James Bute Park is the original site of Germantown and Frost Town, two early immigrant neighborhoods. In the 1970s, Houston artist Kirk Farris transformed the once-abandoned site into a park named for a Houston entrepreneur who lived nearby. A Texas Historical Marker displayed in the park officially designates Frost Town as a historic site.

The historic McKee Street Bridge dates back to 1932 and was more recently painted aquamarine, purple, and lavender by Houston artist Kirk Farris.

This City of Houston park features green space, trails, and a boat dock as well as interpretive signage about the history of the East End. The Azios family fountain and historic columns are reminiscent of Mexico City’s colonial Zocalo architecture.

Several remnants of the East End’s industrial past can be found along the hike and bike trail. Just east of Jensen Drive, you will discover massive concrete gravel silos now owned by BBP. These tall structures are not only important interpretive landscape elements but the canvas for imaginative public art events.

Central to the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan is the expansion of the City of Houston’s Tony Marron Park from 19 to nearly 40 acres. By 2026, the enhanced park will become the open space anchor for the area, providing residents with a wide range of activities and featuring improved sports fields, new nature play area, and venues for special events and festivals. Learn more about the vision and plans for Tony Marron Park here.

Changes are underway at Japhet Creek, a bayou tributary stretching north, deep into the Fifth Ward neighborhood. BBP has begun implementing the enhancements envisioned in the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan to revitalize this historic tributary with a neighborhood park, creekside nature trail, landscaping, lighting, and by 2027, a bayou-crossing pedestrian bridge connecting to Tony Marron Park. Learn more about plans for Japhet Creek Park here.

On this site near Tony Marron Park, BBP is working with partners to create mixed-income and affordable housing that will be surrounded by more than six acres of new parks and trails. 80 multi-family units opened summer of 2024. Learn more about Lockwood on Buffalo Bayou here.

Not currently open to the public.

Decommissioned more than 20 years ago, much of the Northside Sewage Treatment Facility’s infrastructure remains. Aeration and settling tanks, compressor rooms, as well as original pipes and valves are intact. BBP envisions redeveloping the site into a major, regional destination.

Not currently open to the public.

This dramatic former industrial site along Navigation Boulevard at a stretch of the bayou called Turkey Bend will be transformed by BBP in the coming years into a unique recreational and cultural destination. Future visitors to the site will be able to congregate and relax along the waterfront, attend events and programs of various scales, and participate in boating activities. Learn more about plans for Turkey Bend here.

Formerly an industrial property, this 10-acre site was transformed into a natural green space named in memory of Yolanda Black Navarro, a committed civic leader who served Houston for decades. The park features three wetland ponds with an overlook, cistern, native plantings, and footpaths. BBP is working on connecting Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park to the City of Houston’s Hidalgo Park to the east.

Built in 1932, Hidalgo Park is a popular East End site for Sunday picnics, birthday parties, and baseball games. Neighborhood children enjoy the park’s creative wooden playground and water play station. Among the park’s treasures is a statue of Father Miguel Hidalgo, a gift from the government of Jalisco, Mexico.

Not currently open to the public.

In 1837, the Allen brothers arranged for the Constitution, a 150-foot steamboat, to visit Houston to dispel doubts about Buffalo Bayou’s navigability. Not being able to turn around once it arrived at its destination, the boat backed down the bayou until it reached a wide enough bend. Dubbed Constitution Bend, the site is now the Port of Houston Turning Basin.