Subdude 1594 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Historic Emancipation Park overhaul is just part of the plan to reenergize the Third WardThe wheels of redevelopment are in motion at Emancipation Park, the historic 10-acre square purchased by former slaves in 1870 as a dedicated site for annual Juneteenth celebrations.Almost a century and a half later, the Third Ward park — the city's longest-standing public space — is set to get a major $33.6 million overhaul that will create a LEED-certified recreation facility to provide classrooms, a health center and a regulation-sized basketball gym. Sculpture, small pavilions and a new baseball field will be added as well.Also part of the project is the full restoration of Emancipation's vintage pool house and community center, the latter of which was a 1939 WPA project designed by one-time Rice University architecture dean William Ward Watkin.Scheduled to begin in October, the makeover is headed by celebrated architect Philip Freelon, most widely known as one of the designers for the Smithsonian's forthcoming National Museum of African American History and Culture. Houston firm M2L Associates will lead landscape design efforts. http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/03-17-13-emancipation-park-overhaul-moves-forward-along-with-plans-to-return-historic-dowling-street-to-its-bustling-heyday/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SkyEye 2 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Another squandering of my tax money. How 'bout fixing the potholes in my street huh? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JLWM8609 750 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Nice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Croberts 9 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 This is a long overdue recognition of the role of Emancipation park in the history of Houston. Juneteenth Day is now recognized by most states as a holiday and will likely be a national holiday someday. While the holiday did not originate in one place, this park can claim an early association with the holiday. For a long time the only written record of the holiday was J. Frank Dobie's articles, related to this park. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Urbannizer 44396 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Work on the park began on October 26th; set to be completed by the fall of 2015. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/columnists/gray/article/Friends-of-Emancipation-Park-hope-renovation-4947655.php#/0 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J.A.S.O.N. 6 Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) This is a long overdue recognition of the role of Emancipation park in the history of Houston. Juneteenth Day is now recognized by most states as a holiday and will likely be a national holiday someday. While the holiday did not originate in one place, this park can claim an early association with the holiday. For a long time the only written record of the holiday was J. Frank Dobie's articles, related to this park. We were taught in school the holiday originated on the island. An impromptu celebration on the streets of Galveston by freed slaves in response to General Granger's speech. Kudos to Third Ward for this wonderful project! Edited December 15, 2013 by J.A.S.O.N. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Urbannizer 44396 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Urbannizer 44396 Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 9 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JLWM8609 750 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Looks like it's coming along nicely! I was supposed to participate with a group in the grand opening festivities on Juneteenth weekend, but the April and May rains put such a delay on construction that the grand opening will likely be in November. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Urbannizer 44396 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Emancipation Park partners with city of Houston, plans to unveil completed renovations this fall Quote Emancipation Park, which is undergoing a $33.6 million renovation and new construction project, received a boost from the city. The city of Houston and the Emancipation Park Conservancy are teaming up for the next 30 years to run the park, according to a release. The agreement frees up the conservancy to focus on fundraising and allows the group office space at the Houston Parks and Recreations Department. The 11.7-acre park expects to reopen Nov. 12 following the renovations and construction, per the release. Phil Freelon, of Chicago-based global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will, designed the park, according to a release. The group has a Houston office. Plans for the park include restoration of a community center and pool house, construction of a new recreation center and creation of a 3,000-person multipurpose space. The park is located at 3018 Dowling St. just south of downtown. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 http://www.khou.com/mb/news/community/emancipation-park-to-reopen-in-january-following-33-million-facelift/333398237 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HoustonMidtown 4467 Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 The park will be amazing when it is finished: 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Texasota 3040 Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Those lights are nifty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Triton 11926 Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/events/1193360700726782/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post Urbannizer 44396 Posted February 7, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 7, 2017 https://archpaper.com/2017/02/new-emancipation-park-houston/#gallery-0-slide-0 15 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HoustonMidtown 4467 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 WOW - very nice!! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j_cuevas713 3172 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Amazing! Great for this part of the community! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I'll have to swing by with my camera. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HoustonMidtown 4467 Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 The construction fencing has been removed from around the buildings - it's still up around the playground areas 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
UtterlyUrban 1679 Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Looks to me like a wonderful space for eighborhood kids of all ages! Seems to have taken a lot longer to build than originally planned but it certainly does look like a great spot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 This park is a huge success for the area. I see families utilizing the playground, swimming area(crazy crowded with the heat), and the covered areas. Even stopped by to eat free BBQ when Drake had his Houston Appreciation Week. New York Times article about the park 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Triton 11926 Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 I drove by the other day. It looks amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Love my neighborhood park. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Luminare 6063 Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Emancipation Park was published in Archdaily today. The photos look awesome. An amazing transformation. https://www.archdaily.com/889059/historic-emancipation-park-perkins-plus-will Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j_cuevas713 3172 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 While I love this park, it's no secret that 3rd Ward is rough! I drove thru today by TSU and idk where to begin. Emancipation Blvd is slowly looking better but I don't think I've seen as much trash and illegal dumping in any part of the city as I've seen here. Once you cross 45 South in to EaDo the whole neighborhood changes. Even empty lots in Eado look nicer. Is there some sort of 3rd Ward TIRZ??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) 7 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said: While I love this park, it's no secret that 3rd Ward is rough! I drove thru today by TSU and idk where to begin. Emancipation Blvd is slowly looking better but I don't think I've seen as much trash and illegal dumping in any part of the city as I've seen here. Once you cross 45 South in to EaDo the whole neighborhood changes. Even empty lots in Eado look nicer. Is there some sort of 3rd Ward TIRZ??? There isn't and never will be as long as Midtown TIRZ wants to use Third Ward as a cheap place to bank land. Edited February 24, 2018 by BeerNut 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ross 1526 Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 16 hours ago, BeerNut said: There isn't and never will be as long as Midtown TIRZ wants to use Third Ward as a cheap place to bank land. It's not just the Midtown folks. Garnett Coleman is bound and determined that the demographics of the Third Ward will not change, and he encourages Midtown to buy land and keep it out of the hands of developers that might sell to folks other than those who live there now. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Looks like they're trying to force drivers into two lane width traffic at Tuam and Hutchins. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 The area around Emancipation Park is changing quick. It's mainly empty lots being developed. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Triton 11926 Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, BeerNut said: The area around Emancipation Park is changing quick. It's mainly empty lots being developed. I rode my bike through here the other day. The change is happening at an extraordinary rate. I happen to plan an update on the Third Ward thread you also posted to. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 (edited) On 9/22/2019 at 9:18 PM, Triton said: I rode my bike through here the other day. The change is happening at an extraordinary rate. I happen to plan an update on the Third Ward thread you also posted to. I also noticed on Redfin that this area had it's first home to enter the Northern Third Ward market over $500k . They've since lowered the price but that definitely is telling if they're pricing new town homes at prices that only a few years ago you had to be on the other side of 288/69. Edited September 25, 2019 by BeerNut 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobruss 5026 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 I couldn't find the forum for a project that the third ward redevelopment group headed by Rep. Coleman was going to build across the street from Emancipation park on Elgin. I know it was here at one time. At one point I remember there were images of a spherical shaped building as one of the proposals. Very futuristic looking but not plausible. I drove by this morning and there is now a 5 story steel framed structure going up. To be honest I haven't seen a steel structure going up in a while. It seems now everything is reinforced concrete. Someone should go by and document in images it's progress. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 8 hours ago, bobruss said: I couldn't find the forum for a project that the third ward redevelopment group headed by Rep. Coleman was going to build across the street from Emancipation park on Elgin. I know it was here at one time. At one point I remember there were images of a spherical shaped building as one of the proposals. Very futuristic looking but not plausible. I drove by this morning and there is now a 5 story steel framed structure going up. To be honest I haven't seen a steel structure going up in a while. It seems now everything is reinforced concrete. Someone should go by and document in images it's progress. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Looks like these are done. Houses across from the park look to be finished. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 (edited) Edited October 6, 2020 by BeerNut 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeerNut 2657 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 On 9/25/2019 at 10:31 AM, BeerNut said: I also noticed on Redfin that this area had it's first home to enter the Northern Third Ward market over $500k . These homes never sold and they turned all 3 townhomes into "luxury" Airbnb rentals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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