Not too long ago downtown Houston was the place to be. After years of neglect and desolation, it seemed to ride a trend favoring revitalized downtowns across the country. New hotels, bars and restaurants opened across the north-east segment along Main Street, Prarie, Market Square and the Theater District.
Then the city decided to get in the act and engaged in a variety of construction projects aimed at furthering downtown as a destination--most notably the construction of the rail line (not to mention the stadiums and expanded convention center with its own hotel).
And now downtown is dead again.
Did the city kill it off? Business owners blame it on the construction of the rail line and the reconstruction of downtown streets which made it difficult for people to get to (or want to get to) their businesses. Others argue that the city erred in trying to make downtown Houston party central after the Super Bowl a few years back.
A free marketeer might use this as evidence that market forces, not the visions of politicos, should drive development. City officials will argue that the real impact of their initiatives will not be felt yet.
We'll see.
