Houston: The New River City?

[bkjones98]

I would like to hear a discussion on what everyone thinks about the current plans for resurrecting and utilizing Buffalo Bayou.

If this is old news, I apologize. Perhaps opinions have changed in wake of current construction along the bayou.

The website is rather detailed and provides an abundance of pictures for those of us who are more visual.

http://www.buffalobayou.org/

[N8TIV]

I would think it would only be a seasonal attraction due to the sweltering heat from may - september.

[RedScare]

Depending on the layout...trees, shelters, etc...it could be useful for more than just the cooler months. In fact, the plan is to have canoes, kayaks and other activities. This could cause increased usage during the summer, similar to Memorial Park.

[MidtownCoog]

I am all for it, but it's a slow row to hoe.

I have been watching them build the same stretch of bayou behind Hobby Center for six months.

I think it has advanced about 50', and they have built two platforms.

Come 2030 we may just be in business.

[houstonfella]

Very true about the slowness .... but what has been developed so far has been beautiful.

[texas911]

The only downside with Buffalo Bayou is that it's a working bayou, meaning it will flood every once and a while. Who wants to set up shop there?

[RedScare]

The only downside with Buffalo Bayou is that it's a working bayou, meaning it will flood every once and a while. Who wants to set up shop there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

FEMA?

[MidtownCoog]

Who cares about opening up shop?

We just need to make it more accessible for recreation.

There is PRIME park land where the 59 N. HOV enters downtown (old Frostown).

Unfortunately, it's a bum-encampment at the moment.

[RedScare]

Besides, the shops will be up at street level. The recreational rentals will be portable, or at the least, movable during storms...just like you see at the beach.

[MidtownCoog]

So looking out my window, it appears they have completed another observation area on the west side of the bayou behind Hobby Center.

They also have added new steps down to the bayou.

They were dredging this area early last week, so at least they are working on this portion.

[eelimon]

Who cares about opening up shop?

We just need to make it more accessible for recreation.

There is PRIME park land where the 59 N. HOV enters downtown (old Frostown).

Unfortunately, it's a bum-encampment at the moment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The whole point of the project is to remedy that. Does any one have dates, when and who will build this project? I know this project has been discussed in the Houston Chronicle while back, but I have not heard a thing new.

[bachanon]

check out the www.buffalobayou.org website. the plan is incremental. it is a master plan that may or may not be implemented. fortunately, there is work ongoing fronting downtown.

[bkjones98]

"low row to hoe," indeed. I have also been watching their progress, and their current pace is rather slow. I think that they aren't merely widening the bayou, but making the banks suitable for construction of the amenities, which, of course, requires more foundation preparation.

In my personal opinion, the idea of creating real waterfront property in downtown is a breath of fresh air. I always read on these discussions the need for the "critical mass" in downtown. This plan, I think, will create a real desire to live and develop in downtown because of the abundance of recreational facilities it will provide. In addition, with an expanded waterway, the city will finally have distinguishing characteristics instead of just a drainage ditch and skyscrapers.

The master plan reminds me of the San Antonio Riverwalk

[texas911]

I don't think it will ever be like the River Walk, for one as a working bayou, the water can be pretty rank sometimes, especially when it doesn't rain and the water stagnates. The SA riverwalk is a man made canal, at least the tourist part, and is flood controlled to boot. The only thing we can do with it is gentrify it. I think the first proposal started in the 80's with Cathy Whitmire.

[ferronsfunctionals]

I don't think it will ever be like the River Walk, for one as a working bayou, the water can be pretty rank sometimes, especially when it doesn't rain and the water stagnates. The SA riverwalk is a man made canal, at least the tourist part, and is flood controlled to boot. The only thing we can do with it is gentrify it. I think the first proposal started in the 80's with Cathy Whitmire.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My opinion of urban development here is SLOOOOOWWWWW....I look at midtown and see a bunch of condo's but no real commerce. PRobably 5,000 residents but no real shopping centers aside from the one really close to downtown. I looked at some property down there by the bayou and thought it would be a decade before this is developed.

If the city had a good - or at least esistant - planning department, I think there are tons of opportunities for the City of Houston to be a major cultural and activity based attraction. There is land, and good paying jobs - or at least some, that make it feasible for good communities to develop near the city for a low price (relative to other cities).

[H-Town Man]

The plan was modelled on Boston's Emerald Necklace, one of the classic American urban parks, designed in the 1800's by Frederick Law Olmsted (the landscape firm is from Boston). Projected public investment for this is $1 billion. Needless to say, this is not so much a plan that will ever be voted on and approved or rejected as it is a vision to guide those projects on Buffalo Bayou that can get done. It represents the ideal state of the bayou as an urban park in a 21st century city - our job is to aim in this direction and get as close to this as we can (which may not be close at all).

There has already to my knowledge been some discussion of the downtown canal proposals, and I think there is an issue here with cost-benefits. But I think that all of our politicians at the very least want to see a continuous system of trails along the bayou from Shepherd to the Turning Basin, and I imagine that we will see that develop in the next decade or so.

[Guest danax]

My opinion of urban development here is SLOOOOOWWWWW....I look at midtown and see a bunch of condo's but no real commerce.  PRobably 5,000 residents but no real shopping centers aside from the one really close to downtown.  I looked at some property down there by the bayou and thought it would be a decade before this is developed.

If the city had a good - or at least esistant - planning department, I think there are tons of opportunities for the City of Houston to be a major cultural and activity based attraction.  There is land, and good paying jobs - or at least some, that make it feasible for good communities to develop near the city for a low price (relative to other cities).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The City's development might seem slow but part of that is due to so many different areas being redeveloped at the same time. Some areas have changed very quickly, like Rice Military/Lower Heights. No zoning bureaucracy to deal with, just free-market forces. Midtown seems slow too but apparently the people with money at risk haven't decided that a major shopping center there is warranted yet. But if you look at how the residential developments have been flowering for the past 10 years, it's getting to the point where the population and per-capita income of Midtown should start to spark some more retail, especially as the east side of 288 is starting to get redone. And let's not forget that the proposed Pavillions project Downtown is probably due a lot to Midtown's population.

Buffalo Bayou is a long-term vision so 10 years from now there might not be a huge change from today but the direction towards residential/retail/recreational will persist. The bayous are too wide and potentially beautiful on the Eastend to remain underutilized. We have a lot of available land around town to remake as mentioned above but, as slow as it seems to be going, we will start running out at some point and then the Bayou area and the East End in general will really kick into gear. This early part of the century is just the staging/conversion period.

The local politicians (Garcia, Alvarado, Quan, White) all seem to be behind the Master Plan. Hopefully, when the time comes to spend some serious $, as in the Downtown canals and the Symphony Island creation, we won't be in some economic pinch and lose out.

[MidtownCoog]

A new structure went up today behind Hobby Center.

Looks like they are going to build a pedestrian bridge across the bayou.

Either that, or a diving platform.

[bkjones98]

My main concern is keeping the homeless from setting up camp and making people feel safe enough to enjoy the bayou without fear of getting mugged.

Sorry if that was insensitive, but I would consider it a realist statement.

[JGraspo]

My main concern is keeping the homeless from setting up camp and making people feel safe enough to enjoy the bayou without fear of getting mugged.

Sorry if that was insensitive, but I would consider it a realist statement.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah.... Most homeless don't mug people. They panhandle......some don't even do that.....they just bumb around hence they are also kown as bumbs. They may seem a bit unpleasent but be assure they are for the most part Harmless

[RedScare]

A new structure went up today behind Hobby Center.

Looks like they are going to build a pedestrian bridge across the bayou.

Either that, or a diving platform.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*coffee squirts through RedScare's nose*

[sevfiv]

hey - i plan on diving from that!

[bkjones98]

Yeah....

[zaphod]

The riverwalk idea is neat, i guess.

Man, that would be really cool if it got to be like the san marcos river, were you could kayak/canoe/toob(probably not enough current) and even swim, but it would be a engineering marvel to get the water that clean.

Besides, if a storm like Katrina hit houston, buffalo bayou would have a tidal wave going down it...

[TJones]

Have you seen what happens to that bayou during a really good gully washer. All the businesses on this proposed "River Walk" would have to be either Scuba shops or Snorkel outlets. Maybe Starbucks could hand out "inner tubes" with each mocha grande half-soy latte they sell, and then you could jump in and float down during your lunchbreak. It's genius !

[MiDTOWNeR]

The water in the bayou is disgusting. They are building a sewarwalk.

[Guest danax]

The water in the bayou is disgusting. They are building a sewarwalk.

No, they're actually planning on cleaning it up using natural approaches like "green fingers" and wetland creation as well as going after the source of the pollution, which I believe is a combination of lingering industrial lining the bayou and storm drains emptying trash into it, which is more difficult to correct since it involves convincing people not to litter. Buffalo Bayou Master Plan

I have no doubt that they can turn the bayou back into a beautiful stream. I live near Mason Park on the East End and I'm watching the work on Project Brays, where they're combining flood control with wetland creation/recreation by building a walking trail along the banks. Even though it's still unplanted, the new marsh areas are already attracting tons of water birds. One "problem" I see will be the eventual return of a healthy gator population to both bayous.

[midtown_resident]

Have you seen what happens to that bayou during a really good gully washer. All the businesses on this proposed "River Walk" would have to be either Scuba shops or Snorkel outlets. Maybe Starbucks could hand out "inner tubes" with each mocha grande half-soy latte they sell, and then you could jump in and float down during your lunchbreak. It's genius !

My understanding is that many of the businesses proposed along the bayou will be of the 'temporary' structure sort - i.e. kiosks and such that can be moved with short notice in case of inclement weather. I don't think they are planning permanent structures like what you might come across in San Antonio's riverwalk.

On another note, i was in Oklahoma City's 'Bricktown' district last wkd during our hurricane hiatus. Pretty impressive, though very 'corporate franchise' feeling. Houston could certainly learn from what they've done with their 'warehouse district'. Especially how they've focussed businesses around the minor league stadium that they have there...

[happytown]

Yeah.... Most homeless don't mug people. They panhandle......some don't even do that.....they just bumb around hence they are also kown as bumbs. They may seem a bit unpleasent but be assure they are for the most part Harmless

I used to work on Main near Congress and parked my car near the old Star of Hope. I would go get my car just before dark. I did this for many years and never had a single problem. But I must admit that when a number of them congregate they become an eyesore and make people want to avoid an area. I'm not sure of the best way to deal with that.

[Guest danax]

Darlings! The River City is Omaha! Check out the booming river front SKYRISE they are building up there!

And yes, that is a Santiago Calavatra bridge to built accross the Missouri River. Fabulous, and in OMAHA, who knew?

Omaha is a good example of the same thing that is happening to Dallas, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, St. Louis, Memphis, New York, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Portland.....and Houston. They are all experiencing extreme makeovers of their flowing bodies of water.

They've gone from wild streams guiding explorations in the 19th century to polluted industrial workhorses in the 20th Century and now are being transformed into urban centers of art, recreation and upscale living. They've matured and now it's time for a graceful midlife.

It's an exciting time to be in a city with a river as they all run through the heart of the city and thus, are destined to become desireable, decked-out jewels of urban splendor. We are way behind many cities in this regard but hindsight has the advantage of being able to study other projects and use the best as options for our own creations.

How long will the humble Buffalo Bayou remain a lifeless drainage ditch on the East End? It's transformation is inevitable. Laugh at it all you want, but there's no way people will not want to be there, either living above it, walking along it, or floating on it, once the projects are completed. It's not as wide as some of the big rivers but that allows for the advantage of a liquid parkway effect, with towers lining each bank, and not far enough away from each other to be in another city. Smaller bridges too, for pedestrian crossings. Little by little, the banks will get developed all the way to the ship channel. We are blessed. There is no where to go but up.

Of course, take your aspirin a day with a glass of red wine because you'll need to stay in good health as this could take decades to even start to hit full flower.