Do you consider it Construction or Destruction

[CPA]

I take a 20 mile stretch of I-10 in Houston that is being widened from 11 lanes to between 18 and 21 depending on the section of the highway. Of course, in order to do this, a lot of political wrangling had to happen, protests were made and heard, lawsuits filed and properties (over 400) had to be bought up. But in the end the highway widening commenced and is now in year 2 of a 6 year project.

Personally, I love watching the old being brought down and the new going up. Something about construction of buildings, utilities, roads amazes me. I love watching the daily progress, often trying to speculate what the engineers are trying to do or accomplish. Then either exclaim "oh, so that's what that is" or "why the hell did they do it that way" when the get nearer to completion.

On the other side, you have folks who hate construction. They see it as dismantling nature, community or history. And many road projects, especially of the size of I-10 get the usual "mass transit" crowd in an uproar.

So, do you take a particular view of new buildings, subdivisions, roads, etc?

 

[imported_LoKe]

I'm still find construction fascinating, it's fun to see the progess.

 

[eigen]

kill kill kill

 

[JulesMaximus]

As long as it's not another WalMart, I'm okay with it.

 

[Toasthead]

Im with you...I could watch them build stuff all day long. Luckily where I live, they are just building in open land. It is fun to try to guess whats going in where.

 

[Heisenberg]

I'm all for improving and building new stuff, but the idiots here always seem to do it in the most backward way that causes the most inconvenience for everyone.

 

[meltdown75]

I live about 30 minutes from the city in an area that is being built up drastically. Basically from my house to the city centre area is nothing but constant development - from subdivisions to industrial parks to big box stores, you name it, it's going up.

I have no problem with it as long as it is done responsibly. Urban sprawl is going to happen, there's not much we can do to contain it but there is always a smart way to approach it. Right now there is a big traffic problem for the commuters who live in my area - a 25-minute drive quickly turns into a 45-min drive during peak travel times. Nary a day goes by where I don't see some type of accident cleanup or fender bender on the way home.

So I guess in my opinion the problem is in the planning. Municipalities and local governments are too eager to get their hands on new property tax revenue, and that is why we're experiencing traffic problems in our area - not enough thought is given to the stress that so many new residents will add to the infrastructures in place (sewers, water, utilities as well as roadways)...

Anyhoo OP, if you like watching construction etc, you'd love my job. I work on behalf of the municipalities, valuing commercial property for tax purposes. :evil: ... so everyone just LOVES to see me when I show up. hehe

 

[IronWing]

You need another choice:

Take the money going into construction and put it into birth control instead.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: ironwing
You need another choice:

Take the money going into construction and put it into birth control instead.

Blah, we have plenty of liveable space and food.

 

[shilala]

I get more of a charge over blighted areas being revamped.
Push down a couple city blocks of falling down buildings and put up something new.
Remodeling or retoring old buildings is awesome.
Filling a wetlands to build U-Store-Its is retarded, wasteful and shortsighted.

 

[ElFenix]

it's more fun to see it change week to week or month to month rather than driving through it every day.

at least no main lanes are closing. unlike 610. they just opened the ramp from 59 south to west loop north the other day, so much better

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
it's more fun to see it change week to week or month to month rather than driving through it every day.

at least no main lanes are closing. unlike 610. they just opened the ramp from 59 south to west loop north the other day, so much better

have you seen the new Westex Tollway? That sucker stretches all the way to Grand Parkway. It is totally different down between Grandparkway and Highway 6 now.

 

[Leper Messiah]

I watch alot of road work. Does that count? If it aint Wal-Mart, I really don't care. They (wal-mart) destroyed this 54 acre deer park in my area, that kinda pissed me off.

 

[eplebnista]

Construction is generally cool. It shows man's progress.

 

[notfred]

Most construction I see happening today is crap. Nothing has any style or creativity. I don't really need to see another Costco or Walmart or another subdivision called "Oakshadow Estates" full of a bunch of houses that look EXACTLY like the ones they put up in the "Hillcrest Village" subdivision 2 years ago, just down the street. None of this crap has any character at all.

Our landscape is turning into the suburban sprawl version of a freaking cubicle farm.

 

[FoBoT]

I'm okay with more Walmarts, they should put one at a service area in the middle your new highway, that would be nice

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: notfred
Most construction I see happening today is crap. Nothing has any style or creativity. I don't really need to see another Costco or Walmart or another subdivision called "Oakshadow Estates" full of a bunch of houses that look EXACTLY like the ones they put up in the "Hillcrest Village" subdivision 2 years ago, just down the street. None of this crap has any character at all.

Our landscape is turning into the suburban sprawl version of a freaking cubicle farm.

Well said.

 

[BigToque]

Construction of anything should be slow and well planned to ensure the sanctity of the community, nature and culture of the effected area.

That's what I voted for. It doesn't need to be slow, but any construction needs to be well planned out.