Buffalo Bayou River Walk

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[houstonsemipro]

Yes, tw2ntyse7en city of houston is considering similar to San Antonio's Riverwalk, but we will call ours Buffalo Bayou Waterway.

Here's a link... http://www.buffalobayou.org/pdf/BBMPreport5.PDF

[tw2ntyse7en]

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[Guest danax]

Sweet - thanks, but it doesn't really give much detail. Anything else out there?

Glen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think the Riverwalk type bayou is going to happen as part of the Master Plan. I was at a metting a couple of weeks ago on the eastside and they talked a lot about this plan. City Councilman Gordon Quan was there and said that something like San Antonio has would involve damming the bayou and would cost too much. The plan right now is for a more natural type setting with access for kayaks, canoes etc. with a blend of retail shops, high-density residential and recreation, like parks, wetland areas, a botanic garden and live music venues, like Symphony Island, which will be created by cutting a channel through that piece of land. The host that day was an architect with AIA and he gave a slide show presentation. He talked about incorporating some of the industrial elements in the overall design, like he showed a slide of these two massive, round concrete silos, I'm not sure where they are, and how leaving them as sculpture might be cool. Here are a few pictures I took last weekend while I was checking out the progress;

End of the trail, so far. Future Symphony Island on the right.

Another angle of Symphony Island from the York St. overpass.

Other side of York St. On the right is Tony Marron Park under reconstruction. At the bend on the left side of the bayou is the scrap pile that I'm deducing will be the future botanic gardens, based on my reading of the plan's map.

Tony Marron Park

[jt16]

This is all great. Now all we need to do is dye the water. I jog past the bayou four or five times a week on the west side of downtown, but I never realized how dirty the water looks. I guess you're not as drawn to the water when there are other things to look at. Is there anything that can be done?

[HeightsGuy]

There are things that can be done to help the water quality, but even that will only get you so far when it comes to buffalo and any other bayou in the Houston area. Gone (for the most part) are the days when older established neighborhoods like River Oaks dumped their untreated sewage into buffalo. That said, bayous in Houston are still more-or-less open cut storm sewers. All the excess water that falls into the watershed travels down the bayou. You can put lipstick on a pig.......

[N8TIV]

I know this has been an inactive topic for a while, but I was wondering if anyone has noticed the construction down by the bayou. There are loads of rocks and crates of stuff on the banks by Bayou Place.

[RedScare]

I believe that is the Sabine to Bagby bike trail construction to upgrade the trails that come downtown from Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway.

Expected to be completed by end of summer.

[WestGrayGuy]

I have been noticing the consturction on the bike trails lately right behind the Hobby Center parking garage. It seems like the bayou will have a rock type embankment.

Should be pretty nice when complete.

As far as the quality of the water goes, it looks brown because the sediment does not have enough time to settle out of the water. One portion of the master plan involves adding natural basins to allow time for the sediment to fall out of the water before it gets to the bayou. These are called "green fingers".

One thing that does not help the water quality and, in my opinion, looks ugly are the concrete canals that line the banks of most of our bayous. I realize they are to speed the transfer of water in times of flooding but damn are they ugly.

I had heard at some point in our history they wanted to do the same for Buffalo Bayou near downtown at Allen Parkway. Fortunately, George Bush Sr. worked to stop this.

[The Great Hizzy!]

That's a good point. Brays Bayou in the Idylwood area is beautiful whereas the Brays near Riverside Terrace and Braeswood looks artificial and unnatural.

[H-Town Man]

danax, was there any talk of the channel they wanted to cut from White Oak to Buffalo Bayou where the Metro bus barn is? As far as I understand, that is the most ambitious and contentious part of the BBP Master Plan.

The Symphony Island thing I don't think will work. The bayou is too ugly, too humid, too mosquito- and snake-infested for people to go out there on a summer evening to listen to classical music. That kind of think works in cities where you have dry air, rocky ground, and clear-running rivers. People do not listen to symphonies alongside bayous - it's never been done, and it never will be.

Now, some kind of set up where you could have a rock concert on the bayou with the downtown skyline in the background could have promise. It's ridiculous that the main outdoor concert area in this town is thirty miles away in the Woodlands. With all that land along the bayou in the East End, they could do something ambitious, like Zilker Park in Austin, where you could have music festivals with multiple stages, or one giant listening area like in Central Park.

I'm excited to hear people are talking seriously about this - tell me as much about any meetings as you can.

[kjb434]

Regardless of what the island will be used for, the BBP for project 211f as it is known is planning on the bypass canal anyway. I'm all for it because it will clean up the area and get it ready for future development.

[Subdude]

If the cutoff is ever built the resulting island will mainly house the existing prison. I propose the island thus be named "Alcatraz".

I spoke to someone at the Buffalo Bayou partnership about the bypass plan a couple of years ago. The idea was originally suggested years ago for flood control, so maybe the Army Corps of Engineers could do the work. The biggest impediment would be the acquistion of the Metro land they use for bus shelter near there.

[Guest danax]

danax, was there any talk of the channel they wanted to cut from White Oak to Buffalo Bayou where the Metro bus barn is?  As far as I understand, that is the most ambitious and contentious part of the BBP Master Plan. 

The Symphony Island thing I don't think will work.  The bayou is too ugly, too humid, too mosquito- and snake-infested for people to go out there on a summer evening to listen to classical music.  That kind of think works in cities where you have dry air, rocky ground, and clear-running rivers.  People do not listen to symphonies alongside bayous - it's never been done, and it never will be.

Now, some kind of set up where you could have a rock concert on the bayou with the downtown skyline in the background could have promise. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At the one meeting I attended, that canal was not discussed. As for Symphony Island, there are mosquitos in the Woodlands too and, if they prove to be intolerable, I think something would be quickly done to solve the problem. Don't forget there are multiple entities involved in the Master Plan so the forces are with us on it. The bayou might be ugly now but it will look a lot better. Plus, it's all we've got. And, the skyline is visible from there.

I have faith that the project will work out and prove to be a great boon to Houston and the East end.

[kjb434]

I think the ball is in motion. The pieces are falling (albeit slowly) into place.

[Casual Observer]

Now, some kind of set up where you could have a rock concert on the bayou with the downtown skyline in the background could have promise.  It's ridiculous that the main outdoor concert area in this town is thirty miles away in the Woodlands.  With all that land along the bayou in the East End, they could do something ambitious, like Zilker Park in Austin, where you could have music festivals with multiple stages, or one giant listening area like in Central Park.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is exactly the set up for Earth Day at Elenor Tinsley Park.

[houstonfella]

I've been to Miller Outdoor Theater many humid nights and enjoyed the music. Can be done along the bayou as well.

[kjb434]

Most projects that involve the Army Corps within Harris county are joint efforts with Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). HCFCD plays the community voice in the project since the Army Corps general has the power to do what they want.

[kirk farris]

Most projects that involve the Army Corps within Harris county are joint efforts with Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). HCFCD plays the community voice in the project since the Army Corps general has the power to do what they want.

The flood model used to promote the canal program are not based on real valid data. Harris County has no real data for some sections of the bayou system and the engineering was guessed at for the master plan using topo data from 1975 and flood data from a strom prior to Allison. I have no confidence in the assertion that they are proving up the program. ...Texas Observer covered that concept in an article called Buffaloed on the Bayou a couple of years ago by Dave Mann. It may or may not give us a flood benefit in downtown. Also it may work great, just don't know. Considerations should be placed on the amount of money for projects such as these. Hell you can do a lot of green space works for the kind of budget on this. I'm thinking maybe a Town Lake model would serve the population better than a River Walk model.

What is over looked is that Williams Bros. got a permit to construct a dam in Buffalo Bayou to place heavy cranes on and fix the new free way bridges. This dam was set up and used prior to Allison and may have backed up storm waters.

Some experts advise that dumping and other natural factors are contributing to holding of water at Allens Landing and the effective solution for flood protection would be the regular dredging of the White Oak and Buffalo Bayou and down stream somewhat.

All this talk and posting is rather odd to read and filled with a lot of hope and spin

[kjb434]

I'm going to the stakeholders meeting for this Bufalo Bayou/Lower White Oak 211F project next week.

All the channels will be complete remodeled using the TSARP data. The proposed improvements to the channel will involve environmental measures as well flood improvement measures.

The project is in its early stages.

The stakeholders meeting will allow all aspects and concerns be addressed for the project.

I'll report what I found out at the meeting.

[MidtownCoog]

I have watched all the construction equipment behing Hobby Center sit idle for over a week.

Not one inch of progress has been made on the diving platform. The did complete the canoe slip.

But it does appear they are building a new boat ramp near the McKee street bridge.

[Guest danax]

I got a thing in the mail for the Once in a Blue Moon Ball on Oct. 6, a grand opening celebration for the new 23 acre park along the bayou from Sabine St. to Bagby. It'll be at the Sabine St. Bridge and tickets for tables are from $200(limited quantity) to $25,000. Should we pitch in for a HAIF table?

The picture of the promenade looks great.

[gto250us]

Why don't we just get Tilman Fertita to build one of his damn Disneyland riverwalks. We can then charge folks $50 to walk around and look at the water.

[kjb434]

^^

You have a little rage built up there. Maybe you should calm down a little bit.

Mr. Fertita has alread made his mark. He built the Aquarium development.

[texasboy]

I got a thing in the mail for the Once in a Blue Moon Ball on Oct. 6, a grand opening celebration for the new 23 acre park along the bayou from Sabine St. to Bagby. It'll be at the Sabine St. Bridge and tickets for tables are from $200(limited quantity) to $25,000. Should we pitch in for a HAIF table?

[gto250us]

No rage here. Just pointing out the obvious. So called development in Houston is driven by commercial deals. Such as the crap put up by Fertita. Face it, tying to pretty up Buffalo Bayou is a loosing proposition. Houstonians seem to be drawn bright lights and bull*hit and Fertita seems to use alot of both.

[kjb434]

Well, all developments are based on commercial deals. Just ocasional parks are funded city or county money, but generally private interests donate money anyway.

[kirk farris]

No rage here. Just pointing out the obvious. So called development in Houston is driven by commercial deals. Such as the crap put up by Fertita. Face it, tying to pretty up Buffalo Bayou is a loosing proposition. Houstonians seem to be drawn bright lights and bull*hit and Fertita seems to use alot of both.

....Well' buddy the Bayou is not hot property..it is not the grid and all the elements to make it pay are far from ready. Is it a loosing proposition...yes in the short run...it will suck. They spent more than 17 million dollars on the Worthem park area....how many people use this? The new progress is also millions of dollars and mostly high quality work...once again...is the cost benefit ratio in balance?

....I think the whole south end should become a public garden...why not can you think of anything about the bayou that would give you greater value?

[incurablygeek]

My partner, the kids and I explored this last weekend. It looks very nice and I'll be glad when the pedestrian bridge opens.

I wonder how all that gorgeous landscaping will hold up to the first heavy stormwater event, though.

[nmainguy]

....Well' buddy the Bayou is not hot property..it is not the grid and all the elements to make it pay are far from ready. Is it a loosing proposition...yes in the short run...it will suck. They spent more than 17 million dollars on the Worthem park area....how many people use this? The new progress is also millions of dollars and mostly high quality work...once again...is the cost benefit ratio in balance?

....I think the whole south end should become a public garden...why not can you think of anything about the bayou that would give you greater value?

You see, the problem we have here is Kirk Farris is a Professional Trouble Maker with all his "Open Space Public Garden" LIBERAL clap-trap. I have met Kirk Farris...I know Kirk Farris...and I am no Kirk Farris. Parks???? "Greater Value"???? A few more bucks in my pocket by way of landing a contract to pave over the rest of Houston's natural habitat would give me "Greater Value"!!!! Then I could build strip malls, poorly constructed apartment slums for suckered Katrina victims....and THEN...AND THEN I'LL...I'LL...............

[nmainguy is quietly carried away to a private mental hospital from which he will never be seen again]

[love you and your good works, Kirk ]