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Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City

Started by roadman65, April 16, 2022, 09:01:11 AM

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thisdj78

Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall, besides the name of the freeway is literally Inner-Belt Expressway, had it been extended as originally proposed, it would have formed an inner-beltway:

https://goo.gl/maps/AQrNSkqxKquUEKAa7


plain

Not a beltway but definitely what's supposed to be a bypass, I-405 WA. And of course I'm talking about Bellevue.
Newark born, Richmond bred

Road Hog


Avalanchez71

Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.
I think the emphasis moved from Beltway to around.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Road Hog on June 09, 2022, 01:11:48 AM
Before I reply: Define "skyscraper."

The 'modern' definition has then starting at about 300 feet (30 stories), but I don't think they need to be that tall for this thread.

KCRoadFan

I thought I remember seeing some along 494 in Edina/Bloomington/Minnetonka/Eden Prairie/at least one of those south or west-side Minneapolis suburbs.

Also, near Chicago: aren't there some along the Tri-State Tollway near O'Hare?

Scott5114

Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:36:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall

If you can't think of anything that would be on-topic for the thread, nothing says you have to post in it. This isn't a quiz.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

thisdj78

Quote from: Scott5114 on June 09, 2022, 01:51:11 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:36:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall

If you can't think of anything that would be on-topic for the thread, nothing says you have to post in it. This isn't a quiz.

Well, as the remaining part of the comment indicated, the highway is technically considered a beltway, just not a complete one. So I stand by it as being on topic.

Rothman

Quote from: thisdj78 on June 09, 2022, 07:07:16 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 09, 2022, 01:51:11 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:36:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall

If you can't think of anything that would be on-topic for the thread, nothing says you have to post in it. This isn't a quiz.

Well, as the remaining part of the comment indicated, the highway is technically considered a beltway, just not a complete one. So I stand by it as being on topic.
I think you're as wrong as can be, but your tenacity is both admirable and amusing.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

thisdj78

Quote from: Rothman on June 09, 2022, 07:17:00 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 09, 2022, 07:07:16 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 09, 2022, 01:51:11 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:36:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall

If you can't think of anything that would be on-topic for the thread, nothing says you have to post in it. This isn't a quiz.

Well, as the remaining part of the comment indicated, the highway is technically considered a beltway, just not a complete one. So I stand by it as being on topic.
I think you're as wrong as can be, but your tenacity is both admirable and amusing.

If I'm wrong, then explain the "Inner-Belt"  designation of I-170 then?

Rothman

Quote from: thisdj78 on June 09, 2022, 07:27:29 AM
Quote from: Rothman on June 09, 2022, 07:17:00 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 09, 2022, 07:07:16 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 09, 2022, 01:51:11 AM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:36:40 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 08, 2022, 03:14:01 PM
Quote from: thisdj78 on June 08, 2022, 03:06:51 PM
There's no mention of beltway in my comment...only that it is a high rise district located a distance away from downtown St Louis.

It was the third reply in a thread called Skyscrapers on Beltway around Big City, in which the OP's example is along a beltway.

It's the closest example I could personally recall

If you can't think of anything that would be on-topic for the thread, nothing says you have to post in it. This isn't a quiz.

Well, as the remaining part of the comment indicated, the highway is technically considered a beltway, just not a complete one. So I stand by it as being on topic.
I think you're as wrong as can be, but your tenacity is both admirable and amusing.

If I'm wrong, then explain the "Inner-Belt"  designation of I-170 then?
Shine on, you crazy diamond.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

hotdogPi

Note that kphoger said it was a stretch and not the "simply erroneous" designation that he gave to I-65. I-170 is circumferential, not radial; the reason it isn't generally considered a beltway is because other segments (notably a southern extension) don't exist, not because of any property of what does exist.

I do consider the freeway segment of NH 101 part of a third beltway of Boston (not that it qualifies for this thread due to lack of skyscrapers), although that might be because I'm seeing Hampton-Manchester-Milford-Leominster-Worcester-Providence-Fall River-New Bedford-Wareham as the full third beltway, which only has one missing segment.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

kphoger

Quote from: KCRoadFan on June 09, 2022, 01:38:47 AM
Also, near Chicago: aren't there some along the Tri-State Tollway near O'Hare?

I'm not very familiar with the Tri-State, as I hardly ever had reason to use it when I lived in the area.  But you might be thinking of the Norwood Park area, along the Kennedy (not a beltway):  https://goo.gl/maps/Amv6BJqjtimjEfzo7
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

thisdj78

Quote from: 1 on June 09, 2022, 08:34:07 AM
Note that kphoger said it was a stretch and not the "simply erroneous" designation that he gave to I-65. I-170 is circumferential, not radial; the reason it isn't generally considered a beltway is because other segments (notably a southern extension) don't exist, not because of any property of what does exist.

I do consider the freeway segment of NH 101 part of a third beltway of Boston (not that it qualifies for this thread due to lack of skyscrapers), although that might be because I'm seeing Hampton-Manchester-Milford-Leominster-Worcester-Providence-Fall River-New Bedford-Wareham as the full third beltway, which only has one missing segment.

Fair enough. With that said, my comment wasn't off base or off topic as others have alluded to.

OCGuy81

Houston seems to even have areas with tall buildings on its middle beltway (assuming the Grand Parkway ever is completed) Beltway 8. Just south of I-10 and the junction with Westheimer, there's a pretty large cluster of tall buildings.

Bobby5280

That's the City West Place office complex. The office towers there are decent sized, technically tall enough to be considered high rise towers (more than 10 floors). That district is pretty modest compared to the Uptown area off I-610. But it has room to grow.

jgb191

#41
True story:  I was driving some out-of-state visitors around Houston and as we passed by the Williams Tower, and they commented:  You have an impressive-looking downtown."  I replied back: "That's not downtown Houston, that's just the Galleria district."

And that's a big deal with a lot of visitors to Houston; it's simply unthinkable for them to see a 900+ feet tall skyscraper outside of any downtown.  So just based off visitors' reaction alone, I would believe that no other city in North America has what Houston has.
We're so far south that we're not even considered "The South"

Scott5114

Quote from: jgb191 on July 15, 2022, 12:55:20 AM
True story:  I was driving some out-of-state visitors around Houston and as we passed by the Williams Tower, and they commented:  You have an impressive-looking downtown."  I replied back: "That's not downtown Houston, that's just the Galleria district."

And that's a big deal with a lot of visitors to Houston; it's simply unthinkable for them to see a 900+ feet tall skyscraper outside of any downtown.  So just based off visitors' reaction alone, I would believe that no other city in North America has what Houston has.

By design, probably–most other cities that size have some kind of zoning regulation that would encourage large buildings like that to be built downtown rather than elsewhere. Houston famously has no zoning.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

bwana39

Dallas has the Park Central stuff at I-635 and US-75.

Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

brad2971

Quote from: jgb191 on July 15, 2022, 12:55:20 AM
True story:  I was driving some out-of-state visitors around Houston and as we passed by the Williams Tower, and they commented:  You have an impressive-looking downtown."  I replied back: "That's not downtown Houston, that's just the Galleria district."

And that's a big deal with a lot of visitors to Houston; it's simply unthinkable for them to see a 900+ feet tall skyscraper outside of any downtown.  So just based off visitors' reaction alone, I would believe that no other city in North America has what Houston has.

It might not be quite like the Williams Tower on the west 610 loop, but I-405 in Bellevue (WA) has quite a few towers alongside of it.

jakeroot

#45
Quote from: Scott5114 on July 15, 2022, 07:18:42 AM
Quote from: jgb191 on July 15, 2022, 12:55:20 AM
True story:  I was driving some out-of-state visitors around Houston and as we passed by the Williams Tower, and they commented:  You have an impressive-looking downtown."  I replied back: "That's not downtown Houston, that's just the Galleria district."

And that's a big deal with a lot of visitors to Houston; it's simply unthinkable for them to see a 900+ feet tall skyscraper outside of any downtown.  So just based off visitors' reaction alone, I would believe that no other city in North America has what Houston has.

By design, probably–most other cities that size have some kind of zoning regulation that would encourage large buildings like that to be built downtown rather than elsewhere. Houston famously has no zoning.

And then there are cities that have zoning to encourage developments like that both downtown and elsewhere: Vancouver. Across Metro Vancouver, there are at least a dozen separate skylines. But, then, I don't know what anyone would expect when trying to preserve as much land as you can with both water to your west, a border to your south (rural farmland WA), and tight mountains to your east and north. Naturally, you go up. Well, sometimes; there is plenty of sprawl in Vancouver, too. But skyscrapers are all over the place.

Edit: to make it clear, Houston is not alone in North America regarding downtown-esque skylines outside of downtown. In addition to Vancouver, similarly-massive developments are common in the GTA (Toronto) as well.

Exhibit A: Metrotown in Burnaby...this is not downtown Vancouver, and several other skylines in the Metro Vancouver area are similarly impressive. The last photo I took is crap, but it gets the point across...


Burnaby Metrotown Skyline by Jacob Root, on Flickr

Bobby5280

Houston's lack of traditional zoning laws doesn't mean the city has an anything goes attitude with development. The reality is quite far from that. The city does have subdivision ordinances, which accomplish many of the same things as traditional zoning. Houston also has deed restrictions which are enforced on the city-level; in most places deed restrictions are enforced privately, usually through home owners associations. The combination of subdivision ordinances and deed restrictions prevents someone from placing a multi-unit apartment building within a tract of identical looking single family homes. Houston has a bunch of other ordinances and rules in its city planning policy book.

Road Hog

DFW has "skyscrapers" (however you define them) all over the place in the closer-in metro. For my post's sake, I'll say 10+ stories. There are clusters of them in Richardson, Plano, Frisco and elsewhere. There are some here and there along LBJ (the North Dallas Bank Building off Preston and 635 is a prominent one), but concentrations are random and seem tied to planned developments.



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