Buffalo Bayou Master Plan

[hindesky]

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2020/12/buffalo-bayou-east-sector-10-million-grant-2020

 

IT’S GOING TO BE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON FOR BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP. The nonprofit organization, which conceptualized and maintains the landmark Buffalo Bayou Park, has just received a $10 million grant from the Houston Endowment to help bring its next big act, the Buffalo Bayou East Sector, to life. 

The highly-anticipated East Sector is one of the biggest park projects in the United States, and once completed, it is expected to transform the waterfront and green spaces of Fifth and Second wards and the surrounding neighborhoods over the next 20 years. The BBP’s master plan calls for the construction of 40 miles of hike and bike trails; 200 acres of new and refreshed park space; seven boat launches; seven new pedestrian bridges; and day trip-worthy recreational and cultural destinations, including industrial relics repurposed into gardens, adventure parks, event spaces, and perhaps even a swimming hole in Tony Marron Park. The plan is to also create bikeways and “green fingers” that will connect the neighborhoods to each other, as well as back downtown and Buffalo Bayou Park. (There will sadly not be one long contiguous waterfront trail à la Buffalo Bayou Park, but, on the plus side, there could be a water taxi). 

 

“The grant from Houston Endowment is another exciting step forward in the creation of a more equitable city for all Houstonians,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement issued after the grant was announced. “We are grateful to both Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Houston Endowment not only for their inclusive vision of a better Houston, but their commitment to making it a reality.”

While the East Sector project will ultimately require hundreds of millions of dollars to fully implement over the next two decades, the $10 million grant will help fund several key efforts right away, including:

• Designing key destinations centered around Fifth Ward, Second Ward, and Magnolia Park in the Greater East End.
• Beginning of infrastructure work to stabilize the bayou banks as well as repair existing trail links in the area.
• Land acquisition efforts for future parks and trail connections.
• Phase 1 site improvements at Japhet Creek to include trails, interpretive signage, site furnishings, and landscaping.
• Expand BBP’s organizational capacity, including hiring a full-time Community Engagement Manager.

[H-Town Man]

Thanks Jesse.

 

[Moore713]

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2020/12/buffalo-bayou-east-sector-10-million-grant-2020

 

IT’S GOING TO BE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON FOR BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP. The nonprofit organization, which conceptualized and maintains the landmark Buffalo Bayou Park, has just received a $10 million grant from the Houston Endowment to help bring its next big act, the Buffalo Bayou East Sector, to life. 

The highly-anticipated East Sector is one of the biggest park projects in the United States, and once completed, it is expected to transform the waterfront and green spaces of Fifth and Second wards and the surrounding neighborhoods over the next 20 years. The BBP’s master plan calls for the construction of 40 miles of hike and bike trails; 200 acres of new and refreshed park space; seven boat launches; seven new pedestrian bridges; and day trip-worthy recreational and cultural destinations, including industrial relics repurposed into gardens, adventure parks, event spaces, and perhaps even a swimming hole in Tony Marron Park. The plan is to also create bikeways and “green fingers” that will connect the neighborhoods to each other, as well as back downtown and Buffalo Bayou Park. (There will sadly not be one long contiguous waterfront trail à la Buffalo Bayou Park, but, on the plus side, there could be a water taxi). 

 

“The grant from Houston Endowment is another exciting step forward in the creation of a more equitable city for all Houstonians,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement issued after the grant was announced. “We are grateful to both Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Houston Endowment not only for their inclusive vision of a better Houston, but their commitment to making it a reality.”

While the East Sector project will ultimately require hundreds of millions of dollars to fully implement over the next two decades, the $10 million grant will help fund several key efforts right away, including:

• Designing key destinations centered around Fifth Ward, Second Ward, and Magnolia Park in the Greater East End.
• Beginning of infrastructure work to stabilize the bayou banks as well as repair existing trail links in the area.
• Land acquisition efforts for future parks and trail connections.
• Phase 1 site improvements at Japhet Creek to include trails, interpretive signage, site furnishings, and landscaping.
• Expand BBP’s organizational capacity, including hiring a full-time Community Engagement Manager.

Suck it Dallas Trinity River ...which ended up just being a bridge over a ditch!!  Just kidding 

[pablog]

Houston is a looker in my eyes 😍

[Texasota]

yeah i'm not ok with the "Houston is not a looker" mentality. 

[MexAmerican_Moose]

same here, the city is very green, the strip developments ruin it....

Edited December 10, 2020 by MexAmerican_Moose

[Moore713]

21 minutes ago, MexAmerican_Moose said:

same here, the city is very green, the strip developments ruin it....

Exactly!! It has it spots , but so many poor development decisions in the past  damaged it .... Now we are working backwards to reverse the damages.

[Triton]

Drove down McKee St over Buffalo Bayou today. They're building some structure which is already on its 2nd floor... it's on the north bank next to McKee.. anyone know what that is?

[HoustonBoy]

I love Houston's greenery and our urban landscape. There are very few cities in the US that legitimately have four full-scale skylines. 

[JBTX]

29 minutes ago, Triton said:

Drove down McKee St over Buffalo Bayou today. They're building some structure which is already on its 2nd floor... it's on the north bank next to McKee.. anyone know what that is?

McKee City Living perhaps?
 

 

[Triton]

1 hour ago, JBTX said:

McKee City Living perhaps?
 

 

That'a definitely it. Very cool, thanks.

[H-Town Man]

20 hours ago, hindesky said:

(There will sadly not be one long contiguous waterfront trail à la Buffalo Bayou Park, but, on the plus side, there could be a water taxi). 

 

Ummm... didn't know that. 😞 Does anyone know where the gap(s) will be?

 

[hindesky]

[ljchou]

11 hours ago, hindesky said:

/that three way bridge!!!

[Houston19514]

I'm not detecting a gap in the waterfront trails in that rendering.

Of course, one should not take the writings of a Houston journalist too seriously.  Apparently the Houston stylebook requires something negative to be included in a story, even if it's made up.  After taking a look at the East Sector master plan, yes, there is a gap of about 7/10ths of one mile on one side of the bayou. There are bridges planned on both ends of that gap, plus bike lanes on nearby streets to get around the industrial property that requires the gap.  

Where did the Houstonia writer get the idea that "There will sadly not be one long contiguous waterfront trail à la Buffalo Bayou Park".? That is plainly false.  (Plus, it's significantly longer than Buffalo Bayou Park,  so there will actually be a far longer contiguous waterfront trail than in Buffalo Bayou Park.)

 

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Houston19514

[hindesky]

[ArtNsf]

On 12/9/2020 at 11:40 PM, pablog said:

Houston is a looker in my eyes 😍

 

Yes, and thank you pablog !  Perspective has a lot to do with the feeling Houstonians and the popular media has about this area.  Most of it has been very unfair and false over the decades.  But, perhaps, we are finally breaking through all the negative propaganda (I won't mention which cities and areas in the country are the most guilty of that.  We can all guess pretty accurately anyway.)  There really is so much natural beauty - both "flat and contoured" that surrounds this mega multi-county area of the U.S. and Houston.  The Bayous (which a few are actually really rivers - I vote to rename the big one "Buffalo River", but I know that will never happen), the wildlife, birds mammals reptiles and the flora, trees, native flowers grasses, insects, butterflies.  All of this and more are what make the natural beauty of this area very much worth protecting and even enhancing and celebrating as a source of major civic pride.  We already know how incredible our tall skyscrapers are and most are works of architectural wonder and art, with many more on the horizon.  But, lets never forget mother nature in this area CAN and does work well with us humans as long as we respect her and just take a little more time with each building project, to figure out the best way to replace any greenery and wildlife and waterway damaged, with native natural beauty, the way that most developers are "required" to offset the ground absorption displacement by having holding ponds/reservoirs installed on each project, to minimize any added flooding caused by the finished product.  Also, so what if we are a marshy swampland (which btw is only in certain far eastern and southeastern parts of the county?)  These parts of our area are a paradise of life at it's most diverse and finest in America.  It is worth noting that several other great American cities, albeit much smaller, have the same climate and swamp lands surrounding their fair cities, yet you rarely hear them complain to the rest of America. These would be cities like Miami, New Orleans, Corpus Christi, Savannah, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and indeed, many more famous smaller yet significant cities in the Gulf Coast and Southern Atlantic regions of the lower 48.   So, I feel it is high time for Houston to offer up it's natural beauty and diversity of plant/tree and animal life, and diversity of species as yet one more great reason to visit and enjoy this part of our shared American treasure, which is known as Houston.  Oh yeah, did I mention how bad the mosquitoes are in these other cities ?  Like WAY WORSE at times than Houston's ever thought about being.

 

[pablog]

1 hour ago, ArtNsf said:

 

Yes, and thank you pablog !  Perspective has a lot to do with the feeling Houstonians and the popular media has about this area.  Most of it has been very unfair and false over the decades.  But, perhaps, we are finally breaking through all the negative propaganda (I won't mention which cities and areas in the country are the most guilty of that.  We can all guess pretty accurately anyway.)  There really is so much natural beauty - both "flat and contoured" that surrounds this mega multi-county area of the U.S. and Houston.  The Bayous (which a few are actually really rivers - I vote to rename the big one "Buffalo River", but I know that will never happen), the wildlife, birds mammals reptiles and the flora, trees, native flowers grasses, insects, butterflies.  All of this and more are what make the natural beauty of this area very much worth protecting and even enhancing and celebrating as a source of major civic pride.  We already know how incredible our tall skyscrapers are and most are works of architectural wonder and art, with many more on the horizon.  But, lets never forget mother nature in this area CAN and does work well with us humans as long as we respect her and just take a little more time with each building project, to figure out the best way to replace any greenery and wildlife and waterway damaged, with native natural beauty, the way that most developers are "required" to offset the ground absorption displacement by having holding ponds/reservoirs installed on each project, to minimize any added flooding caused by the finished product.  Also, so what if we are a marshy swampland (which btw is only in certain far eastern and southeastern parts of the county?)  These parts of our area are a paradise of life at it's most diverse and finest in America.  It is worth noting that several other great American cities, albeit much smaller, have the same climate and swamp lands surrounding their fair cities, yet you rarely hear them complain to the rest of America. These would be cities like Miami, New Orleans, Corpus Christi, Savannah, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and indeed, many more famous smaller yet significant cities in the Gulf Coast and Southern Atlantic regions of the lower 48.   So, I feel it is high time for Houston to offer up it's natural beauty and diversity of plant/tree and animal life, and diversity of species as yet one more great reason to visit and enjoy this part of our shared American treasure, which is known as Houston.  Oh yeah, did I mention how bad the mosquitoes are in these other cities ?  Like WAY WORSE at times than Houston's ever thought about being.

 

Exactly! It is all a matter of perspective. Houston is so beautiful, diverse, and stunning in its way.

 

The reason why we’ve never done well to protect/preserve our environment is because of this negative perception that we aren’t naturally beautiful. 

 

If we want to be more sustainable, greener, and preserve our natural beauty (Prairies, Swamps, Bayous, Forests, Savannahs, etc) , we need to change our way of thinking and appreciate the unique natural beauty that we are blessed with.

 

Our appreciation will lead developers to appreciate nature as well as there is monetary benefits towards doing so.

[j_cuevas713]

1 hour ago, pablog said:

Exactly! It is all a matter of perspective. Houston is so beautiful, diverse, and stunning in its way.

 

The reason why we’ve never done well to protect/preserve our environment is because of this negative perception that we aren’t naturally beautiful. 

 

If we want to be more sustainable, greener, and preserve our natural beauty (Prairies, Swamps, Bayous, Forests, Savannahs, etc) , we need to change our way of thinking and appreciate the unique natural beauty that we are blessed with.

 

Our appreciation will lead developers to appreciate nature as well as there is monetary benefits towards doing so.

Exactly! That's really the root of the issue. If Houston doesn't respect itself, then developers won't care either. This goes deeper than just out natural beauty. It also involves our infrastructure; sidewalks, roads, transit, etc. 

[Moore713]

2 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Exactly! That's really the root of the issue. If Houston doesn't respect itself, then developers won't care either. This goes deeper than just out natural beauty. It also involves our infrastructure; sidewalks, roads, transit, etc. 

Where I kind of have to push back...I don't ever think it was a local thing... I always felt it was those not from Houston that feed alot of the problems.. For the longest time alot of business treated Houston as just a place to make money. There was no real desire to invest in the city.. outside of massive bland Corp campuses in the middle of nowhere.. it feels like only around  early 2000 did they  start to think about  creating  places to live and work. And therefore  put thought into how can we build something that meets are needs but is also pleasing to the eye. 

[gmac]

"middle of nowhere"???

[j_cuevas713]

49 minutes ago, gmac said:

"middle of nowhere"???

Yeah like where HP is building, or look at Greenspoint. It was cheap land for corporations to make money. Nothing else. No real long term vision for the community. 

[Ross]

1 hour ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Yeah like where HP is building, or look at Greenspoint. It was cheap land for corporations to make money. Nothing else. No real long term vision for the community. 

Where else would you have put the Greenspoint development, especially the buildings Exxon built, plus the old Anadarko building? There wasn't any real desire when those were built to put anything Downtown.

 

Are you also saying that economics should never play a part in where corporations put their buildings? Compaq built in the middle of nowhere in the 90's, because it made sense. I'm sure HP did the same thing.

[gmac]

I imagine the corporations that built in Greenspoint and other non-downtown areas had a very different vision from yours. They likely wanted an accessible office complex with somewhat affordable housing potential in the general vicinity. I wouldn't have built anything corporate in a downtown area had I been in a position to do so.

[Moore713]

5 hours ago, gmac said:

"middle of nowhere"???

 Omg ...quite nitpicking every damn thing... 

 

The point was  for a long time alot of  business were fine just setting up shop in Houston and didn't feel a need to engage the community....

 

All of that  and you locked in on a off hand comment about  " middle of nowhere " sheesh

Edited December 15, 2020 by Moore713

[H-Town Man]

12 hours ago, Ross said:

Where else would you have put the Greenspoint development, especially the buildings Exxon built, plus the old Anadarko building? There wasn't any real desire when those were built to put anything Downtown.

 

Are you also saying that economics should never play a part in where corporations put their buildings? Compaq built in the middle of nowhere in the 90's, because it made sense. I'm sure HP did the same thing.

 

Well yes, there wasn't any real desire to put things downtown because people didn't care about the city, like he was saying. They basically wanted to be on virgin land as disconnected from the city as possible, but still be near the city so that they could use the airport and take advantage of the labor pool, as well as have big-city amenities like pro sports teams to help lure employees.

 

[H-Town Man]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:15 PM, Moore713 said:

Where I kind of have to push back...I don't ever think it was a local thing... I always felt it was those not from Houston that feed alot of the problems.. For the longest time alot of business treated Houston as just a place to make money. There was no real desire to invest in the city.. outside of massive bland Corp campuses in the middle of nowhere.. it feels like only around  early 2000 did they  start to think about  creating  places to live and work. And therefore  put thought into how can we build something that meets are needs but is also pleasing to the eye. 

 

You're exactly right, it was in the early 2000's that Houston leaders really started to get serious about enhancing quality of life in the city. There was a Quality of Life Coalition of major business leaders that formed around 2001 or 2002, some major planning initiatives like the Main Street Master Plan in I think 2001 and the Buffalo Bayou Master Plan in 2003, and corporations led by Enron started to give more money to quality of life causes. The Astros and Rockets moving downtown also happened around this time and signaled a renewed interest in the city. City Hall embarked on downtown renovations like the Cotswold project to enhance sidewalks in the historic district and light rail also was led by these same forces.

 

Of course, people had to be dragged along kicking and screaming. Lots of suburban middle-aged folks just couldn't believe you would put a baseball park downtown where there was "nothing but homeless," the traffic would be so bad, no parking, etc., and they laughed similarly at Discovery Green, saying it would be a homeless encampment. Online bloggers like Tory Gattis said that walkable neighborhoods would never work in Houston because it's too hot and humid and there are no "portable air-conditioners" for people to carry around. 

 

People were stuck in a vision that the only good life for successful people was in master-planned suburbs like The Woodlands with big tract homes and uninhabited, purely decorative front yards, places so anti-civic that even their own streets were empty and the inhabitants only gathered on backyard decks if they ever went outside at all, not touching the ground, whereas the city was for society's failures and any enhancement of the city was essentially social welfare. You can still find this view in some places, although it's more quaint and comical now than scary, especially since their own children have grown up and now largely chosen city life.

Edited December 16, 2020 by H-Town Man

[H-Town Man]

dp

Edited December 15, 2020 by H-Town Man

[gmac]

10 hours ago, Moore713 said:

 Omg ...quite nitpicking every damn thing... 

 

The point was  for a long time alot of  business were fine just setting up shop in Houston and didn't feel a need to engage the community....

 

All of that  and you locked in on a off hand comment about  " middle of nowhere " sheesh

 

Be more precise in your writing, then.

 

Businesses engaged with the community by providing jobs, many of them paying pretty well.

[Montrose1100]

I'd like for you all to note that it was the 1990s that really sparked what we're seeing today. Mayor Lee Brown, despite the negative things I've heard of him when I was younger, really envisioned what is still happening today.

 

Don't forget all those shiny new towers Downtown are all connected to an highly desirable, air conditioned, underground network of tunnels to avoid the streets. Or they have above ground skywalks. Very, very, few interact with the street. We're only seeing a toe being dipped in the pool with stuff like the Houston Center reno, Allen Center, 600 Travis, Bank of America, and the Texas Tower. We've got a long way to go.

 

We're making a good move in the right direction and progress takes time. Just like the Buffalo Bayou Master Plan.