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and analysis in my opinion. I will add these observations.

1. When Houston had relatively the same population as FW has now, that population was contained within the area bounded by Loop 610 - an area about 1/3 the size of FW's current city limits.

2. Houston's subsequent growth over the last 45 years has been in all directions with the heaviest concentrations to the North, West, and Southeast toward Galveston Bay the most pronounced. In the '90's, growth to the NW, NE, SW and starting to the South has been prolific.

3. Houston's growth outward was at the expense of "inside the loop" growth in a number of quarters (they refer to old Houston neighborhoods as "wards"), but there WAS significant expansion within the loop toward the West and SW as seen in the developement of the Galleria area, Greenway Plaza and a number of highrise residential buildings. Since about 1996, there has been considerable attention paid to redeveloping some of the very inner city wards such as the 4th which was the orriginal "Freedman's Town" just to the west and in the shadows of downtown. Developers are also scrampling to build in what is referred to as "midtown" which is a stretch of parralel streets running from downtown SW to the Rice/Medical district. Still all this development is focused on the West/SW side, but some has just started toward the East/SE just accross 59 from Enron and east of an area known as Little Vietnam which shows some great promise.

4. I highlight thiese elements as a model of how FW could possibly and may probably grow as well as a model of the pitfalls to be aware of on the grander civic level. Indeed, Growth to the North/NE will be great here. And probably continued expansion to the SW and South. Westward will probably fill in later with NW although I suspect that Aledo and Weatherford may experience significant attention in the next 15 years.

5. As to a comparison to Dallas' "uptown " district. The big developers really did not start a concentrated effort there until 95. When I was at SMU in the late 80's, that area was dead save for Sfuzzi, Hard Rock, S&D and a few other dives. There were NO large residential buildings as there are now although a few small enterprising developers were attempting some stuff just as there are a few working in the Magnolia district here today. So, for FW, I think we may be on the right track. The little guys can take bigger risks sometimes and spark what will later be critical mass - or at least the biginings - which eventually pulls in the big boys. Look at the relatively small group that put together the Firestone and 7th St. Station. That catalyst has pulled in the attention of a much larger concern that erected Mockingbird Station in Dallas. Trust me, RE developers are like moths to a flame, if someone highlights a small flicker as in 7th street corridor or Magnolia/Hemphill, all the moths big or small notice and some are drawn thus feeding the flame which then drwas in more.

An interesting article in this a.m.'s ST highlights the opposite of my previous statements - although the articles author does provide some contrasting opinions as well.