The growth of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Continental Airlines' largest hub but also one of he principal destinations away from the coasts for international carriers, has vastly increased passenger traffic and allowed Houston's reinvention.
"Houston is a microcosm of the world," said Stephen Klineberg, a professor at Rice University and co-director of its Institute for Urban Research. "Houston ranks third in the nation in the number of consular corps," said Jeff Moseley, president and chief executive of the Greater Houston Partnership. "That means that 92 different countries from all over the world see the value of establishing relations with our city."
"Much of our economic growth is due to our international trade ties," he concluded.
In comparison with other central hub cities like Minneapolis/St. Paul or Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston's demographics make it the more attractive option. "The growth of Harris County [including the city of Houston] during the past quarter-century was primarily due to immigration from abroad as well as the birth of new babies," explains Klineberg. It is one of the few American Metropolises with significant immigrant populations from all over the world, not just one region.
FULL STORY: How Houston Became A Global City
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research