Market Square Park At 301 Milam St.

[RedScare]

As usual, we are in agreement for the most part, but your last sentence got on my nerves: some of us brown people are angry about walmart as well!

Inside joke. Go peruse the Heights Kroger thread for an explanation.

[Subdude]

I've only seen it a few months ago, but it does seem like it's looking like the PDF posted.

Call me heartless, but that "Lauren's Garden" just doesn't sit well with me.

It's not heartless. Even the name "Lauren's Garden" is kind of icky-syrupy.

Official opening of the square is supposed to be August 28th.

[dbigtex56]

It is rather insensitive to put a 9/11 memorial right around the corner from a mosque, isn't it?

LOL

Call me heartless, but that "Lauren's Garden" just doesn't sit well with me.

It's not heartless. Even the name "Lauren's Garden" is kind of icky-syrupy.

With all respect to Lauren's family (I, too, lost a family member on 9/11), this is a public park; not a political statement, not a cemetery.

Who approved this, anyway?

[capnmcbarnacle]

LOL

With all respect to Lauren's family (I, too, lost a family member on 9/11), this is a public park; not a political statement, not a cemetery.

Who approved this, anyway?

I think the family made a donation to the park's renovation and asked for a small memorial to victims of 9/11 and this is what happened. I agree that parks are no place for rememberances or tributes. Just think of all the stuff littering Sam Houston Park, Tranquility Park, Hermann Park, or Market Square. We ought to tear out the memorial to the sailors killed on the USS Houston, as well as the WWI monument, the Confederate monuments, the Texas revolution monuments, that sappy WWII memorial in the Heights, the cornball Ghandi memorial in Hermann Park, Dick Dowling's statue, Sam Houston on his horse, the stupid Holocaust museum, and those dumb monuments to the crew of the Challenger and Columbia. I too go to the parks around time to get away from it all, and I don't need some downer monuments reminding me of all the tradgey in the world, or monuments or tributes to some sap that laid his life down for me in some politically questionable way. Out of sight, out of mind is what I say. The greatest thing we could do as a society is just forget that all of this stuff ever happened and start fresh.

[kylejack]

I think the family made a donation to the park's renovation and asked for a small memorial to victims of 9/11 and this is what happened. I agree that parks are no place for rememberances or tributes. Just think of all the stuff littering Sam Houston Park, Tranquility Park, Hermann Park, or Market Square. We ought to tear out the memorial to the sailors killed on the USS Houston, as well as the WWI monument, the Confederate monuments, the Texas revolution monuments, that sappy WWII memorial in the Heights, the cornball Ghandi memorial in Hermann Park, Dick Dowling's statue, Sam Houston on his horse, the stupid Holocaust museum, and those dumb monuments to the crew of the Challenger and Columbia. I too go to the parks around time to get away from it all, and I don't need some downer monuments reminding me of all the tradgey in the world, or monuments or tributes to some sap that laid his life down for me in some politically questionable way. Out of sight, out of mind is what I say. The greatest thing we could do as a society is just forget that all of this stuff ever happened and start fresh.

This, but unironically.

[citizen4rmptown]

Here are some updates, found on Downtown Houston's web portal.

Niko Niko's

The Dog Run

And the much discussed Lauren's Garden.

http://downtownhouston.org/calendar/market-square-park-grand-re-opening-and-neighborho/2501/

Edited August 23, 2010 by citizen4rmptown

[RedScare]

I think the family made a donation to the park's renovation and asked for a small memorial to victims of 9/11 and this is what happened. I agree that parks are no place for rememberances or tributes. Just think of all the stuff littering Sam Houston Park, Tranquility Park, Hermann Park, or Market Square. We ought to tear out the memorial to the sailors killed on the USS Houston, as well as the WWI monument, the Confederate monuments, the Texas revolution monuments, that sappy WWII memorial in the Heights, the cornball Ghandi memorial in Hermann Park, Dick Dowling's statue, Sam Houston on his horse, the stupid Holocaust museum, and those dumb monuments to the crew of the Challenger and Columbia. I too go to the parks around time to get away from it all, and I don't need some downer monuments reminding me of all the tradgey in the world, or monuments or tributes to some sap that laid his life down for me in some politically questionable way. Out of sight, out of mind is what I say. The greatest thing we could do as a society is just forget that all of this stuff ever happened and start fresh.

Did Lauren lay down her life for you in some politically questionable way?

By the way...

Sam Houston Park...no downer monuments that I've seen.

Tranquility Park...no downer monuments, but if you believe the moon landing was staged I could see your offense.

Sam Houston...died of pneumonia, monuments celebrate his life.

Dick Dowling...died of yellow fever, monument celebrates one of Houston's greatest saloon keepers (at least to me).

Holocaust Museum...private musueum on private land

Ghandi...you may have a point, but the monument celebrates his life and achievement, not his death.

The servicemen, and shuttle crews...I'll give you those, though they died in service to their country.

Oh, and the garden does look nice.

Edited August 24, 2010 by RedScare

[Porchman]

Did Lauren lay down her life for you in some politically questionable way?

By the way...

Sam Houston Park...no downer monuments that I've seen.

Tranquility Park...no downer monuments, but if you believe the moon landing was staged I could see your offense.

Sam Houston...died of pneumonia, monuments celebrate his life.

Dick Dowling...died of yellow fever, monument celebrates one of Houston's greatest saloon keepers (at least to me).

Holocaust Museum...private musueum on private land

Ghandi...you may have a point, but the monument celebrates his life and achievement, not his death.

The servicemen, and shuttle crews...I'll give you those, though they died in service to their country.

Oh, and the garden does look nice.

Nicely put, Red. The memorials are an honor to those who have passed. They are a comfort to those who remember them. They are honered in large ways as you noted above, in burial places, and with white crosses where they met sudden death.

There was a proposal to recognize the Death of Ghandi, too. Last year, some folks were pushing to rename Hillcroft "Mahatma Gandhi Avenue".

[Subdude]

Nicely put, Red. The memorials are an honor to those who have passed. They are a comfort to those who remember them. They are honered in large ways as you noted above, in burial places, and with white crosses where they met sudden death.

There was a proposal to recognize the Death of Ghandi, too. Last year, some folks were pushing to rename Hillcroft "Mahatma Gandhi Avenue".

I think they ended up naming the area the "Ghandi District".

[kylejack]

Tranquility Park...no downer monuments, but if you believe the moon landing was staged I could see your offense.

[...]

The servicemen, and shuttle crews...I'll give you those, though they died in service to their country.

Tranquility has two monuments to the dead shuttle crews, though.

[rsb320]

Tranquility has two monuments to the dead shuttle crews, though.

I believe there are seven holly trees planted in their (shuttle crew) honor. HPD's fallen officers memorial is on public land.

[sevfiv]

Park re-opening and tours:

Free festivities celebrate Market Square Park re-opening,

2 to 9 p.m., Saturday, August 28

Houston Downtown Management District is hosting a Neighborhood Shindig from 2 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, August 28, to celebrate the opening of the redesigned Market Square Park.

Volunteer docents from GHPA's Walking Tours Program will give free 30-minute tours of the park and the adjacent historic district between 2 and 5 p.m. Tours will begin under the tent next to James Surls’ Points of View sculpture.

The block bounded by Milam, Preston, Travis and Congress streets was the site of the city hall and market house for the first century of Houston’s existence. The refurbished park includes landscape elements indicating the former location of City Hall as well as a dog run, performance area and Niko Niko’s café. On the north side of the park, the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation has funded the creation of Lauren’s Garden, a memorial to Houstonian Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and all the others killed on September 11, 2001.

Mayor Annise Parker will cut the ribbon officially dedicating the park at 6 p.m. The John Evans Band and singer/songwriter Andrew Karnavas will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. [Click here] for additional information.

Parking will be available for $5 in the Market Square Garage on Milam at Congress [map]. Metered parking will be available on streets in the area. Parking is not free on downtown Houston streets until after 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

Market Square Park is a joint project of the Houston Downtown Management District, Downtown Houston Redevelopment Authority and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

[rsb320]

The fence came down overnight.

Gettin' ready for the Shindig...

[Sunstar]

I walked by the park last week on my way to eat at Hearsay and it looked to be far from finished. They must have put in some late nights to get ready tomorrow's unveiling.

[kylejack]

More specifically, what looks incomplete?

[capnmcbarnacle]

I work right here and didn't want this thing changed. I have to admit now that it is a huge improvement. I think they nailed this one. And for all the hand-wringing about the 9/11 Memorial, it's basically a fountain -- and a cool one at that -- with a plaque in the ground saying it is dedicated to victims of 9/11. And there's nothing wrong with putting a fountain in a public space as a memorial, or dedicating it to someone. I don't hear anyone clamoring about removing the Gus Wortham water ball on Allen Parkway or the Mecom Fountain at Hermann Park -- but I'm sure I will.

[LegacyTree]

It's an overall improvement by creating more shade and clear unprogrammed space but the security fence around the dog park is pretty is ugly with it's light grey trellis pattern.

[jdbaker]

I think the new incarnation of Market Square Park is going to be a huge success. It feels like a miniature Discovery Green. Has anyone else noticed how much larger the park seems post-renovation?

[lockmat]

It's an overall improvement by creating more shade and clear unprogrammed space but the security fence around the dog park is pretty is ugly with it's light grey trellis pattern.

security fence? is that permanent?

I'd like to see a picture. Why would they have a fence around a park?

[RedScare]

security fence? is that permanent?

I'd like to see a picture. Why would they have a fence around a park?

Dog run.

[musicman]

having 5 police officers guarding a lady walking her dog this evening was interesting. with the street people stealing all the lights on the fountains on preston and congress, it must call for increased police presence. they've also added additional commercial parking so less parking for the avg joe.

[rsb320]

having 5 police officers guarding a lady walking her dog this evening was interesting. with the street people stealing all the lights on the fountains on preston and congress, it must call for increased police presence. they've also added additional commercial parking so less parking for the avg joe.

HPD needs to stop parking in the Travis left lane @ Congress during peak morning commute. I guess the signs don't apply to them.

[rsb320]

There's a sign up that says Niko Niko's will open on Monday, September 20th.

[kylejack]

Yeah, I saw Dimitri out there with a bunch of busy workers today.

[lockmat]

Nice pic to see...was it like this when it was warmer a few weeks ago?

http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/09/where_am_i_1.html

[kylejack]

Yeah, it's been pretty busy so far, even in the evening hours.

[lockmat]

I went last night and think this place is just awesome, they did a really good job I think.

I think I like it better than discovery green. It feels like what a real urban park should be like, but maybe that's because it felt really alive. Niko's was open, the surrounding area seemed busy and it feels really cozy. I think a residential tower right next to it would be perfect.

[UrbaNerd]

I went to Market Square park after classes yesterday...it was buzzing with activity, and the line was rather long at Niko Niko's; I waited about 15 mins before I got to the front. People kept talking about how much nicer the park was, as well as how nice the weather was. I took some pics, and I'll see if I can post them later or something.

[barracuda]

I stopped by mid-afternoon today (Sunday). There were maybe 20 people in the park. I expected more people considering the perfect weather. Niko Niko's seemed to do a decent business though.

[mfastx]

Looks nice, I ought to stop by one of these days...