This is why I still think a hotel with convention space is the best. The problem with events at the current complex is that people have to stay miles away. If you had lodging right there they could increase the use of the complex.
I don’t understand why people don’t understand this. Maybe it’s because the last couple of posters talking about don’t even live in Houston. The Astrodome area is a prostitute/homeless **** hole. There’s a reason nothings been done about it for a while. Areas surrounding it have grown exponentially though.
Sure, there are other examples of stadiums in terrible locations with nothing going on, doesn't mean we have to just accept it in Houston. There are plenty of apartments in the area already and the area is connected by rail to TMC, a major employment center that's booming with development nearby. There is no reason why the area wouldn't support additional housing long term. Again, the reason why immediate area around NRG isn't "booming" is because it's a wasteland of endless parking lots, making it an extremely undesirable place to be. This just goes back to my point about developers and leadership in Houston being afraid to have a long term vision and take any sort of risk.
I truly don't know anymore (haven't lived in Houston for a while) so these are thoughts off the top of my head: An apartment city is not what you want. How many single family homes/townhouses? Where are people going to eat/shop/spend in the area? Any "destination places" outside of ~14 sporting events (soccer/football) and the 2 months of the Rodeo? What business centers or universities are around there to drive daytime traffic? I like the plan to use it as hotel/convention/arena space (with some shopping and restaurants and such as the secondary attractions to keep people there for more time), and I'd hope that once that's a commitment that the area gets more interesting to the developer types.
When the urban growth has been fairly established in that area since 1965... and you see what stimulates growth in the other areas of Houston, you soon realize why there's no slam dunk development option for the Astrodome beyond something that adds to a game-day experience. Also the trend is now for teams to build football stadiums away from city centers (Cleveland is now the llatest team to do this)... so the team can control all the development surrounding (and they reap the benefits on gamedays or concert days). Houston was actually "visionary" to be ahead of its time in that regard. Head in sand post... you act like nothing else is being developed in Houston or others aren't taking risks. Hell, forget about the Astrodome... just look at the vacant Astroworld lot. There's a place that has no concerns for asbestos or historical designations. Its also away from the "wasteland of endless parking lots". Why do you think nobody has decided to build up apartments or entertainment/restaraunt venues in all that land there? Its right by a freeway.... its right by all these other residential areas? Can't miss!!! (The last paragraph was rhetorical... but echos the situation. shitty areas of this city, or areas that are primarily for sports teams venues/convention space... and have been that way since the 60's... aren't going to magically be revitalized or become destination/livable simply due to the Astrodome).
Suggesting that the vacant Astroworld lot is "away" from the wasteland just becuase it's on the other wide of 610 is hilarious. Also, thinking that being right by a noisy, ugly freeway is a positive for an urban development says a lot about your perspective. No one has developed it because the Rodeo owns it and wants it for overflow parking once a year. Like I said - low cost, short term benefit, shortsightedness. A quick google search shows that many stadiums, including the ones you listed as being comparable to NRG, have plans to redevelop some of the surrounding surface lots into mixed use just as I suggested for NRG, such as SoFi, Gilette, FedEx and Hard Rock. Astrodome would be a good start but again, NRG management won't let it happen sadly - they don't want to spend money on parking garages and don't want money going anywhere else besides the current stadium.
Why not? I also like the current plan to increase/better hotel and convention space like you say. But that area absolutely supports apartments. Direct rail access to TMC, midtown and downtown (and Rice University). There wouldn't be many dense developments in the area already if it did not. Here in NYC, they are planning a huge development near Citi Field similar to what I envision here. The development in DC around Nats ballpark was also hugely successful.
What dense developments are you referring to? I'm not ignoring your other points, just trying to nail down this one
To the immediate east of NRG/Astrodome there are tons of apartments (8181 Med Center, The Daphne, Harvest Hill), but "dense" can be subjective I'll grant. It certainly is dense for Houston. There are also lots of apartments southwest of Kirby from NRG. They are just all suburban style apartments, not urban style apartments. But my point was that the demand certainly exists for residential in the immediate area.
That land has been available for anybody to make an offer on/develop for decades now. The Rodeo or Texans don't make money off people parking there. You're out of your element or very mis-informed on the multitude of reasons why that land still sits there barren. And its not confined to the NRG fence. Isn't this the type of opportunity you say is a slam dunk win? Will be far less political if somebody wants to put ANYTHING there. The Astrodome complex has been there since the 60's. Before some other areas of Houston were even developed. The Washington team is moving back to the Landover site. Hard Rock/Gillette have TEAM-OWNED entertainment/retail around those stadiums. SoFi is also in the previous Forum parking lot and is equivalent to NRG going up 20 years ago (which led to a new convention center, new practice facility, and mixed-use area for game-day reasons... but it was also a developed area of LA). This isn't like some recent phenomenon that is baffling urban planners or investors in Houston. South loop is just not a desirable area for anything. The best use of that land and to honor the stadium is to repurpose it for something that can be used to accentuate the game-day experience. It will be akin to developments around Jerry-World, SoFi, Gillette, Hard Rock (all team owned). "NRG Mangement" is the Texans and HLSR. They call the shots and will absorb all the profits (even if the county has to foot the bill). But if its not something that accentuates the gameday experience, it will be a waste of public funds (which has already been wasted on the Astrodome for the last 20 years).
The inhabitants are largely workers or students of the med center. The med center does spur growth, and has successful residential/mixed-use developments. They're building more around there every year. The Astrodome has failed to do that by itself. If the med center hospital systems run out of space, will a hospital system offer the county/Texans/HLSR a plan to redevelop the Astrodome?
I/we never did much business on that side of town when I was active in Houston '98-05 (Montrose, Heights and those areas were my bread and butter) remind me someday because I'd like to talk again once I'm done with football and bbq weekend. Have a good one!
Since the Astrodome area is basically a useless wasteland far from the core of the city perhaps converting it to a prison/ deportation center would be the best use for the land.
The massive number and % of office vacancies in Austin ("Look at all those pretty buildings!") could also help you out with your master plan
Lol…. It’s as if people are just now realizing that it’s been a venue for sporting events, carnivals, and conventions for the last 40+ years. And because there aren’t apartments next to it, or it hasn’t led to high-rise condos with trendy bars, it’s worthless. It serves its purpose perfectly. Including hosting 2 SB’s, 2 final fours, 1 CFP national title game, and will be the site of WC games in 2026. Getting more hotel or convention amenities with the dome area space will be a pure bonus for the venue. Houston can focus on sky-rise buildings and livable areas in the 100’s of other sectors/pockets that are currently growing with exponential population shift.
I haven’t said anything about slam dunk win. I just think the parking lots surrounding NRG are under utilized, considering close proximity to dense residential, transit and employment centers. The owners of the land are not in the real estate development business, which is the problem and why the land remains parking lots/abandoned. Some of the examples I listed are not the most desirables areas either. But they are proof that with the right institutional arrangements, the areas around stadia needn’t be vast parking lot wastelands that only see activity on game days. I too support repurposing the dome for game day experience as well. But the Texans apparently have made it clear that they do not support money going into anything other than NRG, which will be a barrier to any new developments down there and that mentality is the reason why that area is a wasteland to begin with. I personally don’t view making areas more desirable a waste of public funds and it seems like you’re happy with the complex as-is, so we are not likely to come to an agreement here. Texans probably wouldn’t accept any offers for development because god forbid anyone encroaches on their abundant surface parking. Saw the same issue with the CitiField development in NYC with Cohen not wanting to share parking with another stadium nearby as part of a very similar development to what I’d like to see at NRG, which thankfully got resolved.
