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Anne

Moderator

Registered: 2004-09-08

Posts: 3,833

"Downtown in general is a struggle"

This is confusing.  On the one hand we have METRO CEO George Greanius suggesting that the Danger Train has helped increase property values along the Main Street Line; on the other hand, the Chron's Nancy Sarnoff points to a restaurant, Convey, that lasted one year before closing down:

“Downtown in general is a struggle,” she said.

A number of restaurants have closed over the past year, including Les Givral’s neighbor ERA and Cabo, a couple blocks away.

Les Givral’s has operated downtown for almost nine years and business continues to be challenging, Le said. The Vietnamese eatery tried opening at night but there just wasn’t enough business.

“We couldn’t sustain the cost,” she said.

The city has been trying to help downtown retail businesses through grants and other marketing efforts, but Le said the downtown population shrinks at night and parking can be a hassle.

Billions of dollars spent, a parking authority created, surveillance cameras installed, another sports stadium constructed, and yet, it's still not enough.

Link to post:  http://www.bloghouston.net/item/8901

lockmat

Member

Registered: 2006-11-16

Posts: 18

Website

Re: "Downtown in general is a struggle"

The most disheartening quote was this: "We love the people, but buisness-wise, it's (downtown) just choking." ouch!

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Passion, "will in the future be our enemy." Our nation must rely on, "reason, cold, calculating unimpassioned reason."

-Abe Lincoln

Factotum

Member

From: Kingwood

Registered: 2007-11-27

Posts: 173

Re: "Downtown in general is a struggle"

You mean ... H-town ain't 'world class' yet?  Oh the horror !

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If you can force me to pay your med expenses I bet you can make me pick your cotton too.

lockmat

Member

Registered: 2006-11-16

Posts: 18

Website

Re: "Downtown in general is a struggle"

You mean ... H-town ain't 'world class' yet?  Oh the horror !

H-town as a whole may or may not be, but this article is specifically talking about downtown.

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Passion, "will in the future be our enemy." Our nation must rely on, "reason, cold, calculating unimpassioned reason."

-Abe Lincoln

yamadude

Member

From: Jersey Village

Registered: 2005-12-14

Posts: 1,017

Re: "Downtown in general is a struggle"

Well, there is no public transportation into the city at night. I shouldn't have to explain what happens when you decide to drive downtown at night. Everyone is out to get you.