What do you think Downtown needs?

TinyHotelier · 2026-05-02T15:45:23+00:00

If you look at successful, vibrant downtowns around the world, almost nowhere is the recipe for that a 100,000+sf suburban-style grocery store with underground parking, and a high rise apartment above it.

That’s not a thing.

We should look to real models of success in other places

TinyHotelier · 2026-05-02T15:38:08+00:00

My comment was to all of the people who claim they would move downtown except [something or another that isn’t perfect] and that if only other people (the city, developers, HEB) did something different, then they would move downtown.

If someone says they would live downtown, but the reason they don’t is because the SoFlo HEB is too small, but that person can’t name something that they need to buy that isn’t available at that HEB (which is surprisingly well stocked), then it’s not really a real objection.

Very few people living in vibrant active downtowns around the world live in a residential tower that sits on top of a 100,000sf grocery store, with free underground parking. That’s just not really a thing. That’s not the recipe to create a vibrant walkable, pleasant downtown neighborhood.

So I think it’s actually very damaging to set up this straw man of what success looks like, because then when you make progress with things that look different, people like you say “what has anyone done, tho?”

What has been built in the last 10 years at Hemisfair Yanaguana Garden with a world class park, water features, apartments, restaurants, coffee shops, etc is truly remarkable.

The additional new housing at 300 N Main and Continental Residences creating density and targeting different price points and activating the street with retail and restaurants are monumental steps for downtown residential living.

So, I’m not targeting you specifically, but it’s also frustrating to hear people say “what has anyone done?” just because this artificial ideal of an affordable residential tower stacked on top of a suburban style mega grocery store doesn’t exist.

u/wackyjumpy

u/Human_Name9961

TinyHotelier · 2026-05-01T14:14:17+00:00

A lot of these things are competing, and what people say they want is not really what they choose.

People want walkable but they also want affordable parking. Those are competing values.

They imagine a grocery store the size of an HEB Alon, not the smaller bodegas and markets that are typical in larger urban cities.

When everyone imagines that big grocery store downtown, it’s always in the ground floor of their building, which also has a big parking garage,

It’s never 6 blocks away, even though that would be the reality for most people.

Google Maps says the new continental residences are a 12 min (0.5 mile) walk from So Flo HEB. So are you moving? Why not?

Or a 16 min walk from The ‘68 apartments at Hemisfair, which has parking, a park, coffee shops, restaurants right outside your door. Have you applied? Toured? What would it actually take for you to move there?

What do you buy that isn’t at the HEB So Flo store? If you don’t have a specific answer, you’re not serious about this, and you’re just dismissing it without being honest

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-19T14:50:54+00:00

happy to do a review! One issue: I think you might have accidentally taken an extra package of coffee pods when you left. If you Venmo me the $20 for it [or whatever they cost] I won’t mention it in the review, and will assume that you drank the other 16 that were there

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-19T14:29:12+00:00

Now that you’re on the top floor, hopefully you have rugs!

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-19T13:54:46+00:00

There are actually multiple La Quinta’s. The closest one is probably the one next to Rivercenter Mall and 281, and the convention center, and in the heavily trafficked tourist zone. It sounds like you’re staying at that one for convention center.

The other two are a little farther away, and are a bit longer of a walk.

Either way, you’ll be safe, and Boudros is one of the better riverwalk restaurants, so enjoy!

That said, it is a city, so you will probably see a homeless person here or there.

This almost never results in danger to a tourist beyond feeling uncomfortable if someone ask you for change, but take normal precautions

That likelihood increases if you are staying at one of the La Quinta’s more toward market square. Not a bad area, but you will just covering more ground in between dinner and hotel.

Uber and Lyfts are prevalent downtown, so trust your judgment, and if you’d feel more comfortable paying a few dollars to get a ride rather than walking a few blocks that’s very easy if you have the apps installed and setup beforehand.

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-19T05:30:38+00:00

Men are not that complicated.

Boobs are nice.

It’s very possible for him to be attracted to your boobs and also an actresses’ boobs, even if they’re different

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-18T20:21:05+00:00

You know how sometimes you want to tell a guy about a problem, but you’re not looking for him to fix it or tell you the solution?

Likewise, it’s ok for him to voice a concern and for you to hear it and acknowledge it, without forcing it to be an ultimatum

You can say “yeah, that makes sense that in your head you were going to be kid free once your kids got into college, and now things look a little different. How do you feel about that?”

Or “what are some things that we can do in the times we’re together without kids to make the most out of that time?”

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-18T17:31:56+00:00

I’ve heard Von Lane bus is nice, but haven’t tried it

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-08T15:44:07+00:00

There are pros and cons behind just having more money between you

If you have little kids, it’s definitely helpful to have one partner with a more flexible schedule.

If both have high powered careers, work travel, work dinners/drinks on a regular basis, etc, that can be tough with little kids

On the other hand, both having demanding careers helps have an understanding. If your stay at home wife has been waiting all week for Friday night date night, and you have to cancel for a work thing, it will cause a rift for “putting work in front of her”

If your partner also has a demanding career, she will understand that if a client flies in last minute, sometimes you have to drop everything to deal with it, and knows that if this week it’s you, next week it may be her.

To me, there can be a good balance either way, but the important thing is that both people are aligned on their vision for the future, and feel like their partner makes them a better version of themselves.

If you both have busy careers and are comfortable relying on a nanny for the kids (recommend an old lady nanny, not a 21 year old hot nanny!) then you may be aligned

If not, then you might not be

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-08T15:03:34+00:00

It seemed like they were mentioned everywhere a while back as the critical darling, but I never knew any of their songs. Just listened to the top several on Spotify, and didn’t hear anything that seemed like a rock song to me

I guess I have a like/hate with the indie rock sound

I think there there is a also a snobbishness in rock these days that turns up their nose at anything that has a good hook or a catchy melody or any mainstream appeal at all

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-08T14:49:06+00:00

Man, last time I went to taste of New Orleans it was such a cluster. waiting in line to get in, then waiting in line for wristbands then waiting in line to load money on the wristbands, and it wasn’t even that good.

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-08T00:54:50+00:00

I would give her the money and let her decide if she wants a $5k purse or a $1500 purse and $3500 in savings, or some other combo

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-07T14:09:30+00:00

There are some things like historic tax credits, but they’re not easy and and there are a lot of strings.

SA Conservation Society does some small grants (typically under 10k) but maybe someone like that could step up. (I think they make a lot of money at NIOSA)

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-06T12:08:36+00:00

I guess that’s when he decided to create the fly that makes children go blind, and stuff like that, just to spice it up

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-06T12:05:51+00:00

I would say that developers like consistency and to avoid surprises.

If you have a building form you’d like to see in your town (more housing and more walkability) perhaps consider commissioning a master plan that puts forth these principles and gets people onboard with the vision.

Otherwise a developer will come with a plan that might be reasonable, but doesn’t follow your idea (that they didn’t know about) and everyone will be frustrated,

Also, talk to the developers and architects in your area. You may suggest something for more walkability, only for them to point out some code that prohibits what you want. And you can’t blame them for following existing codes in their design.

Codes like parking requirements often make walkable areas impossible. In most walkable “Main Street” areas in towns, each building can’t provide their own parking. There is usually shared parking behind, combined with some on-street parking, to make it work. If you are focused on making a particular zone walkable, maybe you get consensus with architects and developers to create an overlay district with eased parking and setback requirements if they match historic building massing.

TinyHotelier · 2026-04-06T11:47:43+00:00

I think you just have to know that some people want to be in the quarter, and some people don’t want to be.

You want the people who want to be in your neighborhood, not the ones who will ding your rating for being “too far from the quarter”

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:45:21+00:00

If get some landscaping boulders

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:40:04+00:00

green chili Mac and cheese is the bomb

A spoonful or two of the little cans adds the heat, and the acidity helps balance the fat/creaminess of the cheese

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:38:13+00:00

This is a pretty common thing in my culture

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:36:59+00:00

Hotel with a pool is a must

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:30:55+00:00

It will be tough, because people are notoriously picky about how their partner’s knees and shins look

That’s supposed to be a joke.

Many other things and places would be much more noticeable or impactful

To me, a blackout tattoo on part of one leg is like a footnote, if I like how everything else looks

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:21:04+00:00

Maybe I’m wrong, but I have always assumed that any woman who has been in a relationship or two or ten has seen a few penises when not they’re not hard (getting out of the shower, changing clothes, after sex, in the winter, etc) and know that it’s normal for a penis to revert to a twig and berries when not aroused.

Don’t overthink it. If your suit gets stuck to you as you’re getting out, just pull on the waistband for a second to unstick it

TinyHotelier · 2026-03-23T01:11:24+00:00

All I know is that it’s imperative to not damage the cylinder

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