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Wattleigh

May 5, 2023 3:40 PM

HOUSTON | Parks/Civic Spaces & Recreation Thread

There are a decent number of developments underway regarding parks and civic spaces both in the city and around the metro. Thought a thread highlighting those spaces would be worthwhile and would ease up the general developments thread.

I'll start with the progress at Lynn Wyatt Square in the Theater District, Downtown.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...a-17922516.php

Quote:

Houston's Theater District is getting more green space with new plaza area, rooftop lawn

Shaniece Holmes-Brown
April 28, 2023
Updated: April 29, 2023 4:44 p.m.

Houston’s Theater District will be getting a makeover with a new, very green plaza square and a rooftop lawn that will play host to outdoor performances, a restaurant and special events.

Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts is being designed to be a more inclusive, lively area in downtown Houston. The space formerly known as Jones Plaza is part of the Houston First Corporation’s efforts to redesign the plaza area in the Theater District. The one-and-a-half acre project, now under construction, is a collaborative effort designed by international design collective Rios and Harrison Kornberg Architects.

Using a placemaking strategy called Urban Choreography, Rios is responsible for the architecture of the square, whose design was inspired by the performing arts.

Wattleigh

May 5, 2023 4:17 PM

Goal Park

Plans are underway to update a 7-block stretch of the Columbia Tap Trail in East Downtown. It would extend parallel to McKinney street along the greenspace on the trail, ending at Shell Energy Stadium. Backers want to have the improvements in place by the time Houston hosts it's set of World Cup matches in 2026.

Website: https://www.goalpark.org/

Presentation from January of this year:https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/629a...compressed.pdf

The master plan for the park will be unveiled at an event near Shell Energy Stadium on June 2nd.

Wattleigh

May 8, 2023 12:08 PM

Hermann Park

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lif...t-17836815.php

Quote:

Hermann Park's $52 million Commons project includes innovative playground, new picnic pavilions and more

DIANE COWEN,
STAFF WRITER
April 17, 2023
Updated: April 18, 2023 8:30 a.m.

The bar has been raised for green spaces in Houston. Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Parks and Memorial Park have all been expanded or improved. Now Hermann Park is working on a $52 million project that includes an innovative play area.

Behind a tall fence that runs along Fannin and Cambridge streets, dozens of workers, earth-moving machines and horticulturists are working on the newest improvement to one of Houston’s marquee parks: the 26-acre Hermann Commons at Hermann Park.

Work has been underway for a year now, and portions of the project are taking shape, as 12-foot concrete sidewalks have been poured and trees and plants have been put in place at the Fannin entrance across from the Memorial Hermann Professional Building.

When the project finishes early next year, Hermann Park will have, hands-down, the coolest new children’s play park in metropolitan Houston, expanded family picnic areas and more shady places to just sit and soak up nature.

This $52 million project wasn’t launched with proceeds from a mega-donor, but instead with a broad base of support from hundreds of Houstonians. The largest gift was just $5 million, from longtime zoo and park supporter Kathrine G. McGovern, the wife of the late John P. McGovern, after whom the park's Children’s Zoo is named.

Hermann Park Conservancy president Doreen Stoller said the organization is still working to raise the last $1.7 million.

Some $4 million of the project will go to a dog park that should be finished by the end of summer.

The rest of the money is going to the 26-acre Hermann Commons, which will add shady rest areas, picnic pavilions, a carousel and innovation play areas. Parents may wish they could be kids again.

Renderings and photos from article

https://i.imgur.com/Qk8Op7Hh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tfxaP2Wh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LNH6kX2h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LRTggech.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lBpo588h.jpg

Wattleigh

May 8, 2023 12:13 PM

Houston Zoo

https://www.enr.com/articles/56392-d...-for-engineers

Quote:

Designing Houston Zoo's Galapagos Islands Exhibit Proves Rewarding for Engineers

By Daniel Tyson

May 4, 2023

Providing engineering services for the Houston Zoo’s Galapagos Islands exhibit was a challenge for two Walter P Moore engineers but a gratifying change of pace.

“It was probably the most rewarding project I’ve ever done,” said Ted Vuong, an infrastructure engineer and managing director of Houston civil engineering. “We were building [the exhibit] for the animals. We had to consider how they lived and their environment. There were so many things you don’t see in other designs.”

Structural engineer and Project Manager Jessalyn Nelson described working on the project as “really, really cool.” She continued, “We were always learning… We had many conversations with the zoo staff who shared their knowledge about the animals and their habitat.”

Many of those conversations required the engineers to think out-of-the-box, they said.

From working in a 500-year floodplain to using materials deemed safe for animals, the engineering and design principles used in building retail space only applied partially to constructing a zoo exhibit.

The exhibit, which opened in early spring, highlights the delicate balance of an ecosystem. The Galapagos Islands, located off the coast of Ecuador, are part of an isolated archipelago home to various rare animals. According to the zoo, roughly 97 percent of reptiles and land mammals, 80 percent of the land birds, and more than 30 percent of the plants found there are endemic. Most of the animals in the exhibit are closely related species.

Conserving the animal’s environment was paramount for the engineers, said Vuong, adding that conservation issues included how to build around 100-plus-year-old trees to how to handle detention in developed areas. The engineers built around the trees and incorporated the detention structure into the new design plans by adding green spaces.

Wattleigh

May 8, 2023 3:25 PM

Exploration Green

https://www.explorationgreen.org/

https://www.clcwa.org/exploration-gr...ntion-facility

The former 178-acre Clear Lake Golf Course is being converted into a nature park with a trail system and five detention ponds that, when complete, should be able to hold up to 500 million gallons of water to mitigate flooding in the area. It is being developed in five phases. Most are already open, with the final part coming soon.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...er-completion/

Quote:

Exploration Green in Clear Lake final phase set for summer completion

By Jovanna Aguilar | 12:40 PM Apr 3, 2023 CDT
Updated 12:40 PM Apr 3, 2023 CDT

The final phase of Exploration Green, a project to convert a Clear Lake golf course into a nature conservatory with a series of detention ponds, will be finished this summer.

The Clear Lake City Water Authority, an entity that provides water, sewer and drainage services to the Clear Lake area, began the Exploration Green project in 2005. Phase 5, the final phase, was originally projected to be completed by the end of 2022 or early this year but was delayed due to weather, said John Branch, vice president of the CLCWA board of directors.

“They had a lot of rain for a while, and we do give them credit for rain day work and getting on dirt when it's all wet out there,” Branch said, referring to the contractors.

Branch explained the contractor is penalized $800 per day after the timeframe of the project is exceeded. However, contractors now have an incentive to finish the project before they incur too many penalties, Branch said.

Phase 5 cost $9.2 million. Due to a large pipeline that had to be moved in order to maximize the stormwater storage capacity, this parcel was more expensive than the others, Branch said.

Branch added that although Houston enacted a drainage fee on residential owners near Exploration Green around the time the project officially started, the CLCWA was able to negotiate a 10-year exemption for the properties in the area. After the 10 years passed, they received an extension for an additional 10 years.

This 20-year exemption saved Clear Lake around $50 million. Without those savings, Exploration Green may not have been possible, Branch said.

The CLCWA is planning a grand opening event for Phase 5 on Sept. 30 to celebrate the completion of the project, Branch said.

Wattleigh

May 8, 2023 4:19 PM

Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention Basin Project / Inwood Recreation Project

https://houstonparksboard.org/inwood-recreation-project/

https://www.hcfcd.org/Activity/Active-Projects/White-Oak-Bayou/C-59-Inwood-Forest-Stormwater-Detention-Basin-Project

On the northwest side of town, a similar project is underway to convert the former Inwood Golf Course into a series of 12 detention basins designed to mitigate flooding in an area that has traditionally had issues with it. When complete, the basins should hold about 390 million gallons of water, and it will also include a series of greenways and trails.

https://houstonparksboard.org/wp-con...ation-plan.jpg

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...hwest-houston/

Quote:

Construction to start soon on Inwood Forest flood-mitigation project in Northwest Houston

Federal hazard mitigation funding is being used to convert an old golf course into 12 interconnected detention basins, which are expected to reduce flooding risks for more than 4,400 nearby residential and commercial structures.

ADAM ZUVANICH |
POSTED ON APRIL 3, 2023, 3:44 PM
(LAST UPDATED: APRIL 3, 2023, 4:56 PM)

City of Houston officials have long wanted to use a former golf course property to help mitigate flooding in a part of town often inundated by stormwater.

More than a decade after the city purchased that land, its vision is finally coming to fruition.

Construction for the Inwood Forest Stormwater Detention Basin Project, a series of 12 interconnected basins in Northwest Houston, is expected to start later this spring, according to Stephen Costello, the chief recovery officer for Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. The $80 million initiative uses federal funding and is a joint effort between the city and Harris County Flood Control District, with county commissioners approving a construction contract for the work at their March 14 meeting.

Turner said during a ceremonial groundbreaking last week that the project – which will have enough storage capacity for about 1,200 acre-feet of stormwater, or more than 391 million gallons – will reduce flooding risks for more than 4,400 residential and commercial structures along the White Oak Bayou and Vogel Creek watersheds.

"This is going to be a game-changer for the entire Inwood area when it comes to flood mitigation," said Houston City Council member Amy Peck, who represents the area. "Before this project, even just a little amount of rain really caused people to have flooding in their homes. Once it's done, it's going to (hold) enough water to fill the entire Astrodome."

Costello said the Inwood Forest project is one of four in Houston to receive hazard mitigation grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since Hurricane Harvey brought widespread flooding to the region in 2017, and the first among those initiatives to move toward construction. The other three projects will add new gates to the Lake Houston Dam, create a subterranean detention basin in the Memorial City area and divert some White Oak Bayou channels around parts of downtown, according to Costello.

Wattleigh

May 9, 2023 5:00 PM

Miller Outdoor Theatre

https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/sim...3bf30f8f8a.jpg

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=1#cxrecs_s

Quote:

Face to Face: How Miller Outdoor Theatre has stayed a Houston institution for 100 years

By Brianna Griff – Associate editor, Houston Business Journal
May 9, 2023

The Miller Outdoor Theatre is celebrating its 100-year birthday with several unique events to highlight the theater’s contribution to Houston. Miller Theatre is the only outdoor theater of its type, offering free performances for eight months of the year.

The birthday party is set for May 12 when a performance by the Houston Ballet will be proceeded by a two-hour preshow event that includes performance artists, a juggler, face painting and complimentary birthday cake by Bolillo Bakery.

Miller has been central to Houston culture since it was dedicated in 1923. Events have always been free to the public, even in its first iteration as a concrete bandshell before it was replaced in 1968 with the beautiful space it is today. Visitors can still see remnants of the theater’s past, including towering pillars and shady oak trees.

The Miller Theatre is celebrating the past but has an eye to the future with proposed projects to improve the space and experience for everyone, such as improving viewing by staggering seats and installing screens.

Cissy Segall Davis has been the Miller Theatre’s managing director since 2008, but the theatre has been a part of her life since the early 1960s. Davis began her career at what is now LiveNation before working for Theatre Under the Stars, which meant working directly with the Miller staff. After running her own public relations firm where she says she marketed most of Houston, Davis was invited to work for Miller full-time.

“I’m lucky I get to follow my personal passion every single day,” she said.

Wattleigh

May 9, 2023 5:58 PM

Camden Park - Westchase

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...photo-23618668

Quote:

Crews clear land for new Westchase District park with restaurant, dog parks and sky terrace

Sonia Garcia
March 28, 2023

The largest park coming to Westchase District is in the works in West Houston.

Crews are clearing land for the new 3.4 acre Camden Park as it gets ready for a late 2024 open date at 2951 Wilcrest Drive.

Named after its primary donor, Camden Property Trust, which owns and manages apartment communities around the U.S., the park will feature a 16,000-square-foot activity lawn with a multi-purpose pavilion for free concerts, a children's playground, exercise stations, two enclosed dog parks, outdoor reading room and a covered sky terrace with outdoor seating. Additionally, it will have an on-site restaurant, Ginger Kale, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as space for food trucks and farmers market vendors.

Renderings from article

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/32/06/...8/3/1200x0.jpg

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/32/06/...6/3/1200x0.jpg

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/32/06/...9/3/1200x0.jpg

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/32/06/...0/3/1200x0.jpg

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/32/06/...7/3/1200x0.jpg

Wattleigh

May 10, 2023 1:30 PM

Brock Park Upgrades

https://cw39.com/news/local/houstons...dventure-park/

Quote:

Houston’s Brock Park reopens as an adventure park

by: Kara Willis
Posted: May 9, 2023 / 08:50 PM CDT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — The Houston Parks and Recreation Department just reopened its Brock Park over the weekend in Northeast Houston.

The park was taken on by the city back in 1957. Later, it became an 18-hole golf course (now closed).The new park will now serve as adventure park featuring amenities such as a ropes course, Ninja Warrior course, Kayak/canoe launch, nature-based programming and will have upgraded security on site. The park will be the first of its kind here in Houston.

“The transformation of Brock Park into an adventure park destination is an exciting development for the City of Houston parks landscape,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “The amenities that will be available at the park, along with the addition of upgraded event space, will undoubtedly make Brock Park a destination stop for generations of Houstonians looking for unique entertainment options. “

• Video Link

Wattleigh

May 11, 2023 1:34 PM

https://cdn2.communityimpact.com/?ur...900&q=95&f=jpg

Quote:

Kingwood residents can now traverse 2.5 miles of hike and bike trails following the opening of a new segment of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway on April 15. (Courtesy Houston Parks Board)

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...ood-residents/

Quote:

San Jacinto Bayou Greenway segment opens to Kingwood residents

By Hannah Brol
9:25 AM May 4, 2023 CDT

Kingwood residents can now traverse 2.5 miles of hike and bike trails following the opening of a new segment of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway on April 15.

According to an April 17 news release from the Houston Parks Board, the project is a joint effort among the HPB, the city of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Harris County Flood Control District. The segment—which spans 2.5 miles from Woodland Hills Drive to Hamblen Road—goes through a former townhome community, The Riverview Townhomes at Forest Cove, which the HCFCD acquired and demolished using its own funds as well as a Hazard Mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The buyout program is one of the most effective flood mitigation tools used to move endangered Harris County residents to safety from flood-prone areas and reduce the impacts of flooding,” HCFCD Executive Director Tina Petersen said in a statement. “The impact of buyouts is greater when land is transformed to provide recreational spaces for surrounding communities. We are glad Houston Parks Board shares a commitment to reduce flooding across the city and enhance its natural beauty.”

Wattleigh

May 11, 2023 1:45 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-new-20m-park/

https://communityimpact.com/uploads/.../21/252410.jpg

Quote:

Bridgestone Municipal Utility District breaks ground on new $20M park

By Emily Lincke | 11:18 AM Apr 21, 2023 CDT
Updated 11:18 AM Apr 21, 2023 CDT

The Bridgestone Municipal Utility District broke ground March 28 on a $20 million park, according to Megan Bradley, Bridgestone MUD’s communications consultant and Triton Consulting Group president.

The park, which is slated for completion in late 2024 or early 2025, will span an estimated 14 acres and be located near the MUD’s administrative building at 19720 Kuykendahl Road, Spring.

Bradley said the park will feature multiple children’s play areas for a variety of age ranges, a pavilion and native plants. The park will also be home to interactive play areas designed for children with disabilities and water conservation features, such as rain gardens and recycled-water amenities.

“[The directors] feel like it’s going to add significant benefit and value to ... the Bridgestone community, but also the neighboring districts, because at this point, there aren’t any parks of that scale anywhere in the area,” Bradley said.

Wattleigh

May 11, 2023 2:02 PM

Cypress Creek Greenway

Quote:

Precinct 3 nears completion on $3.7M Cypress Creek Greenway trail additions

By Emily Lincke
8:15 AM May 11, 2023 CDT

One of two sets of pedestrian amenity projects totaling $3.7 million along the Cypress Creek Greenway has been completed, a spokesperson with Harris County Precinct 3 confirmed May 9.

These projects are part of the larger Cypress Creek Greenway project, which aims to connect more than 40 miles of walking and biking trails along the creek in Spring and beyond, as previously reported by Community Impact. The pedestrian amenity projects focus on parts of the greenway on the north and south side of where Hwy. 249 intersects with Cypress Creek. The projects were designed to connect existing portions of the Cypress Creek Greenway and provide access to the Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve, according to Precinct 3’s website.

One of the projects—Loop 2—was completed in the first quarter of 2023, said Jeannie Peng, senior communications specialist for Harris County Precinct 3, in a May 9 email. The project consisted of added boardwalks for pedestrian use.

The other project—Loop 1—is expected to be finished at the end of May. This project, which is currently underway, will include pedestrian undercrossings at Hwy. 249. Loop 1 is designed to improve pedestrian usage and safety, according to Precinct 3’s website.

Trails connecting both loops will be completed this summer, Peng said. A small playground and picnic area will also be added.

Wattleigh

May 22, 2023 8:34 PM

Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://i.imgur.com/jlLG0pZh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OaaHlSLh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VCZyi6Yh.jpg

Wattleigh

Jun 1, 2023 1:27 PM

Hermann Park

Photos of renovation work c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://i.imgur.com/dDpf46Rh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2Qwq2Jah.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Fo0bRQGh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qlel7C8h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ujSCELwh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jziC2Oyh.jpg

Wattleigh

Jun 5, 2023 4:50 PM

Goal Park

Master Plan is out and looks great!

https://www.goalpark.org/

https://www.houstonarchitecture.com/...0e49d2721.jpeg

Wattleigh

Jun 5, 2023 7:11 PM

Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://i.imgur.com/N7D2Ojih.jpg

Wattleigh

Jun 26, 2023 6:19 PM

Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://i.imgur.com/c9jCZuFh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/AsT0P8Mh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gIxb2ish.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Bjnef00h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/X88RQ03h.jpg

Wattleigh

Jun 26, 2023 6:29 PM

Sugar Land

-Culinan Park

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/nei...t-18167288.php

Quote:

Cullinan Park improvements get a $90K boost from conservancy

Juhi Varma
June 26, 2023
Updated: June 26, 2023 12:18 p.m.

The conservancy for Cullinan Park in Sugar Land has donated $90,000 for a second phase of improvements at the park that will upgrade trails and add parking spaces.

Through the donation from Cullinan Park Conservancy, a surface of concrete and decomposed granite will be installed on 1.2 miles of of the park's trails, and 30 parking spaces will be built along the entry road, according to a city news release.

In addition, a parking lot with 45 spaces will be built south of the park's restrooms, the release said.

The nonprofit conservancy has donated more than $2.8 million for improvements to the 754-acre park, which is off Texas 6 just north of U.S. 90A, since it was annexed by Sugar Land in 2016.

Wattleigh

Jul 12, 2023 1:40 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...eway-fountain/

Quote:

Discovery Green launches ‘Park after Dark’, extends Gateway Fountain hours

Discovery Green will hold activities such as salsa dancing, gardening classes, and more during the extended hours.

BRIANA WILLIAMS | POSTED ON JULY 10, 2023, 11:46 AM (LAST UPDATED: JULY 10, 2023, 2:31 PM)

Every Thursday in July and August residents can visit Discovery Green from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. for "Park after Dark."

The park has also extended its Gateway Fountain closing hours to 10 p.m., allowing residents to cool off once the sun sets.

During these times, Discovery Green will hold activities such as salsa dancing, gardening classes, and more. Food trucks including Burger Joint and Pop Life Popcorn, as well as vendors such as FurrEver Doggie and Charmify will be at the park.

Wattleigh

Jul 12, 2023 1:43 PM

West University Place

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...m-in-upgrades/

Quote:

West U’s Wier Park could get up to $1M in upgrades

By Melissa Enaje | 7:27 PM Jul 11, 2023 CDT
Updated 7:27 PM Jul 11, 2023 CDT

West University Place’s Wier Park could gain an estimated 6,500 square feet of usable space that could include upgrades such as extending the park’s artificial turf, adding more seating and open green space.

What happened

West University Place City Council voted unanimously July 10 to accept the park’s concept design presented by the city’s Parks and Recreation Board.

The backstory

Since 2022, the Parks and Recreation Board and city staff have been collaboratively working with Burditt Landscape Architects and the nonprofit The Friends of West U Parks to come up with a communitywide consensus on improvements to the park.

The city’s fiscal year 2023-2024 budget included improvements to Wier Park, according to July 10 agenda documents.

Wattleigh

Jul 13, 2023 2:49 PM

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ho...ariano-2335103

Quote:

Houston Will Soon Be Home to a High-Tech, Clean-Energy Public Artwork That Will Generate Electricity for Its Neighborhood

The sculpture, dubbed the Arch of Time, has been designed by German architect Riccardo Mariano.

Adam Schrader, July 12, 2023

A new public artwork called the Arco del Tiempo, or Arch of Time, will generate clean energy for Texans still rebuilding from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

City officials in Houston have accepted a proposal from German architect Riccardo Mariano for the massive, futuristic installation developed with the Land Art Generator, a nonprofit that seeks to advance renewable energy-focused public art.

Mariano said he expects the arch, when completed, to be covered in solar panels that will generate 400 megawatt-hours of electricity per year—about what 40 Texan homes consume.

The energy produced will first go to the Talento Bilingue de Houston, a bilingual English-Spanish theater in the East End near the Guadalupe Plaza Park where the public artwork will be placed.

“That institution, which is very important to Houston, will have no energy bill at all,” Robert Ferry, the co-director of Land Art Generator, told Artnet News. He added that any additional energy will first go to lights and other services in the park with anything remaining to the city of Houston. The team did not provide a timeline for the sculpture’s completion.

https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upl...2-1024x726.jpg

Quote:

A rendering of the Arch of Time sculpture planned for Houston. Photo courtesy of Riccardo Mariano

https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upl...-11-091918.jpg

Quote:

A rendering of a concert underneath the Arch of Time. Photo courtesy of Riccardo Mariano.

https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upl...-11-092031.jpg

Quote:

A diagram shows how colored glass and shapes are used to tell time with the giant sundial. Photo courtesy of Riccardo Mariano

Wattleigh

Jul 14, 2023 3:01 PM

Katy Prairie Preserve

https://thekatynews.com/2023/07/13/c...-katy-prairie/

Quote:

Coastal Prairie Conservancy preserves additional land on the historic Katy Prairie

Jul 13, 2023

The Coastal Prairie Conservancy (CPC) announces the preservation of 160 acres on the historic Katy Prairie, increasing lands conserved by the land trust to over 30,000 acres. CPC secured over $2 million from incredibly generous individuals, foundations including The Brown Foundation, Inc., The John M. O’Quinn Foundation, and The Meadows Foundation, corporate partners including Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant program to complete this critical conservation project.

The newly acquired property is located within CPC’s nine-square mile priority area on the historic Katy Prairie outside Houston, Texas, an area that plays an important role in wildlife connectivity. Protecting this area is of great urgency as these lands are in the middle of the Central Flyway and heavily utilized by migratory birds such as the sandhill crane and the long-billed curlew. In addition to the significant role this land plays in wildlife habitat, this area is also geographically important, as it forms the contiguous southwest piece of the larger Katy Prairie Preserve. The protection and enhancement of this land will contribute to the big picture of a vast and contiguous preserve system for people and wildlife.

Wattleigh

Jul 18, 2023 12:30 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...rails-project/

Quote:

Fulshear officials ponder impact of potential 1093 Rails to Trails project

By Asia Armour | 5:24 PM Jul 14, 2023 CDT
Updated 5:24 PM Jul 14, 2023 CDT

The city of Fulshear and four other local entities want to redevelop 31 miles of abandoned railroad along FM 1093 to create a nature-focused trail system—but officials are cautious that the project won’t conflict with multimillion dollar, multiagency works to enhance Westpark Tollway thoroughfare.

At a June 13 meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners approved the Toll Road Authority leasing right of way to the 1093 Rails to Trails Local Government Corporation—for the construction, development, maintenance, and use of a recreational and nature preserving park and trail system.

The 1093 Rails to Trails LGC includes:
Austin County
Eagle Lake
Wallis
Weston Lakes
Fulshear

The FBCTRA leased the right-of-way only until the agency extends Westpark Tollway, Deputy Operating Officer Lisa Castañeda said in an email. The design phase of the extension costs $7 million and is anticipated to conclude by the end of summer, Community Impact previously reported.

Wattleigh

Jul 18, 2023 4:38 PM

Hermann Park Commons

c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://i.imgur.com/akosq6vh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jCzKKLah.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/fkWe6EMh.jpg

Wattleigh

Jul 28, 2023 5:26 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...r-future-park/

Quote:

The Woodlands takes ownership of waterways, land for future park

The Woodlands Waterway had been owned by a corporation before an agreement last week.

NICOLAS PINTO | POSTED ONJULY 27, 2023, 3:25 PM (LAST UPDATED: JULY 27, 2023, 4:24 PM)

The Woodlands now controls more than 200 acres of land, including a waterway within its city limits, thanks to deals with a property developer.

The Woodlands Township Board of Directors approved a deal last Thursday between the township and the Howard Hughes Corporation, a property developer.

The agreement, which was originally agreed to in 2014 and later extended to 2023, gave The Woodlands ownership of a 208-acre tract of land for future park development, a 2.08-acre lot of land next to the Parks and Recreation Operations Center, and 24.312-acres of land in Bear Branch.

"The largest park we have in the Woodlands right now is 25, 26 acres. This is 10 times the size of that," said Bret Strong, an attorney for The Woodlands. "So, think about what can be done programming wise on a parcel of that size."

In return, Howard Hughes Corporation received the rights to a boat house plot of land on Lake Robbins, and a plot of land on Ashlane Way. The Woodlands also reduced the corporation's yearly payments for maintenance of the town center over the next five years by $60,000.

However, this wasn't the only land transaction approved in the meeting. The board also approved a deed last Thursday that would turn the Woodlands Waterway into public land. Howard Hughes Corporation previously owned the Waterway.

Wattleigh

Jul 31, 2023 1:08 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-improvements/

Quote:

Gulfton's Bayland Park gets green light for major improvements

By Melissa Enaje | 9:29 AM Jul 27, 2023 CDT
Updated 9:29 AM Jul 27, 2023 CDT

Harris County commissioners approved a master plan contract aimed at transforming Gulfton’s Bayland Park into a green space that will serve as an inclusive, prominent destination for sports leagues in southwest Houston.

“We’re so committed to revitalizing Bayland together with deep community input and doing community outreach in multilanguages and really just revitalizing that southwest part of Harris County,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said at the July 18 meeting.

The details

With the county’s approval of approximately $465,000 to begin a contract with engineering firm Ardurra Group Inc., it’s the first step toward completing services that include professional landscape, architecture and engineering services for Bayland Park. The agreement includes activities that will require the agency to integrate local resident and community feedback, according to agenda documents:

Community input surveys that will be in at least five different languages

Website support, where project summaries will be available for Precinct 4 to post online

Three community workshops during the course of the project with dates to be decided:

-The first will focus on learning from the community and how the new park master plan will best serve their needs.

-The second will present the community with initial concept plans, collect community feedback and refine decisions.

-The third will present the final outcome to the community and continue involvement in future Bayland Park developments.

Wattleigh

Aug 3, 2023 1:16 PM

Brays Bayou Greenbelt Trail Expansion

c/o 004n063 on HAIF who adds...

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Coming from the east, this was as far as I could get today (a few hundred yards south of 59). Looks like they may be building a bridge here, so maybe a 59 underpass on the south/west bank? (Photo taken from the north/east bank)

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This (Braeburn Glen Blvd) is where the new segment begins:

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Wattleigh

Aug 21, 2023 3:36 PM

https://metropolismag.com/projects/t...memorial-park/

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The Rebirth of Houston’s Giant but Ailing Memorial Park

The newly opened Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie is the first phase in the revitalization of the drought-stricken 1,500-acre park, the largest urban green space in Texas.

By: Sam Lubell
Photography: Nick Hubbard

At 1,500 acres—more than twice the size of New York’s Central Park— Houston’s Memorial Park is the largest urban wilderness in the city, and in all of Texas for that matter. While beloved as a place to escape the concrete jungle— Houstonians come here to hike, bike, picnic, relax, or play tennis or golf— all was not well here for some time.

For one, the park had long been divided by a six-lane highway, Memorial Drive, which kept visitors from exploring, or even understanding, the park as a whole; dividing habitats, and interrupting natural processes like rainwater retention. And it was for years dangerously unhealthy, crippled by hands off land management, overgrowth, invasive and non-native plantings, and rotting roots; an unbalanced eco-system, increasingly vulnerable to both storms and drought due to increased peripheral development and climate change. A major drought spanning from 2011 to 2014 exposed this condition, with an estimated 80 percent of the oasis’s tree canopy destroyed in many places.

The response to this loud ecological wakeup call, and to a growing chorus of Houston residents, was a 2015 master plan led by Charlottesville and New York-based Nelson Byrd Woltz to restore and reimagine the entire park. Its first phase, the 100-acre Memorial Park Land Bridge and Prairie, which opened earlier this year, is a model for reviving and strengthening habitats and merging infrastructure with ecology; what Nelson Byrd Woltz principal Thomas Woltz calls landscape infrastructure.

“Why should we separate habitat restoration and large scale infrastructure?” asks Woltz. He adds that as cities become both denser and more vulnerable to natural disasters this approach is likely to become the norm, not the exception.

This kind of all-encompassing approach, adds Woltz, isn’t new. It was standard practice in the days of Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park, who famously merged landscape, infrastructure, and culture to create some of the most impactful manmade landscapes ever created. As specialization became the norm in all the design fields, engineers (and their concrete and steel bulwarks against natural challenges like flooding ) would often come to lead major infrastructure projects, with landscape architects relegated to the planting and shaping of gardens, parks, and other greenspaces. Woltz hopes to again “expand the language of landscape architecture and what it could be.”

The firm’s wide-ranging work at Memorial Park is funded by the Houston-based Kinder Foundation and Houston’s Uptown Development Authority and managed by the Memorial Park Standards Committee (a partnership including the Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston Parks and Recreation, and other parties). The land bridge and prairie—the result of untold hours of research, design, and construction, not to mention thousands of hours of civic outreach—spans Memorial Drive via two dramatic landscape bridges, rising 34 feet above the roadway atop parabolic concrete paneled arches, cut back dramatically to visually merge with the landscape . The bridges and surrounds were blanketed with 540,000 cubic yards of soil, all taken from the park itself, carefully infused with seeds, fungi, and other natural elements from the nearby Katy Prairie. Topped with diverse plantings and amenities, the oval-shaped land bridges dramatically reduce traffic noise, re-connect habitats, expand the park’s trail system, and even provide a culvert stream corridor running under Memorial Drive, aiding significantly with park drainage.

Woltz knew things were heading in the right direction when he climbed on top of the land bridge, just topped out, and saw a slew of animal footprints in the mud. “To watch it come alive was an incredible moment,” he says.

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Wattleigh

Aug 28, 2023 1:52 PM

Buffalo Bayou East

Turkey Bend segment / warehouse renovation

c/o hindesky on HAIF

https://www.nadaaa.com/blog/category.../_turkey-bend/

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Wattleigh

Aug 29, 2023 12:44 PM

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...rks-board.html

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Houston Endowment donates $8M to local organizations to improve parks, fight heat islands

Houston Endowment is boosting its efforts when it comes to reducing Houston’s “urban heat islands” — a term used to describe strips of concrete and cement with no trees in sight — with $8 million in funding to two local partners.

The investment will be split into $4 million grants that will be given over two years. One will go to Trees For Houston and the other to Houston Parks Board. The overarching goal is to put more Houstonians within walking distance of quality parks and to increase the tree canopy in areas where urban heat island effects are most pronounced, Bao-Long Chu, Houston Endowment’s program director for arts and park, said in an interview.

“[The funding is] an amount that we believe will supercharge [the organizations’] work,” Chu said. “We felt this amount would allow these two organizations to focus on areas that have the biggest challenges with access to green space, quality parks and tree canopies. Both of these entities have a proven record of increasing park access and green space equity.”

Houston ranks No. 4 out of 159 U.S. cities with the most intense urban heat islands, Chu said, citing a Climate Central report. This effect contributes to wild swings in temperatures in different parts of the city, so more tree canopies are needed to combat it, he said.

Wattleigh

Sep 7, 2023 2:05 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...hcoming-trail/

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Houston’s Memorial and Buffalo Bayou Parks to be connected by forthcoming trail

Funding from Harris County Precinct 4 will help the Houston Parks Board fill a gap between two of the city’s largest and most popular parks.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2023, 5:22 PM
(LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 6, 2023, 6:08 PM)

Less than 2 miles separate two of the biggest and most popular parks in Houston.

But for the city's cyclists and pedestrians, getting between Buffalo Bayou Park and Memorial Park feels like a long trek filled with hazards. There is no trail along the bayou, and Memorial Drive – which is lined by homes and businesses, often busy with vehicle traffic and has a narrow, shared-use sidewalk running alongside it – is the only major roadway that connects the two urban parks.

"They're so close, yet because there's no safe, attractive connection between them, they feel so far away from each other," said Joe Cutrufo, the executive director of BikeHouston, a local nonprofit that advocates for cyclists.

That gap will be closing, though, as the Houston Parks Board is receiving $8.1 million to help make it happen. The Buffalo Bayou Greenway Connector project was selected for funding as part of the Places 4 People initiative by Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, who announced Wednesday that the effort will provide a total of $170 million to 32 different infrastructure projects in her precinct, which includes northwestern and western parts of the county.

Among them are 13 other trail connection projects, along with a series of Brays Bayou under crossings, street intersection and sidewalk initiatives, roadway drainage projects, community parks and METRO bus shelters.

Houston Parks Board president and CEO Beth White said the nonprofit already has invested about $5.4 million into the initiative on land acquisition, work along the bayou and preliminary design. She said more detailed design work for the project, which is expected to cost a total of $13.5 million, likely will begin before the end of this year.

The trail connector will be part of the broader Bayou Greenways initiative that includes a total of 150 miles of trails along nine Houston bayous, although it was not initially part of the plan.

"We've been working on it quietly for a while," she said. "It wasn't in the original scope of the 150 miles, but we've had our eye on making that connection for some time."

Wattleigh

Sep 13, 2023 2:00 PM

Harris County Precinct 3 Parks Master Plan

https://www.pct3.com/Explore/Parks/P...ls-Master-Plan

PDFs

Full Plan: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Docu...ull Report.pdf

Introduction: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Documents/Introduction_2.pdf

Parks Plan East of 45: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Docu...East of 45.pdf

Parks Plan West of 45: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Docu...West of 45.pdf

Trails Plan East of 45: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Docu...East of 45.pdf

Appendix: https://www.pct3.com/Portals/45/Docu...Appendix_2.pdf

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Harris County Precinct 3 releases plan to enhance county’s largest park system

By Melissa Enaje | 5:29 PM Sep 12, 2023 CDT
Updated 5:29 PM Sep 12, 2023 CDT

Harris County Precinct 3 will undergo improvements to its parks and trails as part of a master plan that will impact an area where more than 1 million people reside within the county’s largest park system. In a news release, Commissioner Tom Ramsey announced the Precinct 3 Parks and Trails Master Plan that aims to improve, connect and grow the area’s parks and trails network.

The comprehensive set of recommendations were developed for:

69 existing parks
Four new parks
225 miles of new trails

“We needed a plan to connect residents with our amazing green spaces,” Ramsey said. “Our population is expected to double by 2045, which means engineered solutions for green activity spaces are a must for our future generations. Thank you to the residents who took time to provide us feedback. They know their parks and trails better than anyone, so we’re confident in the information incorporated into the plan.”

The details

Harris County Precinct 3 has nearly 70 existing parks, which total more than 8,600 acres of land. Extensive acreage within the Cypress and Spring Creek greenways amounts to over 40% of the total acreage.

As part of the master plan, Precinct 3 officials completed an outreach phase to assess the needs and desires of the community, which included a total of six meetings and an online survey. The majority of respondents lived near the existing Cypress and Spring Creek Greenways, which also has the highest concentration of parks and greenways, according to plan documents.

Community feedback included:

How greenways may connect to parks
Requests for additional park athletic fields
Increased trails for pedestrians and bicyclists

Wattleigh

Sep 20, 2023 1:00 PM

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...-downtown.html

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Photos: Lynn Wyatt Square for Performing Arts to open in downtown Houston's Theater District

By Jeff Jeffrey – Senior reporter, Houston Business Journal
Sep 19, 2023

Houston First Corp. has scheduled the long-awaited opening of the Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts downtown for this week.

A grand opening event will be held Sept. 21, and the performing arts square will be open to the public starting Sept. 22.

During the square’s opening weekend, Houston First has scheduled a number of activities, including lawn games and live entertainment. However, the highlight will be interactive performances of “Bees,” which features human-sized bees busying themselves in the creation of a community alongside children in attendance. The performance was created by renowned Australian theater company, Polyglot Theatre.

'A game changer for downtown'
The opening marks the culmination of a $26.5 million redevelopment of the former Jones Plaza in the Theater District, which city officials have said will eventually bring to the west side what Discovery Green has brought to downtown’s east side.

“This is a game changer for downtown Houston,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a news release. “I am so excited to see this square come to life as a public space that connects the arts and, more importantly, connects people to the arts.”

The redevelopment project was funded through a collaboration between Houston First, the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Wyatt herself.

The project kicked into high gear in 2019, when Wyatt, a well-known local philanthropist, donated $10 million to the project. Following Wyatt’s donation, the Downtown Redevelopment Authority committed an additional $10 million and Houston First added another $5 million to the project.

“I thank Houston’s living legend, Lynn Wyatt, and her family for their dedication to this city and the arts,” Turner said. “We can move mountains in this city by working together through public-private collaborations like this one between Lynn Wyatt, the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Houston First.”

The new green space includes a flexible performance lawn for concerts and other free programs, a cascading water feature, accessible entries, gardens, trees, one-of-a-kind tête-à-tête rockers/seating, lighting and sound elements, and space for a future restaurant.

Mini murals created by Anat Ronen and Jessica Guerra, whose artist name is Guerra Girl, cover traffic boxes around the square. Houston First will maintain and operate the square, which will offer year-round programming inspired by Houston’s cultural diversity and the award-winning performing arts organizations surrounding the park.

“I love Houston, I love the arts, and I absolutely love this beautiful square. I am thrilled to support the team bringing people and the arts together in the heart of downtown,” Wyatt said in a statement. “And to have my name on such an important piece of Houston, I am humbled and grateful; this truly touches my heart. I look forward to all the good this square will do now and in the future for the people of this dynamic city and our world-class performing arts community.”

As previously announced, Los Angeles-based Rios Clementi Hale Studios served as landscape architect for the project, while Houston-based Harrison Kornberg Architects served as executive architect. Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Manhattan Construction Co. served as general contractor.

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The Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts is scheduled to open to the public on Sept. 22.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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The overhaul of Jones Plaza to create the Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts broke ground in 2021.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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The project kicked into high gear in 2019, when Wyatt, a well-known local philanthropist, donated $10 million to the project. Following Wyatt’s donation, the Downtown Redevelopment Authority committed an additional $10 million and Houston First added another $5 million to the project.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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The square has space for a future restaurant to occupy.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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The restaurant space is in the heart of the Theater District.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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A cascading water feature was included in the construction plan.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

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The square has a swings that patrons can use to relax, while watching a performance.

COURTESY OF HOUSTON FIRST CORP

Wattleigh

Sep 22, 2023 5:33 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-10m-campaign/

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Spark parks in Woodland Heights, Neartown among those being upgraded in $10M campaign

By Shawn Arrajj | 4:31 PM Sep 21, 2023 CDT
Updated 4:31 PM Sep 21, 2023 CDT

Community parks at Houston ISD schools in Woodland Heights and Neartown are among the 20 parks slated for improvements as part of a new $10 million campaign that also involves building 20 new parks at Houston-area public schools.

What's happening

The $10 million campaign targets Spark parks in Houston, which are parks built at school campuses that are also accessible to the broader community. The new campaign, announced at a Sept. 20 press conference, comes as officials with the city of Houston celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the city's Spark School Park Program. Spark Parks can be found at more than 200 schools across 18 Houston-area public school districts.

The big picture

As part of the $10 million campaign, Spark officials will build 20 new school parks in four years at several school districts across the Greater Houston area. In addition to that, the campaign also involves improving—or "resparking"—20 existing Spark parks. Sixteen schools were initially identified, including eight schools that will get new Spark parks and eight schools that will have existing parks improved.

Wattleigh

Oct 2, 2023 3:24 PM

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All phases of Exploration Green flood-control project and park in Clear Lake complete

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Sep 29, 2023

All five phases of Exploration Green, a major 178-acre flood-control project and park area, are officially complete.

Clear Lake City Water Authority, alongside Houston-based Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. — the project’s design engineer — are holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the project grounds on Sept. 30. The project, which transformed a former golf course into recreational green space with five massive detention ponds, was implemented to help prevent nearby homes from flooding.

“We understand the importance of flood control measures and are dedicated to implementing innovative solutions that will contribute to the long-term resilience and safety of the surrounding communities,” Kelly Shipley, senior associate at LAN, said in a statement.

The new detention ponds have the ability to hold 100 million gallons of stormwater. To put the amount in perspective, this is equivalent to 750 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

However, Exploration Green — which is named for the community’s local exploration legacy and its proximity to Johnson Space Center — serves as a natural park. The park portion of Exploration Green comprises 153 acres of natural habitat with wetlands and native grassland areas, 6 miles of hike-and-bike trails, two athletic fields and other amenities.

Of the 40,000 people living in the direct Clear Lake area, nearly 70% will be within walking distance from one of the sections of Exploration Green, with the other 30% less than a mile from part of the project.

The first pond protected at least 150 homes from flooding during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 — and it was only about 80% complete at the time. The area also withstood Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019 and Tropical Storm Beta in 2020. With all five phases completed, Exploration Green is expected to protect between 2,000 and 3,000 homes near the floodplains by Horsepen Bayou.

Wattleigh

Oct 3, 2023 1:50 PM

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/project...rojectID=95793

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Wattleigh

Oct 5, 2023 1:18 PM

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/nei...i-18395268.php

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Woodlands begins development on huge park that could connect 40-mile trail from Spring to Tomball

Claire Partain,
Staff writer
Oct. 3, 2023

The Woodlands township has approved the first stages of the upcoming South Gosling Park in Creekside Park.

The township's board of directors voted Sept. 27 to start the engineering process for the 208-acre park, which will become The Woodlands' largest once completed.

The board allocated $308,220 in funding and $30,000 in materials testing from the Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment Reserve for the initial stage of the project.

"This is a tremendous opportunity," board member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs said. "If you look at the needs assessment, the community is hungry for more amenities when it comes to all sorts of outdoor activities."

The park will also be the largest Woodlands park completed in Harris County once completed, with opportunity for passive and active recreation. The county requires Phase I to include initial engineering, wetland and flood plain analysis, cultural surveys and archaeological surveys, analyzing endangered species and measuring water currents in the area.

Wattleigh

Oct 19, 2023 12:45 PM

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Blackwood Skyfarm connects nature, plants hope for incarcerated youth

By Melissa Enaje | 6:00 PM Oct 17, 2023 CDT
Updated 7:24 PM Oct 17, 2023 CDT

During one of the rare days when Houston saw rain in its forecast after brutal record-breaking summer temperatures, Cath Conlon carted trays of vegetables through the elevators at a multiuse development in the heart of Downtown Houston. The president and CEO of the nonprofit Blackwood Educational Land Institute wasn’t at the wrong building, even though it housed everything from restaurant pop-ups and coworking spaces.

Instead, she was headed to bring fresh crops from her Hempstead farm to one of biggest urban rooftop farms in Texas, Blackwood’s Skyfarm. Located at POST Houston, the farm laboratory, as they call it, experiments with different regenerative agricultural techniques such as permaculture in a distinctive urban rooftop soil setting. The nonprofit also hosts various educational experiences for guests, volunteers and anyone who is interested in becoming what it calls eco-literate.

With its fresh, organic produce, the organization’s mission is to build community around food, reduce its carbon footprint and create healthier outcomes for the city with every piece of food that is distributed, sold and eaten.

Conlon and her lead farmer, Aaron Flores, were delighted that their scorched rows of crops could bask in drops of water coming from the sky.

“What I would like most people to understand about what extreme weather does to food production is it just really shortens windows. It’s cutting our seasons terribly short. August is becoming a time you cannot grow food. What is that going to look like if we're losing whole months of the year where we can’t produce food?” Flores said.

Along the 1-acre rooftop farm, some rows were empty for next season, and some rows were filled with crops that thrived in the heat, such as the hibiscus and basil plants. Toward the western side of the farm were pops of colors with the pale orange pumpkins and green watermelons. If every crop has its own how-to-survive story, then connected to each watermelon and pumpkin would be the stories of the young people who participated in Skyfarm’s latest educational program with the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department.

Wattleigh

Oct 26, 2023 5:55 PM

https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-an...show-expansion

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Take an Early Look at the Orange Show’s Biggest Expansion Yet

The beloved, quirky Houston landmark is working on a massive new seven-acre campus.

By Brianna Griff
October 25, 2023

HOUSTON WILL SOON BE HOME to a more than seven-acre campus dedicated to recognizing the artist in everyone, as one of the city’s most beloved art landmarks plans a massive expansion.

At the heart of the new campus is the Orange Show, a whimsical complex built by one man for his favorite citrus. Tucked away in a small neighborhood behind the University of Houston, the quirky, maze-like monument was assembled by Jeff McKissack, a Houston postal worker, starting in 1956.

“All of the materials were salvaged from scrap yards and picked up from the side of the road and all of it hand-welded and handmade,” says Tommy Ralph Pace, executive director of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts. “He had these huge visionary ambitions that as people were traveling down to Disney World, [the Orange Show] was going to be a big competitor.”

McKissack’s dream of rivaling Disney never materialized, but something magical did emerge from the creation: a nonprofit to preserve his 3,000-square-foot construction.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts (OSCVA) has evolved into a cornerstone of the Houston art scene. Since its conception in 1980, the nonprofit has not only safeguarded the Orange Show but also rescued and maintained the Beer Can House, has produced the annual Art Car Parade for the past 35 years, and developed Smither Park, which highlights mosaic artwork.

“Preserving two of Houston’s most iconic cultural landmarks was the beginning of our story,” Pace says. “It’s kind of the root of our mission, which is to celebrate the artist in everyone. This idea that ordinary people can make extraordinary things.”

In 2017, OSCVA acquired a former pallet factory that sits on 5.7 acres adjacent to the Orange Show and Smither Park. The nonprofit announced plans in November 2021 to transform the property into a new campus, complete with performance venues and maker spaces.

One of the property’s two original buildings, which currently serves as OSCVA offices, will be demolished to make way for a two-story structure with an art gallery. The concrete building that served as the actual factory will be reimagined as a unique exhibition area where visitors can view a rotating display of historic and award-winning art cars. (The Art Car Museum in the Heights will remain, as it is a separate entity from OSCVA.)

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Wattleigh

Oct 31, 2023 1:51 PM

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Memorial Park prepares for grand opening of new running complex with timing track, viewing deck

Diane Cowen,
Staff writer
Oct. 30, 2023
Updated: Oct. 30, 2023 5:48 p.m.

The most recent phase of Memorial Park's master plan finishes with the Nov. 4 grand opening of the park's running complex. The event is free and open to the public.

The Running Complex is at 7575 N. Picnic Lane, on the west side of the park by the Kinder Land Bridge, and Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie. It includes the 400-meter Roy Cullen Timing Track, along with a viewing deck, event space and trails. It's meant to be a place for people using all parts of the park to gather, as well as a gateway to the Bayou Wilds trails. The land bridge and prairie were finished earlier this year.

The grand opening runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 4 and will include DJ Johnny J music, family activities and giveaways. Vendors will include Juice Land, Houston Marathon, HOKA and Lean Body. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Parking fees will be waived that day at the running complex lot and at the lot for the land bridge and prairie.

Wattleigh

Nov 2, 2023 3:45 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...e-highway-242/

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The Woodlands building 5-mile hike-and-bike trail along State Highway 242

The long-planned pathway, which will stretch from FM 1488 to Harper’s Landing Park in the burgeoning suburb north of Houston, is being funded largely by a nearly $7.5 million federal grant allocated by the Texas Transportation Commission.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ONOCTOBER 31, 2023, 3:58 PM

A federal grant worth nearly $7.5 million will provide most of the funding for a 5-mile pathway for cyclists and pedestrians that is set to be constructed in The Woodlands, a burgeoning suburb about 30 miles north of Houston.

The upcoming trail will be built along State Highway 242, also known as College Park Drive, between FM 1488 and Harper's Landing Park to the east. The path will cross Interstate 45 on its way to the park, which is situated north of 242 and includes playgrounds, a dog park, skate park, swimming pool and sports facilities.

The Woodlands Township said in a news release about the project that the pathway has long been desired by the more than 120,000 residents and 2,000 businesses it serves, noting that 242 has presented "a unique challenge in the community."

"This high-speed, six-lane arterial road, with speeds ranging from 45 to 50 mph, lacks continuous bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the route," the township said. "This absence creates a physical barrier that hinders people's ability to access vital goods and services along SH 242 without the need for vehicular transportation. Compounding this challenge is the presence of I-45, which further isolates the Harper's Landing neighborhood from the broader Woodlands Township."

The Woodlands Township did not immediately respond to a Tuesday request for more information about the hike-and-bike path, including its anticipated timeline for construction.

Wattleigh

Nov 2, 2023 3:47 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/transportation/2023/11/01/468388/uptown-houston-gets-grant-funding-for-pedestrian-pathway-across-loop-610-and-into-memorial-park/

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Uptown Houston gets grant funding for pedestrian pathway across Loop 610 and into Memorial Park

The Texas Transportation Commission is allocating $18.5 million for a new hike-and-bike trail that would cross Buffalo Bayou and go underneath the West Loop in order to provide safe access between the Galleria area and Memorial Park.

ADAM ZUVANICH | POSTED ONNOVEMBER 1, 2023, 4:10 PM

Houston's biggest park is situated near one of its biggest and most bustling retail centers, and the two are separated by a big freeway often crowded with cars and trucks.

That makes it tricky and treacherous to walk or ride a bicycle from the Galleria area, which is immediately west of West Loop 610, to Memorial Park on the other side.

But a plan is in place to change that as the Uptown Houston District recently was awarded an $18.5 million grant by the Texas Transportation Commission to construct a dedicated pathway for cyclists and pedestrians that will start along Post Oak Boulevard and cross over Buffalo Bayou on a suspension bridge before meandering alongside the waterway and underneath the freeway and eventually connecting with Memorial Park a little to the northeast.

"It cannot be overstated what a significant barrier the West Loop is to the ease and safety of people west of the West Loop in accessing Memorial Park," said John Breeding, the president of Uptown Houston, a local taxing entity that focuses in part on infrastructure improvements, public safety and economic development in the area. "This is a thing where I can go ride (a bike), and I'm daring enough to perhaps try to go through an intersection, but if my grandkids or my wife's with me, it's scary. By building this facility, we'll be able to provide access to the near west side (of Houston) to the park in a safe and convenient and I think beautiful manner."

The forthcoming trail will cost a total of about $23 million to construct, according to Breeding, who said he hopes the project can be designed and bid out for construction by the end of 2024 and primarily built during 2025. The planned work brings into focus one of the visions outlined in the Memorial Park Conservancy's 10-year master plan, which calls for increased pedestrian and cyclist access from all sides of a central urban park that is currently difficult to get to without an automobile.

The federal grant money awarded to Uptown Houston was part of an overall $345 million allocation by the Texas Transportation Commission, which announced last week it is doling out funding to 12 initiatives in the Houston area and 83 across the state that add sidewalks, bike paths and other infrastructure with the goal of improving street safety and expanding multimodal access and mobility. Last year 830 pedestrians and 92 cyclists died on Texas roads, an increase of nearly 30 percent compared to five years earlier, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

The second- and third-largest grant awards in the Houston area were more than $8.8 million for a multimodal path in Katy's Asia Town and nearly $7.5 million for a 5-mile hike-and-bike trail in The Woodlands.

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Wattleigh

Nov 2, 2023 5:14 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-bench-series/

Quote:

Sugar Land installs 1st piece of Eldridge Park sculptural bench series

By Jovanna Aguilar | 2:37 PM Oct 31, 2023 CDT
Updated 2:37 PM Oct 31, 2023 CDT

The Sugar Land Cultural Arts Division installed the first of four pieces in a sculptural bench series at Eldridge Park, Sugar Land officials announced in an Oct. 31 release.

"This new series of pieces being introduced in our parks is a resounding statement of our dedication to the enhancement of our city's aesthetics," said Sha Davis, who serves as Sugar Land's cultural arts manager.

The sculpture, titled "Dogwoods" and created by artist Elizabeth Akamatsu, is named after the dogwood flower. According to the release, the sunlight casts unique shapes on the sculpture's surface throughout the day and is designed to captivate viewers with light and shadow.

The abstract art piece is also designed to serve as both a sculpture focal point and a functional bench. City officials said the piece is a testament to the innovative spirit of Sugar Land’s commitment to the beautification of the city.

https://cdn2.communityimpact.com/?ur...900&q=95&f=jpg

Wattleigh

Nov 3, 2023 5:14 PM

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/...nning-complex/

Quote:

Memorial Park invites Houston to grand opening of new, state-of-the-art running complex

By Steven Devadanam
Nov 3, 2023 | 5:55 am

Houston’s most popular destination for runners — recently voted one of the best in Texas — just stepped up its game in a major way. Memorial Park will unveil its new, state-of-art running complex on Saturday, November 4.

Encompassing years in planning and constructing, this new complex features the 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track, a viewing decks, an event plaza, several gathering spaces, trails, and more. More than a simple running track, the complex is designed to be a central gathering spot for all Memorial Park visitors, notes Memorial Park Conservancy executive director Shellye Arnold. The complex will also serve as new gateway to the park’s Bayou Wilds trails.

Locals are invited to a grand opening celebration of the complex (7575 North Picnic Ln.) from 10 am to 2 pm. The free, The family-friendly event will feature music by DJ Johnny J, activities for all ages, giveaways, and more. Pets are welcome at the event; make sure to keep those speedy doggos off the track. A Vendor Village will feature local businesses and organizations including Juice Land, Houston Marathon, HOKA, and Lean Body. Food and drinks including hot dogs, popcorn, and popsicles will be available for purchase.

At 10:30 am, the park will officially open with brief remarks and a ceremonial ribbon cutting by project partners. Then, kids aged 12 and under cab compete in the “Kid’s Dash” on the new 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track. All young runners will receive a special prize.

https://houston.culturemap.com/media...702&quality=80

Wattleigh

Nov 15, 2023 9:19 PM

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/c...l-18435770.php

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Quote:

Lavish proposals and giant letters are taking over this Houston park

People are heading to Buffalo Bayou to publicly (and loudly) declare their love.

Brittanie Shey
Nov. 10, 2023

Like many people in the early days of the pandemic, Houstonian Jay Gonzales had a lot of free time on his hands. Though he previously ran a moving business, few people needed his services, so he started looking for something new to do. Scouring social media, he came up with an idea.

He saw lots of outdoor gatherings like gender reveals and birthdays, where people were celebrating with elaborate decorations and giant lit-up letters. That led to the creation of his current business, Superstar Marquee Letters, where he makes his own letters and rents them out for events. And one type of event in particular has been a huge boon for him: wedding proposals. Specifically, wedding proposals at Buffalo Bayou Park.

Drive past the park most weekends at dusk and you're likely to see at least one, sometimes multiple, such setups. Gonzales says he does an average of two engagements in the park a week. He also does events like quinceñeras and graduations, but proposals are by far his biggest business, especially this time of year. In America, the holiday season is the most popular time to get engaged, with 19 percent of all engagements happening in November.

"Right now there are a lot of people that rent the letters," he said.

Scroll through the Instagram location link for Eleanor Tinsley Park, the park-within-a-park along Allen Parkway, and you'll see dozens of over-the-top engagement photos, including not just massive marquee letters, but also geodesic domes and extravagant picnics. A quick Google search for local photographers shows a number of proposal photo shoots at the park as well. So when did Eleanor Tinsley, and Buffalo Bayou Park as a whole, become the go-to place to get engaged in Houston?

Karen Farber, vice president of external affairs at Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP), said the park has always been a popular place for proposals, but the elaborate set-ups really started to explode during the pandemic.

Wattleigh

Nov 15, 2023 9:49 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...begin-in-2024/

https://i0.wp.com/commprecinct2.org/...ng?w=765&ssl=1

Quote:

Construction on Montgomery County’s Fish Creek Regional Park to begin in 2024

By Lizzy Spangler | 9:15 AM Nov 10, 2023 CST

Construction on the infrastructure for Montgomery County’s Fish Creek Regional Park is estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2024, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said in a Nov. 8 interview.

Riley said the infrastructure construction would include work on the roads, driveways and sites for things in the park.

“We’re ready to move on some of that,” Riley said.

The park will span 391 acres and be located off the Fish Creek thoroughfare near the Woodforest community, according to Precinct 2’s website.

Riley said the park will include around four sports fields, a nature center, a community building, soccer fields, and pickleball and tennis courts.

“It’s going to be a place where people want to come when we get this thing completed,” Riley said.

Riley said feedback on the park has been received through a survey and meetings with different stakeholders and local homeowner’s association.

“Once we get ready to pull the trigger and get this thing under construction, we will certainly put something out where everybody can see what we’re doing, what we’re planning,” Riley said. “But when we get to that point, there won’t be a whole lot of changing anybody’s mind and doing anything different. When we get it nailed down that close, we’re ready to go.”

Wattleigh

Nov 17, 2023 7:02 PM

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...-park-cistern/

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Quote:

‘Voices from the Underground’ echo inside the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern

Musiqa co-founder Pierre Jalbert’s world-premiere composition was created specifically for the unique underground space.

TROY SCHULZE |
POSTED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2023, 11:01 AM

After it was rediscovered in 2010 and opened to the public in 2016, the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern has become one of Houston's most unique hidden attractions.

Once the reservoir for the city's drinking water, the cistern is about the size of a football field and a half, and it features the stunning visual sight of 221 columns reflected in water, giving the illusion of a space twice its depth. The cistern also features a 17-second echo, which can be a challenge to the many artists that have been asked to purpose the space for installations and performances.

The Houston new-music organization Musiqa recently presented a world premiere performance of co-founder Pierre Jalbert's composition "Voices from the Underground," a 30-minute musical piece created specifically to be performed in the cistern.

Wattleigh

Dec 2, 2023 3:39 PM

https://communityimpact.com/houston/...-thoroughfare/

Quote:

25,004-square-foot nature and community center coming to Fish Creek Thoroughfare

By Jessica Shorten | 12:21 PM Nov 29, 2023 CST
Updated 5:51 PM Nov 29, 2023 CST

Preliminary master plans for a 25,004-square-foot community and nature center along Fish Creek Thoroughfare were revealed by Burditt Consultants during a Nov. 28 public meeting at the Woodforest Golf Club on 1199 Fish Creek Thoroughfare Road, Montgomery.

What you need to know

The new community and nature center will be constructed by Montgomery County in 2024 in the Fish Creek Thoroughfare area. As previously reported by Community Impact, Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a master plan analysis on the 391-acre park March 28.

The center will contain:
A 3,412-square-foot multipurpose hall
A 4,350-square-foot exhibit hall
1,182-square-foot classroom spaces
1,052-square-foot pop-up shop centers
3,874-square-foot covered porch areas

The center will also contain shower spaces and kitchen areas for events and other uses, according to information presented at the meeting. Additional trail access points will also feed off of the main center, according to plans by Burditt Consultants.

Several sports grounds are also expected to be constructed surrounding the center, including three baseball fields and a number of rectangular sports fields.

Wattleigh

Dec 9, 2023 2:02 AM

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link to vote: https://houston.uli.org/vote/

Wattleigh

Dec 13, 2023 8:04 PM

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...s-18547853.php

Quote:

MacGregor Park, an iconic space in Houston, due for a $54 million renovation

Kinder Foundation leads efforts to renovate historic park for its centennial

By Andrew Dansby,
Staff writer
Dec 13, 2023

A storied space in Houston, MacGregor Park lent its name to two hip-hop song titles separated by 30 years: After the LA Rapper declared it “the place to be” in 1985, Fat Tony in 2015 referred to MacGregor as “the sweetest park.”

As the park inches toward its centennial, it is now being discussed not just for its past but for what its future will bear.

Houston City Council on Wednesday voted to approve a monumental proposal for a $54-million renovation of MacGregor Park. The project is led by a $27-million gift from the Kinder Foundation, part of an ongoing effort by Rich and Nancy Kinder to create and nurture urban green space in the city.

Work on the park is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed in about five years.

The plan will ultimately marry two visions: namesake Henry F. MacGregor’s hope for a natural haven amid an urban center and the activity-driven community space that MacGregor became during the second half of the 20th century.

“It’s a reimagining of the park but staying true to its roots,” says Rich Kinder, who founded the Kinder Foundation with his wife, Nancy.

The renovation will leave iconic MacGregor Park features in place like its iconic covered basketball court, a Spanish-style structure with 24 dynamic arches, while addressing numerous points long neglected due to deferred maintenance. The reconceived MacGregor Park will also boast new features, including an amphitheater and a youth multipurpose field. The park’s perimeter trail will be extended by 1.25 miles, linking it to the Bayou Greenways trail along Brays Bayou, further enhancing a formidable network of bicycle and jogging trails.

But even before the Bayou Greenways initiative, kids found their way to MacGregor. Kenneth Allen, director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, says he grew up on the other side of the South Loop from the park.

“As a boy, I’d still ride my bike here with my friends,” he says. “This park reaches more than just the surrounding communities over the years. People from all over have come to this park. They have for decades.”

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