Archbishop Fiorenza Plaza - 1111 Pierce Street (Former 1911 Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart)

[hindesky]

The Statue of the Sacred Heart—once located in the former Co-Cathedral building—will be relocated to the plaza once it opens, where it will serve as a focal point, officials said. The plaza will also include 6,000 square feet of public gathering and tribute space, a pavilion, and 140 parking spaces, according to Sacred Heart officials.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/bay-area/development/2023/12/18/sacred-heart-in-houston-breaks-ground-on-plaza-space-dedicated-to-archbishop-joseph-fiorenza/

https://www.completingthewalk.org

Edited December 19, 2023 by editor
Edited for copyright reasons. Do not copy and paste. Summarize and link.

[Houston19514]

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

The 60,000-square-foot memorial plaza will be located at the intersection of San Jacinto Street and St. Joseph Parkway, across the street from the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The site once housed the former location of the Co-Cathedral, which has been demolished.

The Statue of the Sacred Heart—once located in the former Co-Cathedral building—will be relocated to the plaza once it opens, where it will serve as a focal point, officials said. The plaza will also include 6,000 square feet of public gathering and tribute space, a pavilion, and 140 parking spaces, according to Sacred Heart officials.

The new plaza is being funded by an ongoing capital campaign that also raises funds for improvements to the Co-Cathedral and Cathedral Center.

Officials are aiming to finish work on the new plaza around Easter 2024, at which time a dedication ceremony will take place.

https://communityimpact.com/houston/bay-area/development/2023/12/18/sacred-heart-in-houston-breaks-ground-on-plaza-space-dedicated-to-archbishop-joseph-fiorenza/

https://www.completingthewalk.org

 

Not hindesky's fault; he accurately quoted Community Impact.  This is another example of why one should never trust a journalist to do math, or for that matter, to write an intelligible article.  They start by telling us it is a "60,000 square foot memorial plaza" by which they apparently meant "parking lot".  Then later they tell us that the "plaza" [parking lot] includes 6,000 square feet of "public gathering and tribute space" (i.e., the memorial plaza).

 

[hindesky]

[editor]

6 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

Not hindesky's fault; he accurately quoted Community Impact.  This is another example of why one should never trust a journalist to do math, or for that matter, to write an intelligible article.  They start by telling us it is a "60,000 square foot memorial plaza" by which they apparently meant "parking lot".  Then later they tell us that the "plaza" [parking lot] includes 6,000 square feet of "public gathering and tribute space" (i.e., the memorial plaza).

 

You get what you pay for.  How much do you pay for your news these days?

[staresatmaps]

On 7/3/2023 at 10:56 PM, Ross said:

I believe he was halfway through his second 6 year assignment at Sacred Heart. The Arch Diocese gets to do what it wants, but it was very sudden and annoyed a lot of people. Father Troy asked to complete the full term, but was told no. The new building wasn't quite done, and the chancery work wasn't complete either. He had been very sick for a while during construction of the new cathedral, due to stress and travel. I liked Father Troy. His homilies were decent and Mass was done on schedule instead of dragging out like my wife and son have told me it does now. Father Troy is far more charismatic and interesting.

If priests get moved every 5 years, why has Father Troy been at SJV since 2008? That's 15 years.

Another good priest was Father Rivers Patout, pastor at St Alphonsus on Manchester Street just outside the loop for 20 years. That's where my wife's grandmother went to church. He did her funeral mass and I had a chance to talk to him after. Another good guy. He was also the main chaplain for the seafarers hall in the Port of Houston. Obituary here https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/rivers-patout-5995647

The senior priests get to stay. It's the junior ones that get moved around.

[editor]

On 12/22/2023 at 9:41 PM, staresatmaps said:

The senior priests get to stay. It's the junior ones that get moved around.

I don't think that's universal.  I've seen the heads of cathedrals moved around more than once.  Not in Houston, though.

[staresatmaps]

19 hours ago, editor said:

I don't think that's universal.  I've seen the heads of cathedrals moved around more than once.  Not in Houston, though.

Yes, its not universal but standard. The Bishops getting moved is more of a promotion though to a bigger diocese. There's also different kinds of non parish Priests.

[hindesky]

Archbishop Fiorenza lake/mud bog. All of Harris County got 1-2 inches of rain last night.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[j_cuevas713]

At least that new Metro building will be a nice replacement for that hideous garage 

[hindesky]

If it ever stops raining they might finish by Easter as planned.

Edited January 29 by hindesky

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[editor]

Wow.  That's a lot more parking lot and a lot less "public gathering and tribute space" than I expected.  I've seen convenience stores bigger than that.  Though I guess a surface parking lot is an appropriate "tribute" to Houston.

Looking back at the PDF, I guess I should have noticed that it's just a patch of grass with some pavers and a ramada in the middle next to a cinder block wall.  

[texan]

11 hours ago, editor said:

Wow.  That's a lot more parking lot and a lot less "public gathering and tribute space" than I expected.  I've seen convenience stores bigger than that.  Though I guess a surface parking lot is an appropriate "tribute" to Houston.

Looking back at the PDF, I guess I should have noticed that it's just a patch of grass with some pavers and a ramada in the middle next to a cinder block wall.  

I'm so disappointed the Archdiocese gave up its opportunity to create Houston's own Main Plaza, Jackson Square, or Sister Cities Park.

[editor]

1 hour ago, texan said:

I'm so disappointed the Archdiocese gave up its opportunity to create Houston's own Main Plaza, Jackson Square, or Sister Cities Park.

The only thing I can hope for is that when the Pierce Elevated comes down, the parking lot can be converted to a park, as well.

You're absolutely right about the comparison with Jackson Square.  That would be great.

[hbg.50]

2 hours ago, texan said:

I'm so disappointed the Archdiocese gave up its opportunity to create Houston's own Main Plaza, Jackson Square, or Sister Cities Park.

Why would the church do that?   Jackson Square was not property of the church. 

I'm withholding judgment until the area is completed but I wholeheartedly agree the church needed this parking solution in front of the building. 

[Texasota]

On 2/27/2024 at 12:05 PM, steve1363 said:

Why would the church do that?   Jackson Square was not property of the church. 

I'm withholding judgment until the area is completed but I wholeheartedly agree the church needed this parking solution in front of the building. 

*rolls eyes*

[editor]

On 2/27/2024 at 11:05 AM, steve1363 said:

Why would the church do that?   Jackson Square was not property of the church. 

I'm withholding judgment until the area is completed but I wholeheartedly agree the church needed this parking solution in front of the building. 

Why wouldn't it?  Churches are pretty well known for doing things for the public good. 
 

And I disagree that it needs a parking lot. There's a perfectly serviceable mostly vacant parking garage across the street.  Leasing parking spaces during off hours and weekends is incredibly cheap. Especially in Houston, as evidenced by the surface lots nearby charging $2 to park. 

[Texasota]

To put a finer point on it, the church needs parking *exactly* when it's most available downtown. No one is at work. No one is out clubbing or bar hopping or seeing a show or whatever. Acres of available parking surround this church.

[hbg.50]

1 hour ago, Texasota said:

To put a finer point on it, the church needs parking *exactly* when it's most available downtown. No one is at work. No one is out clubbing or bar hopping or seeing a show or whatever. Acres of available parking surround this church.

Of course you’re right regarding Sunday services.  For any services during the week, however, such as funeral services, the current parking situation is not ideal.  I know this from firsthand experience.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[mfastx]

Another surface parking lot downtown. Hooray! 

[phillip_white]

5 hours ago, mfastx said:

Another surface parking lot downtown. Hooray! 

This one is inherently worse than others because there is no incentive to develop and no property taxes collected by the County or Downtown TIRZ. A development agreement with Downtown Houston for underground parking and street level park or event space seemed like a no-brainer to me; it would have also been the perfect tie-in for a bridge to the potential Pierce Elevated Park. But perhaps with the recently completed Trebly Park so close, there was no appetite for another long-term lease agreement for greenspace.

[hindesky]

If the goal was to be done by Easter it's not going to happen. They had way too many rain outs.

[hindesky]

It's finished.

[JLWM8609]

Plaza and Parkway are probably two of the most incorrectly used terms in Houston. Makes sense that this fake Plaza is on a fake Parkway. 

[cspwal]

I drove past it yesterday it's just a parking lot. It's even less a plaza than I thought