Discovery Green Park At 1500 McKinney St.

[samagon]

I'm not crazy about the golf course. I'm not a big golfer though I've been out with my dad a few times. I can appreciate its legitimacy, though. With so many high-priced private courses, its nice to have a quality cheap course. Its very affordable to play on and one of the best municipal golf courses in the country.

It is a great course, very fun to play, but I think Gus Wortham is a bit more fun.

Hermann park is better than DG in my opinion as well, better park for strolling around, better park for sitting and watching people, great venue for free shows and well wooded but not in an overpowered way.

A note about Central Park vs Houston Parks, Hermann is almost half the size of Central Park.

DG does a really good job though of generating interest by bringing in some really interesting entertainment. I make it a point to ride by there on friday nights in the summer, you catch everything, from folk dance groups performing their traditional dances in traditional garb, to cover bands playing Tool with an ice sculptor going crazy with the chainsaw to the music. Not sure who coordinates the live shows, but they do a really good job of keeping it diverse enough to bring in people from every walk of life and offer them exposure to not only the park, but downtown itself.

I do wish there was some way for the park to be larger though.

Edited December 1, 2009 by samagon

[citizen4rmptown]

Has anybody heard/tried that Administaff Balloon, that lifts you up into the air? (or did anybody do it last year?)

The prices are too high for the peak hours(which is when most people will go)-$20 for adults,$15 for children

During regular hours, both prices go down by 5 dollars...

I didn't even hear about this last year. DT should be fun, with the ICE at DG, the Holiday Trolley, and this Ballon for extra holiday amenities.

I found this picture( from last year, i presume) on the site. Looks cool!

Here's the site, in case anybody is interested.

http://www.discoverygreen.com/holiday-balloon/

[Jax]

Wow! I've been there lots of times and never seen this. When did they start doing balloon rides? I'd love to do some photography up there. I think I'm going to have to check it out. It is a bit expensive though...

Edited December 2, 2009 by Jax

[citizen4rmptown]

Wow! I've been there lots of times and never seen this. When did they start doing balloon rides? I'd love to do some photography up there. I think I'm going to have to check it out. It is a bit expensive though...

Exactly! Ive never even heard about it until last week.

[20thStDad]

The water fountain play area is great. This morning was nice and overcast so no baking alive, but still warm enough to enjoy the water. Whoever thought of that is a genius. We need one every quarter mile in this city.

[20thStDad]

Not quite a year later, we were back at the water fountain area, and it's still great. The lemonade stands were out, there was hula hoop class, tons of stuff to do. I really wish some rich bored person would get me a place in One Park Place so we could be right there when we want to. Downtown rocks on Sunday morning. Free parking, no traffic, and still plenty to do.

[samagon]

There is the east end, not as close or posh as in dt, but it is the cheapest way to get in cycling distance of downtown.

[20thStDad]

There is the east end, not as close or posh as in dt, but it is the cheapest way to get in cycling distance of downtown.

I'm in cycling distance now, thanks to completion of the Nicholson trail. I'm saying it would be fun to fall out of my room into discovery green. If I'm gonna wish a couple more digits onto my income, I want to do it right.

[KinkaidAlum]

It's fun to go back to the first few pages on this thread to see who thought this park would be a flop.

This thing has been a WILD success. Hopefully it'll spur more public spaces in the future.

[LTAWACS]

Anyone know if the administaff balloon will be back next winter?

[lockmat]

We went to DG tonight and out if the 100+ people there, 99% of the people there were non-whites and half were speaking another language.

Just curious, where are all the American whites? (Besides the suburbs)? Interesting

[crunchtastic]

I go to DG fairly often while out biking, at least every couple of weeks now that I'm unemployed. But middle aged women tend toward the invisible.  I  know what you  mean though. The people who come to the park are very diverse.  My experience is, unless there is a  programmed event like a concert, or it's a designated children's outing, or they are exercising, adult  white people in Houston don't tend to do public spaces.

Also, it's really hot. 

[lockmat]

I go to DG fairly often while out biking, at least every couple of weeks now that I'm unemployed. But middle aged women tend toward the invisible. I know what you mean though. The people who come to the park are very diverse. My experience is, unless there is a programmed event like a concert, or it's a designated children's outing, or they are exercising, adult white people in Houston don't tend to do public spaces.

Also, it's really hot.

The programmed events etc reason is exactly what I was thinking, too. That's what I have experienced before, too, but I'm going to keep aware on future visits.

[musicman]

I go to DG fairly often while out biking, at least every couple of weeks now that I'm unemployed. But middle aged women tend toward the invisible.  I  know what you  mean though. The people who come to the park are very diverse.  My experience is, unless there is a  programmed event like a concert, or it's a designated children's outing, or they are exercising, adult  white people in Houston don't tend to do public spaces.

Also, it's really hot. 

ahh so no paula deen sightings.

[musicman]

We went to DG tonight and out if the 100+ people there, 99% of the people there were non-whites and half were speaking another language.

Just curious, where are all the American whites? (Besides the suburbs)? Interesting

they must have been at the pride parade.

EDIT: i'm a day late.

Edited July 1, 2013 by musicman

[UtterlyUrban]

I have been searching for answers to this for a bit and it shows my goggling skills stink! Help?

When I left Houston 20 years ago (returning only about a month ago), I recall a small park in the location of Discovery Green. My guess is that the park I remember is the section of Discovery Green that has the Large Oak tree line promenade.

Question: How did discovery green form? What was there before? Were parking lots purchased, combined, and turned into a park? Buildings demolished?

Also, One Park Place..... What was on that lot before it was built?

Any pictures would be terrific!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Nate99]

OPP was formerly a one block park. Privately owned IIRC, but there was not much to it (some landscaping and a sculpture). It smelled of urine most of the time. 

 

DG was parking lots and some grassed over lots with minimal features. I don't know who owned them prior to the park being built. 

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/4811-discovery-green/?p=118895

[brian0123]

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=8E-06&lat=29.7530172583808&lon=-95.3598124970701&year=2004

[IronTiger]

It looks like on Google Earth, the pre-DG park had parking lots, some sidewalks, and bisected by Crawford (before it became a promenade).

My 2007 Key Maps book says they are referred to as the "Houston Center Gardens".

[H-Town Man]

Mayor Bill White spearheaded the creation of Discovery Green around 2005 or so, with help of a private group led by Nancy Kinder, IIRC. Original cost was $82 million, most of which was for the underground garage.

 

[IronTiger]

There's a parking garage under Discovery Green? Gee, I don't even see where the entrance is. Now can I see why, at least, a lot of the existing park was ripped up instead of added to.

At least they saved most of the trees.

[Nate99]

There's a parking garage under Discovery Green? Gee, I don't even see where the entrance is. Now can I see why, at least, a lot of the existing park was ripped up instead of added to.

At least they saved most of the trees.

 

 

[LarryDierker]

These boxes are entrances to the garage.

 

Edited April 3, 2014 by LarryDierker

[UtterlyUrban]

Looks like I got my questions from this morning answered! Thanks folks! Great folks here. The pictures from the linked thread are terrific!

[cloud713]

didnt they talk once about building something in the northeast corner of the park since that space was underutilized? does anyone know if that is still the plan? its kind of small, but would be an awesome location for a tall/thin "Ritz on the Park" or something.

[lockmat]

The grass at Discovery Green is pathetic. I went twice last year and once the entire big yard was blocked off because they were protecting it while it was growing back and another time I just happen to be there the day they opened it back up after being closed off.

 

Is it because they have too many big events or is it just the type of grass they chose?

 

Actually, just found this article blaming the drought from the year. To me, they just shouldn't have as many big events in the yard. You're not gonna find a grass that will hold up to that much foot traffic. The lawn care takers are in a fight they can't win.

 

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/04/discovery_green_not_as_green_a.php

[cloud713]

i noticed Klyde Warren had the same problem when i visited it.

[UtterlyUrban]

The grass at Discovery Green is pathetic. I went twice last year and once the entire big yard was blocked off because they were protecting it while it was growing back and another time I just happen to be there the day they opened it back up after being closed off.

Is it because they have too many big events or is it just the type of grass they chose?

Actually, just found this article blaming the drought from the year. To me, they just shouldn't have as many big events in the yard. You're not gonna find a grass that will hold up to that much foot traffic. The lawn care takers are in a fight they can't win.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/04/discovery_green_not_as_green_a.php

I have only been around DG for a month. I too noticed the grass. My take: the park is being loved to death with far too many big events and concerts. I do understand the need for some organized events but, did the park really need to host earthday, a concert with earthday, and a movie all on the same 10 hour block last Saturday?

I am also told that there will be a summer concert series too..... 8 consecutive Thursdays or something..... Add do that the organized activities on the weekend and the grass will not last.

Edited April 16, 2014 by UtterlyUrban

[lockmat]

The grass is mostly already gone, at least from what I could tell on Channel 2's newscast.

 

it's barely April. We've only had like a month or so to really enjoy the outdoors and it's already dead. It's a real shame.

 

When the convention renovation is done, I hope they move all the events to the street and let people actually play and enjoy the grass to play frisbee, kick the soccer ball or even just run around...ya know, things a park is designed for.

[Sparrow]

The grass at Discovery Green is pathetic. I went twice last year and once the entire big yard was blocked off because they were protecting it while it was growing back and another time I just happen to be there the day they opened it back up after being closed off.

 

Is it because they have too many big events or is it just the type of grass they chose?

 

Actually, just found this article blaming the drought from the year. To me, they just shouldn't have as many big events in the yard. You're not gonna find a grass that will hold up to that much foot traffic. The lawn care takers are in a fight they can't win.

 

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2012/04/discovery_green_not_as_green_a.php

 

I wonder if they could somehow use the roof of the GRB as a location to grow a new lawn to be replanted at DG? I mean if the plan is to use the lawn so heavily, it would be beneficial to replant sod every so often to maintain park standards. Having the transplant grass nearby seems like it would make for easy maintenance. Even if not something as radical as on the roof, what's from keeping the city from growing a replacement lawn for up keep?