Downtown Houston Tunnel System


Useful Information

Location: Downtown Houston.
Tour: inside Jason's Deli, 901 McKinney between Travis and Main.
Open: All year daily.
Guided Tours: All year Mon-Fri 9:30, Sat special tours.
[2007]
Fee: Access: free.
Guided Tours: Adults USD 10.
[2007]
Classification: SubterraneaUnderground City
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=11,000 m.
Guided tours: D=2 h.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Discover Houston Tours,
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1988 Discover Houston Tours founded.

Description

The Downtown Houston Tunnel System is not a single underground object. It is a number of privately owned underground structures, with multilevel connections, irregular shape und changing accessibilities. The whole complex is enigmatic, labyrithic, and definitely not a user-friendly system. Maps display the eight connected tunnels and skywalk systems, the tunnels are colour coded. Nevertheless people tend to get lost. Sandra Lord, the owner of Discover Houston Tours, is guiding groups through this maze and is even payed by Corporations to orient new employees below ground.

The tunnel system was not planned, it just grew. The advantages are obvious, tropical storms and heat stay outside, the climate is always constant and comfortable. As a result the tunnels are especially popular during hot summer days. Downtown buildings need their tunnel to be called a Class A building, which affects the rents rhat may be earned. The the rents of underground shops is even higher than above ground. The reward are low energy cost (except for the light probably) and

The passages are lined with all kinds of shops, boutiques, florists, shoe-repair shops, jewelers, beauty salons, barbers, and copy services. There is infrastructure like pharmacies, banks and post offices, dry cleaners, and dental clinics. But most of the shops are restaurants, fast food, and coffee bars, for all the commuters working in the buildings above. All in all this is a whole city underground, below the real city.