Buffalo Bayou Master Plan

[Houston19514]

1 hour ago, Sunstar said:

 

Yeah, I guess it would have to be developed as a highly programmed park to be successful, similar to the Under Gardiner project in Toronto sited in the article. To your point, removing the Pierce would only free up half blocks, which I imagine is less than ideal from a development standpoint. 

 

 

But a bunch of the adjoining half-blocks are undeveloped or underdeveloped, so the pierce removal can create a bunch of full blocks.

 

[Urbannizer]

http://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=9325&MeetingID=198

 

On June 13, 2001, City Council approved Resolution 2001-28 authorizing the nomination of the Buffalo Bayou Heritage Corridor (the Project) for funding consideration in the statewide Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) administered by Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT). The project was selected for funding, but in 2014 it was withdrawn from the program due to multiple unforeseen delays. TxDOT continued to develop plans and specifications and has worked with Buffalo Bayou Partnership to complete acquisition of right-of-way.

 

In January 2015 TxDOT submitted the Project for funding consideration in the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) 2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Call for Projects. In August, 2015 TxDOT requested and HPARD agreed to serve as the eligible project sponsor. On September 25, 2015, the H-GAC Transportation Policy Council approved Federal funding for the project through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) administered locally by TxDOT. As an eligible TAP project partner, TxDOT will provide a portion of the required share of the local funding contribution and construction plans as well as bid and contract for construction services.

 

The scope of work for Project consists of the addition of retaining walls and railing to the existing ten foot wide, concrete trail on the north bank of Buffalo Bayou from McKee Street to the Strauss Trunnion Bridge, rehabilitation of the abandoned Strauss Trunnion Bridge over Buffalo Bayou for pedestrian and bicycle use, construction of a ramp to McKee Street and construction of a ten foot wide, concrete trail on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou from Strauss Trunnion Bridge to west of the UPRR bridge. Additional improvements include landscape materials, pedestrian furniture and way finding signage. The purpose of the Project is to create a safe and convenient link between existing paths on the north and south banks of Buffalo Bayou and to bring bike/ped facilities to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design guidelines.

 

The proposed Funding Agreement commits the Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) to provide the Local Government Participation - the City's share - required for the project in the amount of $370,000. City Council is concurrently asked by separate Council Action to approve the Advanced Funding Agreements with TxDOT for the Project.

[H-Town Man]

^^Pertinent bridges photographed here:

Strauss Trunnion bridge is photos 27-28. UPRR bridge is photos 21 and 23-24. This is an important link.

 

[Triton]

Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

Buffalo Bayou Park by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

 

[Houston19514]

Revitalizing the waterway east of downtown
from US 59 to the Port of Houston Turning Basin

HOUSTON - July 27, 2017 - Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is launching a major planning effort along Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector that will continue the non-profit organization’s legacy of transformative parks, trails and open space.  In revitalizing the waterway east of downtown (from US 59 to the Port of Houston Turning Basin), BBP seeks to establish a pioneering precedent where green space can be a catalyst for inclusive growth and community development.
 
“At its heart, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is about creating parks, trails and bridges to bring Houstonians outdoors,” says Tom Fish, BBP Board Chair.  “Here in the East Sector, we have an opportunity to bring together communities north and south of Buffalo Bayou that have long been disconnected from the waterfront and each other.”
 
Buffalo Bayou Partnership has assembled a high caliber group of consultants to develop this very important master plan for Houston and its East Sector neighborhoods. Working with BBP on this important planning initiative will be a multi-disciplinary consultant team led by Michael Van Valkenburg Associates (MVVA), an internationally recognized landscape architecture firm, and HR&A Advisors, an industry-leading real estate, economic development and public policy firm.  Other consultants include: Huitt-Zollars/formerly Houston’s Morris Architects (Architecture & Civil Engineering), Utile(Urban Planning & Design), Greenberg Consultants (Urban Design), Nelson/Nygaard (Transportation), and LimnoTech (Hydrology).
 
MVVA brings to Houston wide-ranging experience and a proven track record of success in creating acclaimed and economically viable parks and waterfronts such as Brooklyn Bridge Park and Hudson River Park in New York City, and Maggie Daly Park and the 606 in Chicago.  The consultants also are very familiar with Houston as they have recently completed plans for Hermann Park, The Menil and the “Beyond the Bayous” plan for the Houston Parks Board.
 
For more than 35 years, HR&A has been working with parks throughout the US and abroad to develop open space real estate strategies, financing plans, programming activation, and sustainable operations and maintenance programs.  The High Line and Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, Tulsa Riverfront and Dallas Trinity River are among more than 100 parks that have benefited from HR&A’s talent.
 
“While we want to build off our past projects such as Buffalo Bayou Park, Sabine Promenade and Allen’s Landing, we realize that we are dealing with an entirely different context,” says Anne Olson, BBP President.  “We not only want to reinvigorate the waterfront but bring equitable revitalization opportunities to the East Sector neighborhoods.” Olson points out that the Second Ward has been designated one of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s “Complete Communities.”

[H-Town Man]

So is the 2003 master plan for the whole bayou basically forgotten now, or is that more the vision while this is more the nitty gritty?

 

[Houston19514]

39 minutes ago, H-Town Man said:

So is the 2003 master plan for the whole bayou basically forgotten now, or is that more the vision while this is more the nitty gritty?

 

 

I would think the latter.

[H-Town Man]

Hopefully they reference the earlier plan at some point in their press statements so we get a sense that there is continuity and adherence to the earlier vision. I was a big fan of that plan when it came out.

 

[Sunstar]

This will be the more daunting, yet exciting phase of the Buffalo Bayou master plan. It will likely involve the transition of numerous abandoned industrial sites into parks and new ecosystems/habitats. Hopefully they haven't wasted any time acquiring properties along the Bayous East end.

Still, this is probably a 20+ year endeavor.

[samagon]

On 7/27/2017 at 8:58 PM, H-Town Man said:

Hopefully they reference the earlier plan at some point in their press statements so we get a sense that there is continuity and adherence to the earlier vision. I was a big fan of that plan when it came out.

 

 

It was certainly cool, but it always felt to me like pie-in-the-sky dreams rather than a plan that could be adhered to. I do suspect that the vision of the park will be in the same spirit as the 2003 renderings.

 

Then again, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

[H-Town Man]

54 minutes ago, samagon said:

 

It was certainly cool, but it always felt to me like pie-in-the-sky dreams rather than a plan that could be adhered to. I do suspect that the vision of the park will be in the same spirit as the 2003 renderings.

 

Then again, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

I took the plan as Boston landscape architects saying, "We have this thing called the Emerald Necklace, and if you want something like that, here's what you would do." It was ambitious, but everything in it was doable. By an ambitious city.

 

With the possible exception of Symphony Island.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by H-Town Man

[Mr.Clean19]

I liked symphony island

[bedmondson]

I don't know if it was mentioned above but there has been some coordination between "Houston Needs a Swimming Hole" people and BBP for east of downtown for potential sites. They have toured BBP owned or controlled sites and are currently doing a feasibility study. One of the sites along the bayou being considered is the former wastewater treatment plant on the north side of Buffalo Bayou and Lockwood Dr.

[Timoric]

-

 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Timoric

[Subdude]

Remember the North Canal project?  It's still included in the new master plan.  https://archpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Plan_Downtown_Perspective_North_Cana

 

 

If I'm not mistaken the North Canal was first proposed for flood control in the 1930s.  You have to wonder what it would take to ever get it going.

 

 

 

[cspwal]

Looking at the map, it looks like the only things standing in the way of it are:

- the Union Pacific line that goes under UH-D and crosses San Jacinto

- the Metro bus depot

- a large parking lot

- a building that I think is used by UH-D

 

The largest problem looks to be the rail line, as everything else is semi-publicly owned (Metro, UH-D)

[Houston19514]

40 minutes ago, cspwal said:

Looking at the map, it looks like the only things standing in the way of it are:

- the Union Pacific line that goes under UH-D and crosses San Jacinto

- the Metro bus depot

- a large parking lot

- a building that I think is used by UH-D

 

The largest problem looks to be the rail line, as everything else is semi-publicly owned (Metro, UH-D)

 

Better yet, I don't think it would even take the UH-D building, just small parking lot on the west side of San Jacinto, north of UH-D's pumping station building.

Edited November 15, 2017 by Houston19514

[H-Town Man]

1 hour ago, Subdude said:

Remember the North Canal project?  It's still included in the new master plan.  https://archpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Plan_Downtown_Perspective_North_Cana

 

 

If I'm not mistaken the North Canal was first proposed for flood control in the 1930s.  You have to wonder what it would take to ever get it going.

 

 

 

 

Maybe if a trillion gallons of water fell on the county in a single event, that would cause them to consider something like this.

 

[samagon]

16 hours ago, H-Town Man said:

 

Maybe if a trillion gallons of water fell on the county in a single event, that would cause them to consider something like this.

 

 

It still won't happen.

[Houston19514]

1 hour ago, samagon said:

 

It still won't happen.

 

Because nothing ever happens in Houston, right?  

[samagon]

8 minutes ago, Houston19514 said:

 

Because nothing ever happens in Houston, right?  

 

Correct, if this city can't implement something simple like mass transit, how are they ever going to be able to dig holes?

[H-Town Man]

16 minutes ago, samagon said:

 

Correct, if this city can't implement something simple like mass transit, how are they ever going to be able to dig holes?

 

We actually have a pretty good track record of digging, rerouting, and pretty much doing everything you can think of with bayous.

 

[Sunstar]

On 11/15/2017 at 1:28 PM, Subdude said:

Remember the North Canal project?  It's still included in the new master plan.  https://archpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Plan_Downtown_Perspective_North_Cana

 

 

If I'm not mistaken the North Canal was first proposed for flood control in the 1930s.  You have to wonder what it would take to ever get it going.

 

 

 

 

Is this the 'Alcatraz' project? They would have to relocate the Harris County lockup facility, which I think is the bigger project compared to digging a new connector canal. 

[rechlin]

18 hours ago, Sunstar said:

 

Is this the 'Alcatraz' project? They would have to relocate the Harris County lockup facility, which I think is the bigger project compared to digging a new connector canal. 

 

Which building is that?  The drawing shows the Harris County Jail, the Baker Street Jail, and the new joint processing building in their existing locations.  The new buildings shown and the canal would fit on the existing parking lot and Metro facility. 

[Houston19514]

There is no lockup facility that would have to be relocated for this project.  I don't know what Sunstar could be talking about.

[Houston19514]

On 11/16/2017 at 9:05 AM, samagon said:

 

Correct, if this city can't implement something simple like mass transit, how are they ever going to be able to dig holes?

 

Besides the overall awfulness of the Chronicle, my biggest pet peeve about Houston is the general ignorance of Houstonians about their city and the relentless focus on what we don't have/haven't done, to the willful exclusion of all of the things we do have and have done.

 

 

As H-Town Man said, we have quite a long history of being able to "dig holes", as you put it.

 

[Sunstar]

On 11/17/2017 at 9:37 AM, Houston19514 said:

There is no lockup facility that would have to be relocated for this project.  I don't know what Sunstar could be talking about.

 

It wouldn't have to be relocated to dig the North Channel specifically, but what's the point of doing all this development right next to the Harris County Jail?

 

 

 

 

[hindesky]

They have some heavy equipment loading out all the sediment in the Johnny Steele Dog Park.

 

fullsizeoutput_2195 by David, on Flickr

 

fullsizeoutput_2194 by David, on Flickr

[hindesky]

Beavers!!! Unfortunately for them the tree is tethered to a pole. This was on the south bank bike trail between Milam and Louisiana. I could see the tell tale beaver tracks in the river mud.

[kbates2]

Yeah, that is about the third tree they have gotten to in the past couple of years.