Minute Maid Park. Where the stros finally won. Sorry to the citizens of Denver that it had to be the Rockies, but if you were like me you really wouldn't care. :D

http://img122.echo.cx/img122/8943/10009334et.jpg


Hope you all enjoyed.

Very nice phototour. With all the business and economics going down in H-town, you sometimes forget that good branch of history it's hiding. You just have to know where to look.

Thanks for the photos. :okay:

very cool photos, I need a good camera so that i can get some cool shots too. I can't wait to see what else you have for us!

Very Nice!

Thanks for sharing it with us :)

Wonderful pictures! I love the Magnolia Hotel building.

If not the best, one of the most complete Houston photo threads I've seen :okay: I love the variety in the architecture around downtown, as well as the pedestrian activity. I can imagine how hard it is to walk around when the tempereature rise, but a big city always offers something to compensate for this. Excellent work!!!

^^^ Walking is fine in the summer before 11:00 AM, after that and until about 9:00 PM, it can be a pretty arduous task.

Anyway, WG, these pics look just as nice here as they did/do on SSP.

WOW, great pics of Houston, I just came back from there, I thought Downtown was kinda cool. Lots of great lofts apts and nice light rail. :)

Great thread. This is one of the most in depth Houston threads that I've seen on the forum. keep up the good work.

Good pics! I had no idea how Houston looks on street level :okay:

Western Gulf, very nice photos. i wonder how you got the birds-eye shots. I'm glad to see you could get some pics of pedestrians walking around downtown for a change because the pics that are usually posted don't show the activity level of pedestrians downtown, the streets appear desolate.

Thanks everyone.


tierwestah, I got some of the birdseye views from on top of garages. Here is a photo I forgot to add from the 59th floor of Wells Fargo Plaza.

http://img116.echo.cx/img116/1627/10009071ml.jpg

Magnificent, what a great and comprhensive thread.

as i said on es es pee, great pics and angles.

Thanks for the pictures. They certainly add more perspective to my views on Houston. What a beautiful city.

Thanks. I appreciate the comments.

Like everyone else said, nice photos. I particularly appreciate the pics of the warehouse district.

Where exactly is that in relation to the Univ. of Houston downtown campus?

Like everyone else said, nice photos. I particularly appreciate the pics of the warehouse district.

Where exactly is that in relation to the Univ. of Houston downtown campus?

Thanks.


The area is about a quarter to a half mile northeast of Downtown. I don't know if that helps any.

¡sus cuadros son calientes!

Those pictures are hot! I didn't know Downtown Houston had that much foot traffic.

Great photos, nice to see the older side of Houston.

Indeed, I rarely venture to the northside, but I guess I should. Well done.