Downtown Houston

Downtown is located in the very center of the city’s highway system, bounded by I-45 on the south and west, I-69/US-59 on the east, and Buffalo Bayou on the north. The Skyline District is the heart of downtown and home to headquarters of various multinational businesses and financial institutions. The Houston Theater District, in north downtown, is home to Houston’s eight performing arts organizations and includes the Alley Theatre, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Wortham Center, the Revention Music Center, and Jones Hall, home of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

The theater district is the second-largest performing arts district, next to New York City. Downtown is also home to one of the city’s two Chinatowns. The first Chinatown is situated in the shadow of the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown, while the newer, larger Chinatown (originating around 1982), is located primarily on Bellaire Boulevard west of the Sharpstown neighborhood. The Main Street Corridor in downtown, opened in 2004, has become a popular nightlife spot, particularly now that the city has light rail service. This is because the light rail line begins at the University of Houston–Downtown. Preston Station is a neighborhood in downtown Houston that takes its name from the Houston MetroRail’s Preston Station, which is at the neighborhood’s center. It is well known for its bars and restaurants, and includes such famous buildings as the Rice Hotel, the St. Germain building, and the Hotel Icon.