HOUSTON | Parks/Civic Spaces & Recreation Thread

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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

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.

Renderings & photos from article



















Additional photo from Brooklyn173 on HAIF from yesterday

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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.

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Hermann Park

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

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

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Houston Zoo

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

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.

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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/

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.

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

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.

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Miller Outdoor Theatre



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

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.

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Camden Park - Westchase

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

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

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Brock Park Upgrades

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

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

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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/

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.”

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

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.

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Cypress Creek Greenway

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.

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Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

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Hermann Park

Photos of renovation work c/o hindesky on HAIF

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Goal Park

Master Plan is out and looks great!

https://www.goalpark.org/

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Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

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Lynn Wyatt Square

c/o hindesky on HAIF

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Sugar Land

-Culinan Park

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

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.

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

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.

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West University Place

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

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.