Houston, TX – Houston Parks Board and Buffalo Bayou Partnership, in cooperation with the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, have completed construction on a new park and 0.4-mile hike and bike trail along Buffalo Bayou from Fannin Street to Austin Street. The trail opened to the public on Monday, June 13.
Weaving under and through buildings adjacent to the waterfront just east of Allen’s Landing, this new addition represents a key connection between downtown and points east, furthering Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s goal to create connectivity all the way from Buffalo Bayou Park to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. It also aligns with Houston Parks Board’s goal to create an interconnected system of parks and trails across Houston through Bayou Greenways.
Key facts:
- The new trail extends east from Allen’s Landing Park under the Fannin Street Bridge and up the slope along Commerce Street before passing under the San Jacinto Bridge to the Wilson Building on Commerce Street.
- The trail continues through the second basement level of the Wilson Building and under the Harris County Sheriff’s Inmate Processing Center.
- From there, the trail opens to a new park on former parking lots along the bayou on either side of Austin Street. As part of the park, the Austin Street cul-de-sac was converted into a public plaza, which is now the Joe Campos Torres Memorial Plaza.
- Current trail users may now travel from Buffalo Bayou Park to Austin Street and continue at street level via the Austin Street Corridor bike path. Eventually, the waterfront trail will continue east along Buffalo Bayou.
- The total cost of the project is nearly $8.7 million. Buffalo Bayou Partnership project donors are Barbara and the late Gerald Hines, Wendy and Jeff Hines, and Sis and Hasty Johnson. Partner funding comes from the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, a public entity that facilitates positive economic development within downtown’s TIRZ #3 boundaries, and Bayou Greenways, a public-private partnership between Houston Parks Board and the City of Houston through the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, with catalyst funding from the Kinder Foundation.
- Buffalo Bayou Partnership will maintain the park and trail under contract with the Houston Parks Board as part of the Bayou Greenways maintenance agreement with the City of Houston.
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Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. The organization’s geographic focus is the 10-square mile stretch of the bayou that flows from Shepherd Drive, through the heart of downtown into the East End, and on to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. BBP creates and cares for inclusive public spaces such as Buffalo Bayou Park, constructs hike and bike trails, and removes trash from the waterway. BBP also activates the bayou through unique programs, public art, volunteer events, and recreational opportunities that enrich the quality of life in Houston. www.buffalobayou.org
Facebook: @BuffaloBayou
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Houston Parks Board creates, improves, protects, and advocates for parks for everyone. Since 1976, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has utilized public-private partnerships and its extensive philanthropic, government, and community relationships to provide equitable access to quality parks and green space to the Greater Houston region. In addition to leading the transformational Bayou Greenways initiative, Houston Parks Board cares for more than 2,600 acres of green space and supports park projects large and small. For more information on Bayou Greenways and Beyond the Bayous, visit www.houstonparksboard.org.
Facebook: @HoustonParksBoard
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Twitter: @HouParksBoard
Houston Parks and Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.) stewards and manages 381 parks and over 39,501 acres of parkland and greenspace for the City of Houston and develops and implements recreational programming for citizens of all abilities. For more information on the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, call (832) 395-7022 or visit www.houstonparks.org.
Facebook: @HoustonParks&Rec
Instagram: @Houston_ParksRecreation
Twitter: @HPARD