Exactly. The AstroWorld that I remember is a warm, fuzzy place from my childhood, and apparently the current reality bears no resemblance. It seems to be hitting a soft spot somewhere inside of me to hear of the closure, because so many things about life have changed, and there's "No Return" to the way things were.
Houston in general has that sort of feel to me -- though I still have affection for the place, and still have many connections to the area. Change is a way of life there.
Sharpstown, my hometown during elementary school and junior high, was considered "the suburbs" when we moved there in 1972. When Sharpstown was swallowed up by the city and began to show signs of decay in the late 70s, we moved to Katy. Now I go back to visit Katy (the Mason Rd area, not Katy proper) and it looks like it's being swallowed up by the city too. My wife gets annoyed when we drive around there, because everything we see causes me to say "Wow, look at that! I remember when that was nothing but a big, empty field...".
I'm flying to Houston this weekend with my daughter (who was born in Jefferson Davis Hospital in 1984, when I was just 19) to throw a surprise 45th Anniversary party for my parents. I think I'll have to load them all up in the car and take a drive along 610 to see AstroWorld one last time before it fades into the dustbin of (rapidly changing) history...
2 good friends of mine went to Sharpstown High.