Trebly Park At 1515 Fannin St.

[Luminare]

On 4/4/2022 at 12:06 PM, editor said:

Nice to have a patch of public space in this area, but like so many other modern-day "parks," it's way over-programmed.  It looks like when it's done, it will have a 25% to 75% ratio of green to concrete. 

It's not so much a park, as it is a playground for adults.

This has been my thoughts on park development of late. Its just the times we are living in. Its not even the ratio of green to concrete. I would prefer to call this a plaza instead of a park. If that were the case the ratio would be more forgivable. I do agree that at the moment designers are place way to much of a priority on "amenities". I see this with landscape design for apartment complexes all the time. Sometimes simple is best. Sometimes just a hill in a corner with a nice view of a long green lawn is best. It really depends on the goals of the area. You could easily look at simple park planning like Herman Park, but you can also see success with Discovery Green and Memorial Park. Both heavily programmed, but work in their situations and context.

[BEES?!]

I think having a heavily programmed park in this prt of Downtown makes a lot of sense. They obviously want to liven up the street level since it’s honestly kinda lifeless right now over there. Having things that people will want/need to use day in and day out, like a playground for the kids, a dog run for the people living nearby, and a little cafe where people can grab a drink and sit, all make a lot of sense. 
 

If this were a more happening part of town, I could see the value in a less programmed space, maybe something more natural, or just a nice big lawn.

[hindesky]

[BEES?!]

Looking good!

[hindesky]

The art work by New York based art duo Terry Chiao and Adam Frezza has been installed.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/article/Trebly-Park-soon-to-offer-a-whimsical-downtown-17108728.php#photo-22380577

 

[hindesky]

A lot more progress. 

[hindesky]

[j_cuevas713]

It never ceases to amaze me how 1 block can seriously transform an area aesthetically. 

[BEES?!]

Wow, great progress!

I do hope the trees will pull through. This drought and heat are killer

[editor]

4 hours ago, BEES?! said:

Wow, great progress!

I do hope the trees will pull through. This drought and heat are killer

Since they're new, I'm surprised they don't have those Irri-gator bags on them to supplement the in-ground irrigation system.

[hindesky]

[X.R.]

I laughed looking at those pics because of how different this is to what was there before, and how reflective it is of a different mindset by COH regarding develop priorities. 

I wish it was a bit more green, but that looks like a heck of a lot of tree coverage for a new park so people can mosey up to chill from the outset without being cooked alive because of the concrete [unlike a certain midtown park]. The design choices kind of elevate the space, the yellow bricks look great, and COH deserves some recognition for using the same pattern they used at Bagby Street. Seems like a big win.

[Amlaham]

If South Texas College of Law decides to sell their parking lot down the line, this would be an amazing location for a restaurant. Kind of like how the Grove in Discovery Green compliments the park. 

[staresatmaps]

On 8/2/2022 at 9:50 AM, Amlaham said:

If South Texas College of Law decides to sell their parking lot down the line, this would be an amazing location for a restaurant. Kind of like how the Grove in Discovery Green compliments the park. 

Isn't Tout Suite supposed to move into the building? That's even better than a restaurant.

[Amlaham]

1 hour ago, staresatmaps said:

Isn't Tout Suite supposed to move into the building? That's even better than a restaurant.

Yeah, but its not only about having a restaurant on site, its about getting rid of that asphalt parking lot

[JBTX]

45 minutes ago, Amlaham said:

Yeah, but its not only about having a restaurant on site, its about getting rid of that asphalt parking lot

Y'all, STCL is never going to get rid of their parking, sorry. The students have nowhere to park. The two tiny lots aren't enough for even a third of the school's students. Attempts have been made to get the board to approve the construction of a garage on the faculty lot, which is much bigger, but it routinely gets dismissed.

We'll all be deep in the cold, cold, ground before STCL gives up those lots.

[hindesky]

[JBTX]

4 hours ago, hindesky said:

"Tout Suite *SODO*"

I can't possibly roll my eyes harder.

Edited August 16, 2022 by JBTX

[hindesky]

2 hours ago, JBTX said:

"Tout Suite *SODO*"

I can't possibly roll my eyes harder.

I saw a permit for work at a "Sodo Park" a few days ago and had to look up what and where this mysterious park was located. In the Google search is where I saw Trebly Park was also being called Sodo Park.

Next up on the made up name list will be Weodo for west of downtown or the Sixth Ward, Nnodo for the near north side, and 3seado for the 3rd ward.

Edited August 16, 2022 by hindesky

[JBTX]

SoDoSoPa v CtPaTown all over again.

[Nate99]

Ooh, I like this game. Can Kingwood be SoPoNoRi? (South of Porter, North of the River)

[ChannelTwoNews]

Never forget:  APE / SoDoMi nearby...

[X.R.]

On 8/6/2022 at 12:24 PM, JBTX said:

Y'all, STCL is never going to get rid of their parking, sorry. The students have nowhere to park. The two tiny lots aren't enough for even a third of the school's students. Attempts have been made to get the board to approve the construction of a garage on the faculty lot, which is much bigger, but it routinely gets dismissed.

We'll all be deep in the cold, cold, ground before STCL gives up those lots.

STCL is so weird. They are a private lawschool charging big boy bucks and they can't build a parking garage. Their regents/board must still not believe in downtown, and that this development is cyclical, thus the street parking and the random, non-STCL lots they force the students into will never go away. Nice library though, I really enjoy doing work there from time to time. 

[JBTX]

55 minutes ago, X.R. said:

STCL is so weird. They are a private lawschool charging big boy bucks and they can't build a parking garage. Their regents/board must still not believe in downtown, and that this development is cyclical, thus the street parking and the random, non-STCL lots they force the students into will never go away. Nice library though, I really enjoy doing work there from time to time. 

The strangest thing is how this has gone through multiple administrations to no avail.

[editor]

3 hours ago, X.R. said:

STCL is so weird. They are a private lawschool charging big boy bucks and they can't build a parking garage. Their regents/board must still not believe in downtown

Maybe they're trying to encourage people to live near school, and are encouraging downtown investment that way.  Restricting parking is one way cities with the Big Z get people to reduce their commutes.

[BEES?!]

I thought SoDo was a meme. I see it’s becoming reality. 😭😂 

[staresatmaps]

 

[HtownWxBoy]

Dang parking lot! *shakes fist in the air* 🤬 ... still looking beautiful, though!  😍

[august948]

3 hours ago, HtownWxBoy said:

Dang parking lot! *shakes fist in the air* 🤬 ... still looking beautiful, though!  😍

I think you must mean awesome parking lot that allows for greater access to the park. 👍

Plus, you have to have somewhere to park food trucks...🍦🌮

[staresatmaps]

7 hours ago, august948 said:

I think you must mean awesome parking lot that allows for greater access to the park. 👍

Plus, you have to have somewhere to park food trucks...🍦🌮

That parking lot is not for the park though. And there is one accross the street or so that I saw recently had the price at $1.50 for the whole day and was almost completely empty. Must be making a fortune.

[hindesky]

[mattyt36]

On 8/16/2022 at 3:17 PM, editor said:

Maybe they're trying to encourage people to live near school, and are encouraging downtown investment that way.  Restricting parking is one way cities with the Big Z get people to reduce their commutes.

Well there’s a generous interpretation. Might as well get rid if all the parking then, by that rationale. Can get the Faculty and Administrators to move, too. 

In all fairness, I agree that some institutions elsewhere have adopted this approach. But it seems to me that there is plenty of enough parking downtown, especially these days, so I am not sure the logic holds as a matter of policy and therefore the most likely explanation is one of convenience. They can easily contract with a nearby garage  for preferred monthly rates for students, faculty, and administrators, no? Seems like when the park is completed, it’ll only be more obvious that they are a “bad neighbor” (which would really be ironic if the stated goal was “urbanist,” ie to encourage people to live downtown).

Edited September 8, 2022 by mattyt36

[JBTX]

1 hour ago, mattyt36 said:

 They can easily contract with a nearby garage  for preferred monthly rates for students, faculty, and administrators, no? 

Yeah, they already do with the garage over Creme de la Creme. Those who are willing to pay quite a rate for there. The rest fight for those STCL spots. There are a lot of students at STCL.

The real solution here is to build a garage over that whole city block they own, but...alas.

[Houston19514]

On 9/7/2022 at 10:57 PM, JBTX said:

Yeah, they already do with the garage over Creme de la Creme. Those who are willing to pay quite a rate for there. The rest fight for those STCL spots. There are a lot of students at STCL.

The real solution here is to build a garage over that whole city block they own, but...alas.

Which whole city block do they own?

[hindesky]

3 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Which whole city block do they own?

They own 2 blocks plus the little parking lot next to Trebly Park.

[hindesky]

[BEES?!]

They’re saying completion/open by December, right? That’s what I saw last on I think the DRA site. 
 

The detailing on the cafe is just adorable, I love it! I’m loving all the fun colors they’ve chosen. 
 

I’m interested in their “tree palette”. It looks like they’ve got a few live oaks, maybe some post oaks, what appear to be sycamores, and at least one redbud (the best tree obviously!). 

Edited October 2, 2022 by BEES?!

[j_cuevas713]

I wonder what downtown would be like if we had never invested in it 20 years ago

[staresatmaps]

I can't get over how ugly and unuseful that whale bones thing is. Just put a real playground or even better more trees and grass.

[004n063]

On 4/7/2022 at 10:50 AM, Luminare said:

This has been my thoughts on park development of late. Its just the times we are living in. Its not even the ratio of green to concrete. I would prefer to call this a plaza instead of a park. If that were the case the ratio would be more forgivable. I do agree that at the moment designers are place way to much of a priority on "amenities". I see this with landscape design for apartment complexes all the time. Sometimes simple is best. Sometimes just a hill in a corner with a nice view of a long green lawn is best. It really depends on the goals of the area. You could easily look at simple park planning like Herman Park, but you can also see success with Discovery Green and Memorial Park. Both heavily programmed, but work in their situations and context.

Well said. But for small parks, I think simple, pleasant spaces (with lots of shade trees) should be the goal. Think Baldwin Park in southeast Midtown. It's a park for the neighborhood, not a citywide destination, and that is perfectly fine.

[BEES?!]

16 hours ago, staresatmaps said:

I can't get over how ugly and unuseful that whale bones thing is. Just put a real playground or even better more trees and grass.

Tbh it is underwhelming. Good thing there’s a lawn there, too, since it could be a good place for kids to run around when there aren’t events.

though when I was a kid I played on anything and everything

[kennyc05]

2 hours ago, BEES?! said:

Tbh it is underwhelming. Good thing there’s a lawn there, too, since it could be a good place for kids to run around when there aren’t events.

though when I was a kid I played on anything and everything

Well I'll say it again. Hopefully they'll get the parking lot one day!

[hindesky]

https://www.instagram.com/topic_tomislav/

[hindesky]

[staresatmaps]

[X.R.]

They took the fence down? How long has it been down? It was still up just two weeks ago when I walked by. 

Via instagram, some artists have put together holiday themed art installations in the park so we must be close to the official announcement by the city and some celebration. I checked downtown and city of houston and nothing yet.

[staresatmaps]

Just opened this afternoon. About 10 dogs in the dog park already.

[Triton]

Yes was just about to post its open! It was closed this morning

[staresatmaps]

Also there is a new fancy taco truck called Orange Taco across the street.

[hindesky]

Part 1, had too many pics so I posted the pics in to 2 posts.

Edited December 13, 2022 by hindesky