In my proposal I suggested the lower bowl and field of the dome be used for parking underneath a hotel convention center so they would lose no parking from developing the dome.
A hotel in NRG park is needed but, same as with a casino, nobody is going to want to retro-fit the Astrodome when a fresh building would be both cheaper and deliver a better product. I just want to see something that is green and communal.
For the record, I'm not happy with any of the Astrodome stuff... but I also don't foresee turning this well established compound/domain (literally called the "astrodomain complex in the 60's) into something that its not. And yes, would like to see other established sites such as this change course to set a precedent for something that could work... but thus far, all the well-established sports complex' remain as sports complex'. There is a way they can pay homage to the architectural feat that it once was... but also living in reality where people aren't going to "live" in a converted structure. A hotel would be ideal but any dome project is going to be faced with escalating costs due to the sub-standardness of the internal workings of the dilapidated building, and as you said... nobody wants to pay for it.
Most sports complexes across the country have a little spot in the adjoining ocean of parking lots that consists of a hotel and some nightlife entertainment options. They're popular congregating spots on event days and do enough business in the offseasons to stay afloat. They're also usually situated very close to whatever rail options run to the stadium. Ideally NRG would have something like that, but the footprint is too big.
And most of those hotel/nightlife options (especially the more recent ones) are all team owned. Especially for football stadiums. NRG has a big footprint but again, realize that it used to house an arena, two convention centers, has an on-site practice facility, needs ample parking for 70K a game, able to host a month long festival yearly that requires carnival space (and parking), and its been seamless in its abilities to host BIG events (Superbowls, final fours, national championship games, world cups) that are the true allure for building these tax subsidized venues in the first place (and the corresponding economic benefits the city gets with those events). Baseball stadiums tend to be more built within the framework of the city (not their own complex'), minus some already mentioned examples (Philadelphia, Citi field, dodger stadium)... but even then, teams are getting involved with ballpark villages/hotels. (with the Astros ready to make their own in the next year). Basketball arenas do usually get woven into the city landscapes now-a-days, mainly because of their mixed use abilities (other events/concerts that utilize the arena just as much as the team may).
I think the cost will be the downfall, who is going to pay a Billion bucks for this, I love the old Dome but I am not going to pay a cent to recreate the mystique.
As a native Houstonian, I have COUNTLESS memories of the Astrodome. Going to Astros/Oilers games and the rodeo as a kid....those memories will be with me forever. But I mean....what are we holding onto here? What's this talk about other cities never destroying their history? NYC demolished Yankee Stadium for cryin' out loud. Boston demolished Boston Garden. San Francisco demolished Candlestick. Pittsburg demolished Three Rivers. Chicago demolished Comiskey AND Chicago Stadium. Miami demolished The Orange Bowl. Detroit demolished Tiger Stadium.
If you tore down Astroworld, then might as well tear down the Dome. They were like peas and carrots imo. I don't like one existing without the other. Great memories from both. Best memories were seeing Pink Floyd and Texxas Jam (seeing Rush the first but, definitely not only, time). Then, all the sporting events and the rodeo.
I didn't say that other cities never destroy their history - I said that Houston destroys way too much of it's history, and until it does a better job of protecting some historic sites and areas, it will not be in the same class as Chicago and NYC culturally--- and as a Houstonian, that has also lived in Chicago and NY and other places.... Houston is really lacking in that regard. The Dome doesn't have to be saved - I don't know enough about the current situation - but I do know that Houston and Houstonians would do well to try and save and preserve more than they do.
Right. The irony being that the only thing we're holding onto is probably the first thing we should let go of.
Keep the shell and turn it into a green space. Put a home plate plaque where home plate was in the Dome. Maybe even all 4 bases. That way you could stand at the same spot all your Astros heros once stood.
A brand new building might be cheaper but if it’s on the same site the dome would still have to be deconstructed. That isn’t going to be cheap.
It's my understanding, and I could be mistaken, that the cost to implode it would be really, really significant. You don't typically blow up assets that you own free and clear that cost a lot to blow up...but I don't have the numbers to do a real cost-benefit analysis
I have them being cautious on how they would bring down the Astrodome because using drastic/violent means could impact nearby buildings.
Houston doesnt understand green space. We like grey space. Exhibit A: parking lots. Exhibit B: 15 lane highways.
From much of what I read this is the case. The dome is only 300 ft from NRG. Also the soil of the site is both wet and soft. On top of that the dome structure is very strong. Stronger than NRG. Imploding the Done would undermine the foundations of NRG. The dome structure will have to be deconstructed and the lower bowl filled in. The bowl itself is essentially like a large swimming pool that was built to keep groundwater out. Any new construction will have to deal with that.
