Show your downtown!

[dtown]

Detroit(not my pics)

[BHCav]

Detroit(not my pics)

[Lone Ranger]

Museum Plaza. And I hate Renaissance Center, but it's done nothing so awful to deserve mention in the same sentence as MP.

[Gusterfell]

Renaissance Center,s biggest problem regarding its impact on the skyline is the fact that it is such a huge complex standing alone, with a void between it and the rest of the skyline. It steals the spotlight from the main cluster of towers. If it were set within that cluster, its affect on the skyline would be much friendlier. Museum Plaza will likely have similar troubles.

On the other hand, RC also suffers from poor urbanism, having at street level a monolithic presence that discourages human activity. MP's primary interaction with the street is through a row of preserved historic buildings. Sure, its base is not pedestrian friendly, but I get the impression that it isn't in a pedestrian area anyway, basically sitting over a highway and greenspace. It isn't interrupting the existing urban fabric the way RC does.

[dtown]

I dont think there was anything special along the river where the Ren Cen is when it was built. Probobly old industrial property.

[dtown]

Here's Memphis!

[Lone Ranger]

Renaissance Center,s biggest problem regarding its impact on the skyline is the fact that it is such a huge complex standing alone, with a void between it and the rest of the skyline .... If it were set within that cluster, its affect on the skyline would be much friendlier.

[Michi]

You guys need to understand that Ren Cen IS within the skyline. It's just that they way Detroit's skyline is typically viewed (on angles) that it appears separate.

Yes, it is separate from the rest of the CBD by downtowns widest boulevard (Jefferson Avenue) and that is its biggest disconnect, in my opinion.

In terms of fortresslike, Ren Cen has come a long way to abolish that moniker. I don't think it will ever be able to get rid of its fortresslike character entirely, but it is pretty safe to say it is now pedestrian friendly (aside from the width of Jefferson Avenue). But even the avenue has more crosswalks now and both side streets of the Ren Cen have improved with sidewalks and river/hotel/new retail access.

Also, in addition to crosswalks, you can access Ren Cen via a skybridge system and People Mover trains.

You can see in this photo, the improvements made to the Renaissance Center area. The riverfront prominade is brand new and is still under construction in other places. The area in the foreground is being developed into a connected district called River East. An Asian Market concept will be opening in the spring adjacent to Ren Cen along the river.

On the other side of River East will be the new Port Authority Terminal of Detroit, adding more connectivity and walkability to the Ren Cen area.

The Jefferson Avenue side no longer has berms and is very accessible to the rest of downtown. In fact, I sometimes walk there for lunch.

No more berms means more of a transparent and welcoming back enterance.

[Lone Ranger]

You guys need to understand that Ren Cen IS within the skyline. It's just that they way Detroit's skyline is typically viewed (on angles) that it appears separate.

[skylinefan]

Here is Washington, DC

[Rardy]

Here's Memphis!

[Neo]

How did they keep from eating up the farmland with sprawl?

It's simple. You can't see it in this pic, but between the farmland and the skyline is the Mississippi River. The farmland is in Arkansas, the skyline is in Tennessee. The farmland is low, and if there is a levee system, it does very little to protect it from flooding. There is actually a sizeable suburban area of about 70,000 people behind the person taking the picture, but the area between W. Memphis and Memphis can't be developed until there's some flood mitigation.

It provides a very nice contrast, driving across the farmland, then BOOM...there's downtown Memphis.

You can see this better by looking at an aerial shot I took on a flight from Memphis earlier this year:

[GRDadof3]

Wow, that Memphis shot is fascinating.

Here are a few from Grand Rapids (it's hard to get it in one or two shots ):

(the more 80's modern area near Calder Plaza and the government center)

(looking South toward the old CBD)

(Looking North on Ionia Avenue in the Heartside Historic district)

(Looking South on Ionia from the other end)

[dimebag1980]

I posted Shreveport's downtown earlier in this thread, but I have a newer photo of it I want to share. This shot is from atop the Shreveport Convention Center parking deck, looking back toward the separate skyline formed by the casino hotels lining the Red River.

From left to right: Sam's Town hotel, 23 stories; El Dorado hotel, 17 stories; Horseshoe hotel (the gold thing a little off in the distance,) 26 stories

[rolltide35401]

Charlotte...

[dimebag1980]

Nice shots, rolltide, especially the first one. Very nice!

I hope you don't mind me following you here with a shot you've already seen in another post, but here goes...

Downtown Shreveport skyline from last night

[dtown]

Nice shots! both of you!

[Greens!]

Here is downtown Houston. I found the photos online here and here.

[dimebag1980]

Wow, Greens, awesome! I love Houston and its skyline. That first shot is just downright scary, but the second is awesome.

[krazeeboi]

Hmmm, I was expecting more street-level photos in this thread. Nonetheless, I'm enjoying the skyline shots.

[dimebag1980]

Street level? Sure, I can do that!

These are old photos of mine, so don't crucify me over the quality.

More downtown Shreveport...

Louisiana Boardwalk, downtown Bossier City...

[TBurban]

The Louisiana Boardwalk is a great example of an urban shopping center that attracts people from the suburbs to catch a taste of urban living. In all of the pictures Ive seen of it, it always seems to be bustling with people. Something like that would be great down in downtown Richmond. What are the anchors, Brian?

[dimebag1980]

The Louisiana Boardwalk is a great example of an urban shopping center that attracts people from the suburbs to catch a taste of urban living. In all of the pictures Ive seen of it, it always seems to be bustling with people. Something like that would be great down in downtown Richmond. What are the anchors, Brian?

[TBurban]

It looks like a really cool area, and having stores like Bass Pro and Regal Cinemas as anchors are great ideas to attract people from all around the area to come and shop and eat downtown. Other cities can learn a lot from this type of development.

[Michi]

You're kidding, right?