News

Feb 04

New Monuments for New Cities: A Buffalo Bayou Partnership and High Line Network Public Art Project

Buffalo Bayou is one of five North American sites to host inaugural exhibition

Opens to the Public
Wednesday, February 20, 2019

*[A] part* by Sin Huelllas Artists: Delilah Montoya and Jimmy Castillo

HOUSTON – January 30, 2019 – Houston’s Buffalo Bayou has been selected as the inaugural site for New Monuments for New Cities, a collaborative public art project organized by the High Line Network, a coalition of visionary North American industrial reuse projects that are transforming underutilized infrastructure into new urban landscapes and redefining what parks can be.

Debuting in Houston on February 20, the public art initiative’s theme is meant to stimulate discussion and community discourse on the evolving nature of monuments and ask questions such as “What does it mean to monumentalize a person, an idea or moment in time?”

In coordination with High Line Art, each High Line Network participant invited five of its city’s artists or artist groups to create proposals in the form of posters for new monuments. The resulting proposals span from traditional monuments, to revised historical statues, to newly imagined methods of public commemoration. There are drawings, photographs, renderings, Wikipedia pages, collages, and bold text-based statements.

Following Houston’s presentation, all 25 artworks will travel to Austin, Chicago and Toronto, culminating in New York on the High Line in September 2019. In Houston, the artwork will be displayed in the form of light boxes integrated into benches beckoning visitors to reflect and enter the discourse on the meaning of monuments. The structures will surround the cherished Spindle by Henry Moore in Buffalo Bayou Park along Allen Parkway at Gillette Street.

Major underwriting for Houston’s exhibition is provided by East River, a Midway development with additional support from the Susan Vaughan Foundation and TXRX.

“We are honored to be among a select group of cities that are exhibiting these thought-provoking artworks,” says Judy Nyquist, BBP Board Member and Public Art Committee Co-chair. “The theme, NewMonuments for New Cities, is so timely as our nation and its citizens are rethinking what form monuments should take today.”

Participating Houston artists are: Regina Agu, Jamal Cyrus, Sin Huellas: Delilah Montoya and Jimmy Castillo, Phillip Pyle, II, and Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin. Artists selected by the other High Line Network participants include:

Austin: Nicole Awai, Daniela Cavazos Madrigal, Teruko Nimura and Rachel Alex Crist, Denise Prince, Vincent Valdez
Chicago: Eric J. García, Tonika Johnson, Chris Pappan, Richard Santiago (TIAGO), Zissou Tasseff-Elenkoff
Toronto: Susan Blight, Coco Guzman, Life of a Craphead (Amy Lam and Jon McCurley), An Te Liu, Quentin VerCetty
New York: Judith Bernstein, Guerrilla Girls, Hans Haacke, Paul Ramírez Jonas, Xaviera Simmons

In addition to the New Monuments for New Cities exhibition, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is sponsoring the following complementary programming and events:

Saturday, March 2, 1-2pm
Monuments Monologue: Artists Talk
Meadow surrounding the Henry Moore Spindle sculpture in Buffalo Bayou Park
Allen Parkway at Gillette Street

Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 6:30pm
Message and Meaning: Reconsidering Monuments Today
Panel Discussion with New Monuments for New Cities Artists,
Melanie Kress, Associate Curator, High Line Art and
Moderator, Karen Farber, Executive Director, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts University of Houston
Eldorado Ballroom
2310 Elgin Street, Houston, TX 77004

Saturday, April 6, 10-11 a.m.
Monuments Monologue: Artists Talks
Meadow surrounding the Henry Moore Spindle sculpture in Buffalo Bayou Park
Allen Parkway at Gillette Street

Saturday, April 20, 10-11 a.m.
Monuments Monologue: Artists Talks
Meadow surrounding the Henry Moore Spindle sculpture in Buffalo Bayou Park
Allen Parkway at Gillette Street

Saturday, April 27, 8-10 p.m.
A Monumental Evening: Closing Party
Buffalo Bayou Partnership Silos along Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector
801 N. Nagle Street, off of Navigation, Houston, TX 77003

New Monuments for New Cities Schedule in Other Cities

Waller Creek, Austin March-May 2019
The 606, Chicago May-June 2019
The Bentway, Toronto May-August 2019
The High Line, New York September-October 2019

About Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Established in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the Houston nonprofit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, the city’s most significant natural resource. Thanks to the generous support of foundations, corporations, individuals, and governmental agencies, BBP has raised and leveraged more than $150 million for the redevelopment and stewardship of the waterfront. The organization develops award-winning projects such as the $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park, protects land for future parks, constructs hiking and biking trails, and operates comprehensive clean-up and maintenance programs. BBP also seeks ways to activate Buffalo Bayou through pedestrian, boating, and biking amenities, volunteer activities, permanent and temporary art installations, and wide-ranging tours and events.

About High Line Network
The High Line Network is a group of industrial reuse projects—and the people who help them come to life. As cities become denser and land for traditional parks becomes scarce, citizens are finding creative ways to bring greenspace to their neighborhoods. Projects in the High Line Network transform underutilized infrastructure into new urban landscapes. Redefining what a park can be, these hybrid spaces are also public squares, open-air museums, botanical gardens, social service organizations, walkways, transit corridors, and more.

The High Line Network is presented by Friends of the High Line, the nonprofit organization responsible for the High Line, raising nearly 100% of its annual budget. Owned by the City of New York, the High Line is programmed, maintained, and operated by Friends of the High Line, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

The High Line Network is made possible by the founding support of The JPB Foundation.###

Feb 04

Banking on Buffalo Bayou: Winter 2019

Dear Friends:

Happy New Year. If you’re like most people, we’re sure you’ve already started fulfilling your New Year’s resolutions. At Buffalo Bayou Partnership, we’ve started working on our list too and the coming year is full of new goals and projects that will help us continue our transformative work along Houston’s historic waterway. Here’s a sneak peek of what we have in store!

Buffalo Bayou East Sector Master Plan

For the past two years, we’ve been focused on developing a master plan for Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector. On-the-ground due diligence, rigorous technical analysis including a hydrological study, and a framework to guide our land acquisition program have all been part of the work we’ve accomplished. We spent a large part of 2018 sponsoring a robust community engagement process where Fifth Ward and East End residents shared their desires, dreams and concerns for their neighborhoods. In late spring, we’ll be releasing the final plan. We’re excited about the vision that will guide our park and trail projects east of downtown over the coming decades. Stay tuned!

High Line Network Joint Art Initiative

*Broken Obelisk Elbows*, Phillip Pyle, II.

BBP is honored to be part of the High Line Network, a coalition of infrastructure reuse projects across North America.

In collaboration with Friends of the High Line, the Network’s founder, BBP and three other Network members are presenting New Monuments for New Cities, a year-long public art project. Houston is the launch-site for this unique exhibition that will travel to Austin, Chicago, Toronto and end in New York on the High Line this fall. Each participating group invited five local artists to create proposals in the form of posters that respond to the evolving nature of monuments in our country today. The artists in the exhibition have designed monuments that question the format itself and envision its future. Participating Houston artists are: Regina Agu, Jamal Cyrus, Delilah Montoya and Jimmy Castillo, Phillip Pyle, II, and Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin.

In addition to the exhibition which will be on view in Buffalo Bayou Park from February 20 until April 30, BBP will present complementary programming and events. In a few short weeks, you’ll be hearing more about New Monuments for New Cities.

BBP Membership Program

We want to keep our parks and trails growing and Buffalo Bayou flowing. That’s why we are launching a membership program in 2019. Members will not only provide vital support to help our organization continue to care for the bayou but will receive exclusive benefits including invitations to member-only events and special discounts on merchandise and tours. We also will continue to enhance our young professionals membership group, The Currents. We hope you’ll hop aboard and become a BBP member when the program is unveiled this spring.

Buffalo Bayou Walking and Boat Tours

We began expanding our walking tours in 2018 and will be offering even more in the coming year. If you want to learn about Buffalo Bayou’s natural landscape, history and public art or just want to get some exercise, we have a walk for you. You’ll also want to sign up for a boat tour. Our upcoming wine tastings and Luck of the Irish tours are sure to be sell-outs. Check our website and monthly e-newsletter for our offerings.

Trails

This spring, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Houston Parks & Recreation Department, we’ll be opening the Clayton Homes Trail, just east of I69. In addition to the trail, a pedestrian bridge linking the north and south banks of Buffalo Bayou is being constructed. We also will break ground by early summer on a critical link in the trail system downtown. With these trail segments we will be one step closer to connecting Buffalo Bayou Park all the way to Lockwood Drive in the East End.

As you can see, BBP’s New Year resolutions are ambitious. We hope you will take part in our mission-focused projects and activities, and join us as we continue our long-standing work to transform Houston’s greatest natural resource. We look forward to seeing you out on the bayou.

Sincerely,

Jeff Taylor Anne Olson
Board Chair President

Jan 30

Buffalo Bayou Partnership Welcomes Seven New Board Members

HOUSTON – January 21, 2019 – Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) announced seven new members to its board of directors during its annual meeting on January 15 at the home of Anne Whitlock (BBP Board member) and her husband Michael Skelly in the East End.

New board members include Bonner S. Ball, Owner, Black Diamond Development; Rev. Harvey Clemons, Jr., Pastor, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; Roberto Contreras, President/CEO, DC Partners;Richard Dawson, President, Dawson Estes Landscape Architecture; Erin Mincberg, Political Consultant, Mincberg Consulting; Geraldina Wise, Artist/Co-owner, Sawyer Gallery & Studios; and Gloria Medina Zenteno, Founder and President, Barrio Dogs.

The following board members have taken new officer roles this year: Jeff Taylor, Chair; Ralph Abendshein, Vice Chair; Shawn Cloonan, Treasurer; and Kellie Jenks, Secretary.

“We are delighted to welcome this stellar group to our board,” said Anne Olson, president of Buffalo Bayou Partnership. “Our new members bring a wealth of experience and strong interest for protecting, preserving and improving Buffalo Bayou.”

The 36-member board of directors also includes: Murad Ajani, C. Ronald Blankenship, Carolyn W. Dorros, Gaynell Floyd Drexler, Michael D. Fertitta, Cristina Garcia Gamboa, Stacey Gillman, Guy Hagstette, Samir Khushalani, Lisa Marshall, Ginni Mithoff, Christina Morales, Sara-Ashley Moreno, Judy Nyquist, David Ott, Jr., Alison Porter, Winifred Riser, Shannon B. Sasser, Carson Trapnell Seeligson, Christof Spieler, Karl S. Stern, Saul Valentin, Anne Whitlock, and Renee Wizig-Barrios. Chair Emeritus members include Chuck Carlberg, Brady F. Carruth, Collin J. Cox, Thomas Fish, Mike Garver, Sis Johnson, Susan Keeton and Bob Phillips.

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Created in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. For more information, visitwww.buffalobayou.org.

Dec 07

High Line Network Joint Art Initiative New Monuments For New Cities

Media Contact
Trudi Smith
BBP, Director of PR and Events
tsmith@buffalobayou.org
713.752.0314 x103

Five cities imagine new monuments
February – September 2019

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (December 4, 2018) — New Monuments for New Cities, A Buffalo Bayou Partnership and High Line Network Public Art Project, is a new collaboration between industrial reuse projects in North America. New Monuments for New Cities is a public art exhibition that will travel across the United States and Canada throughout 2019. Five urban reuse projects, which are part of the High Line Network, invited five of their local artists or artist groups to create proposals (that can take the form of posters, video projections, etc.) for new monuments. Each participating location will produce an exhibition of the 25 artworks, specific to their site.

Participating sites include:

• Buffalo Bayou, Houston, Texas; February – April, 2019
• Waller Creek, Austin, Texas; March – May, 2019
• The 606, Chicago, Illinois; May – July, 2019
• The Bentway, Toronto, Ontario; May – August, 2019
• The High Line, New York, New York; September – October, 2019

Participating artists include: Houston, TX – Regina Agu, Jamal Cyrus, Sin Huellas artists: Delilah Montoya and Jimmy Castillo, Phillip Pyle, II, Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin; Austin, TX – Nicole Awai, Daniela Cavazos Madrigal, Teruko Nimura and Rachel Alex Crist, Denise Prince, Vincent Valdez; Chicago, IL – Eric J. García, Tonika Johnson, Chris Pappan, Richard Santiago (TIAGO), Zissou Tasseff-Elenkoff; Toronto, Canada – Susan Blight, Coco Guzman, Life of a Craphead (Amy Lam and Jon McCurley), An Te Liu, Quentin VerCetty; New York, NY – Judith Bernstein, Guerrilla Girls, Hans Haacke, Paul Ramírez Jonas, and Xaviera Simmons.

“As memorials to the deeply imbalanced history of the Western world are being torn down, the current moment demands critical thought and creativity about the monuments that adorn our cities. These proposals from today’s artists offer an inspiring range of vision for how we might eternalize this point in society’s progress,” says Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director & Chief Curator of High Line Art.

New Monuments for New Cities begins with Houston in February and ends its run on the High Line in the fall of 2019, coinciding with the annual convening of the High Line Network. This fifth assembly of the High Line Network will be its first public symposium, to be held in New York City, and will bring together experts, practitioners, and leaders from across North America working to expand the developing field of infrastructure reuse.

“New Monuments for New Cities is an exciting opportunity for different communities to share ideas about activating public space with art, taking insights specific to each location and finding common themes around monumentality and legacy that resonate on an international level,” says Ana C. Traverso-Krejcarek, Manager of the High Line Network. “The eclectic mix of proposals developed by the artists selected reflect the social and political hallmarks that make each city’s heart beat.”

Local supporters of New Monuments for New Cities at Buffalo Bayou, Houston, include East River, a Midway development and Susan Vaughan Foundation.

What Should Monuments Look Like Now? 25 Artworks Reveal Some Ideas

by The New York Times

“[A] part,” a poster design by Sun Huelllas Artists: Delilah Montoya and Jimmy Castillo

“[A] part” is a monument to the families holding steady as they are pulled apart. Sun Huellas is composed of Mexican, Chicana/o, and American participants formed to reveal issues of borders, migration, detention, and deportation in the United States.
The work is for a project called New Monuments for New Cities by the nonprofit Friends of the High Line. It is a public art exhibition in which artists were asked to imagine new monuments. Their designs, on posters or on renderings that will be projected, will travel to five cities in the United States and Canada next year, to be displayed in industrial reuse spaces, beginning inBuffalo Bayou in Houston in February, and ending on the High Line in New York in October.

Read Full Article

ABOUT HIGH LINE NETWORK
Presented by Friends of the High Line, the High Line Network is a group of industrial reuse projects—and the people who help them come to life. As cities become denser and land for traditional parks becomes scarce, citizens are finding creative ways to bring greenspace to their neighborhoods. Projects in the High Line Network transform underutilized infrastructure into new urban landscapes. Redefining what a park can be, these hybrid spaces are also public squares, open-air museums, botanical gardens, social service organizations, walkways, transit corridors, and more.

The High Line Network is made possible by the founding support of The JPB Foundation.

ABOUT HIGH LINE ART
Presented by Friends of the High Line, High Line Art commissions and produces public art projects on and around the High Line. Founded in 2009, High Line Art presents a wide array of artwork including site-specific commissions, exhibitions, performances, video programs, and a series of billboard interventions. Led by Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director & Chief Curator of High Line Art, and produced by Friends of the High Line, High Line Art invites artists to think of creative ways to engage with the unique architecture, history, and design of the High Line, and to foster a productive dialogue with the surrounding neighborhood and urban landscape.

Lead support for High Line Art comes from Amanda and Don Mullen. Major support for High Line Art is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc. of Houston, and the Charina Endowment Fund. High Line Art is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, under the leadership of Speaker Corey Johnson.

For further information on High Line Art, please visit thehighline.org/art.

ABOUT BUFFALO BAYOU
Established in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the Houston nonprofit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, the city’s most significant natural resource. Thanks to the generous support of foundations, corporations, individuals, and government agencies, BBP has raised and leveraged more than $150 million for the redevelopment and stewardship of the waterfront. The organization develops award-winning projects such as the $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park, protects land for future parks, constructs hiking and biking trails, and operates comprehensive clean-up and maintenance programs. BBP also seeks ways to activate Buffalo Bayou through pedestrian, boating, and biking amenities, volunteer activities, permanent and temporary art installations, and wide-ranging tours and events.

* * *

Aug 29

One Year Later: Reflecting on Hurricane Harvey

Dear Buffalo Bayou Partnership Friends:

It has been over a year since Hurricane Harvey touched down and hovered over Houston for several long days. While Buffalo Bayou was greatly impacted by the historic flooding, with a record 39 feet at the Shepherd Drive Bridge, the waterway has made a dramatic comeback. Please know Buffalo Bayou Partnership will continue its mission of transforming and revitalizing Houston’s most significant natural resource. Please watch this video of our post-Harvey clean-up efforts.

Thanks to our dedicated staff, thousands of committed volunteers and many generous donors, tremendous progress has been made. Please know that our recovery work continues. To learn more about lending a hand, please visit buffalobayou.org/get-involved.

Jul 24

Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Q&A with Wildlife Biologist Diana Foss

Questions answered by Diana Foss, Wildlife Biologist for the Urban Wildlife Technical Guidance Program at Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Question: Does Buffalo Bayou use a researcher or research firm to quantify the bat colony and birth seasons?

Answer: I have been researching and managing the Waugh Bat colony since 2003, working with staff from the City of Houston Parks and Rec Dept. and then Buffalo Bayou Partnership when they began managing Buffalo Bayou Park.

I work with a very dedicated and skilled group of trained volunteers, The Houston Area Bat Team, to continue that bat management and research. Our team has several partners – Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept, Bat Conservation International, The Houston Zoo, Houston Parks Board, and Texas Master Naturalist Program (3 chapters).

Early on in 2005, we began conducting crevice counts (estimates of the number of bats residing in the crevice space). Pre-Harvey, that number was 300,000 bats. Because the City of Houston was planning to promote the bat-watching opportunities at Waugh, we wanted to learn everything we could about this bat colony, including bat behavior, seasonal changes, and nightly emergence behavior, to make sure we didn’t impact the bats with our public viewing efforts. During our research, we observed pups (baby bats) in the bridge crevices, so we dedicated considerable time and effort to document seasonal bat activities and timelines. For example, the pups are born at Waugh starting the end of May through June. Each female Mexican free-tailed bat gives birth to just one pup per year – all during this time. The oldest pups begin practice flying during the first week in July. All of the pups are flying by the end of August.

Question: Is the colony expected to return to more than 300,000 bats? Do you think this will happen in 2018?

Answer: I have been amazed by how quickly the bats have returned to Waugh bridge after Harvey’s impacts. In talking to residents who live near Waugh bridge, and listening to what they observed during Harvey, I believe more bats managed to escape the flooding than we originally thought. The population now, with some of the pups flying, is 200,000 or more. So it won’t take much time for the population to reach pre-Harvey numbers. The emergences this month have been really spectacular. By summer 2019, I predict the population at Waugh will be back to pre-Harvey estimates…as long as we do not experience another Harvey in the meantime.

Question: What is it about Waugh Bridge that attracts so many bats?

Answer: The Mexican free-tailed bats choose Waugh bridge due to its structure, location, and warmth. The bridge beams underneath are installed one next to the other, with narrow crevices in between. The crevices are where the bats roost, hanging by their toes from the concrete crevice sides. The concrete holds warmth. When the pups are born, they are hairless – just tiny pink babies, like a human baby. They rely on body heat AND the concrete heat to keep them warm until they can grow fur. The bridge is located over water. The water cools the air in the summer, retains heat in the winter, and provides water and insects for the bats. [These bats eat an estimated 3 tons of insects each night.] Houston’s bayous are beautiful and full of life – for all kinds of wildlife, both large and small.

A few other interesting bits of information:

Because Houston and Waugh bridge stay somewhat warm in the winter, there is a population of Mexican free-tailed bats that live in Waugh through the winter. We don’t know if the ‘winter’ bats are the same individuals as the ‘summer’ bats. Each bat eats enormous amounts of insects and stores fat all through the spring and summer. When the temperatures get too cold, below 50 degrees F, the bats remain up in the smallest crevices and live off their stored body fat. But if we get warm weeks in winter, with insect activity, then the bats emerge and fly. So Waugh bridge is a year-round bat-watching opportunity, depending on the winter temperatures.

Waugh bridge bat colony attracts visitors from all over the world. The Houston Area Bat Team gives Friday Night “Bat Chats” down at Waugh Bridge 30 minutes before sunset on Friday nights (starting first Friday in March through last Friday in October). The bat emergence usually begins around sunset. We usually gather at the southeast corner of Waugh Drive @ Allen Parkway. There is a bat viewing platform there.

Watch the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony emerge every evening, all year round, 15-30 minutes before sunset.

Jul 24

Banking on Buffalo Bayou – Summer 2018

Dear Friends:

Buffalo Bayou offers a host of recreational opportunities. From jogging and biking to canoeing and kayaking, it’s the place to head for fitness and fun. It’s also the spot to experience cultural activities. In May, we hosted the Bayou City Music Series with a concert on The Brown Foundation Lawn at The Water Works. Sponsored by the Kinder Foundation, the event is part of an on-going series of concerts also taking place at Discovery Green and Emancipation Park. Be on the lookout for the fall lineup.

Visitors are flocking to the Cistern, the underground former City water reservoir, where we are exhibiting internationally recognized Carlos Cruz-Diez’s Spatial Chromointerference, a projection of continuously moving color images on the Cistern’s 221 columns, walls, and cubes floating on the shallow pool of water on the reservoir’s floor. You won’t want to miss this amazing installation which will be open through the end of the year.

To ensure Houstonians not only visit Buffalo Bayou Park but other sites along Buffalo Bayou, BBP is working on several trail projects and a major planning effort along the waterway’s east sector. It is exciting for us to be making considerable progress in achieving our ultimate goal of transforming parks, trails and green spaces from Buffalo Bayou Park all the way to the Port of Houston Turning Basin.

Summer is a time to travel and for those of you who will have friends and family visiting, we hope you will stop by Buffalo Bayou. Whether it’s renting a bike, getting a bite to eat at The Kitchen at The Dunlavy or traversing trails all along the waterway, we promise you will see Houston from a unique perspective.

Enjoy your summer wherever your travels take you!

Sincerely,

Tom Fish Anne Olson
Board Chair President

Trail Design and Construction Underway

Planned Buffalo Bayou downtown trail

Design of important trails in the downtown area is underway. Extending from Fannin Street all the way to McKee Street on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou, there are three separate projects being coordinated by BBP and the Houston Parks Board. The western most trail will be constructed in the lower floors of two Harris County buildings and on a property owned by Harris County Flood Control District. This portion will link up with a trail segment on what is now a parking lot at the corner of Austin and Commerce streets. From here, the trail alignment heads east where it will be constructed on property owned by CenterPoint Energy. It is expected that this trail will be completed by the end of the year, with the other two segments constructed in 2020.

East of downtown and US 59/69, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recently broke ground on a trail that extends across the Houston Housing Authority’s Clayton Homes property. The $3.7 million project is a key missing link that will tie the trails described above to existing trails east all the way to Lockwood Drive. In addition to the trail, the project includes a pedestrian bridge that will link the north and south banks of Buffalo Bayou. A federal grant and $500,000 in private funds raised by BBP are making the project possible. Expect a ribbon cutting in early 2019.

Pedestrian bridge under construction

BBP’s East Sector Master Plan Project Progressing

BBP’s east sector master planning project has been gaining steam after taking a break for several months due to Hurricane Harvey. Extending east from McKee Street to the Port of Houston Turning Basin, the plan seeks to establish a pioneering precedent where parks and trails can be a catalyst for inclusive growth and community development. In late winter and early spring, more than 400 people attended East End and Fifth Ward neighborhood meetings where they provided their input for reinvigorating the waterfront.

“The number one issue that residents raised is the lack of connectivity to neighborhoods north and south of Buffalo Bayou,” says Anne Olson, BBP President. “A major goal of the plan is to create ‘green fingers’ to link neighborhood parks and other community destinations to the waterway.”

Other notable ideas expressed by meeting attendees include:

Gathering Spaces – From small family picnics to large outdoor festivals and concerts
Recreational Activities – Soccer fields, skate parks, children’s play areas and workout facilities
Water Access – Canoe and kayak launches, boat rentals and water taxis
Public Art – Murals, sculptures and art incorporated into signage, benches and other amenities
Neighborhood Preservation and Culture – Affordable and mixed-income housing and events highlighting East End and Fifth Ward culture and history

With the input received at February’s gatherings, BBP’s consultants developed an area-wide plan draft that was shared at an April community meeting.

“We’ve been gratified by the community’s excitement and enthusiasm,” says Bo Fraga, BBP East Sector Committee Co-chair. “I think residents feel their ideas and concerns are being heard and this is critical to a successful plan.”

Neighborhood residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide additional input at another meeting to be held in early fall.

View Community Meeting Presentations and Read Notes

BBP Participates in Headwaters to Baywaters Project

BBP and four other environmental groups have joined together in the project Headwaters to Baywaters. The coalition, which also includes Bayou Land Conservancy, Galveston Bay Foundation, Houston Audubon Society and Katy Prairie Conservancy, will be working on a study to protect riparian corridors within the multiple watersheds that feed into Galveston Bay. With funding from Houston Endowment and the Kinder Foundation, a comprehensive study will be conducted to accomplish the following:

Complete a literature-based and science-based study to better understand riparian systems and the ecological, economic and social benefits they provide to the region
Identify tracts that should be preserved and those that have the potential to contribute to water quality improvements
Develop a coordinated approach for land acquisition
Create a funding toolkit and implementation strategy for land conservation
Develop a communications plan to educate the public about the benefits of protecting riparian lands

To carry out the initial study, the coalition will be working with the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and the National Trust for Public Land (TPL). The second phase of the Headwaters to Baywaters initiative will be raising funds and purchasing riparian lands.

“All of the organizations realize that we can achieve greater results by working together,” says Mary Anne Piacentini, Katy Prairie Conservancy President and the driving force behind the collaborative initiative. “We feel this project can serve as a model for economic sustainability and have regional and national significance.”

Strategic Planning Underway

BBP has been working on a strategic planning effort this year. The organization has accomplished an incredible amount of work over the past five years and it was time to once again create a roadmap for the future. As part of the process, half-day retreats, facilitated by consultants, were held both for board and staff.

“We have matured significantly as an organization and we find ourselves taking on roles that we were not responsible for in the past. Due to this transition, it’s been important for us to look at our staff structure, programming, fundraising and a myriad of other areas,” says Tom Fish, BBP Board Chair.

Although the issues and topics discussed at the retreats were quite broad, the following areas were seen as having a higher degree of importance:

Maintenance: The board and staff see maintenance as a very high priority, especially in light of continuing climate change and the likely occurrence of future flooding events. Sustainable and resilient design is a must as we continue to develop parks and trails along the waterway.
Visitor Experience: Operating Buffalo Bayou Park, and owning the historic Sunset Coffee Building and unique destinations along the bayou’s east sector, provide BBP the opportunity to create an exciting and innovative visitor experience program. Whether it’s additional canoeing and kayaking or even water taxis, boating will be a strong focus as BBP moves forward.
Organizational Capacity: Due to the organization’s many achievements towards fulfilling its mission, there is a need for increased administrative support and staff training to acquire new skills.
Funding: While BBP has a strong donor base and wide community support, new sources of funding and revenue streams will be needed in the years ahead. Strong public-private partnerships will continue to be critical to BBP’s success.

To move the strategic planning process forward, BBP’s board committees are now developing five-year goals, deliverables, and outcomes. The final plan should be completed by year’s end.

May 01

Buffalo Bayou Hurricane Harvey Update – Spring 2018

Dear Friends:

Spring is here! If you are like me, it’s time to clean your closet, prune plants in your garden, and get out and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Here at Buffalo Bayou Partnership, we’ve been spring cleaning and enjoying the weather too!! In addition to doing regular seasonal chores, our team continues to clean up after Hurricane Harvey.

Sediment Removal
Our sincerest thanks to the Kinder Foundation for its generous commitment to support the removal of sediment in Buffalo Bayou Park. You probably still notice significant amounts of sediment at several park areas. Please know these will be removed by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). These sites are referred to as flood benches and were specially designed to collect large amounts of sediment that is annually removed by HCFCD.

On-Water Cleanup
Our Field Operations crew has been hard at work removing debris, plastic bags and trash from the waterway. However, recent cleanup efforts have been hampered by periodic low water levels. HCFCD also has a crew removing major logjams along Buffalo Bayou.

Johnny Steele Dog Park Renovation
After careful consideration, we are making changes to the Johnny Steele Dog Park to improve maintenance operations and the park’s functionality. We are confident that the renovated dog park will continue to be a place for dogs and their owners to enjoy. Among the changes being made are:

Large Dog Park Area: Pond removal, lawn expansion and entry portal expansion
Small Dog Park Area: Pond incorporated into large dog park area, new seating wall at edge of pond, lawn expansion, and new entry

We expect the work to be completed by early summer. We appreciate your continued patience.

Tree and Garden Planting
Hurricane Harvey left behind approximately 400 dead trees. Special thanks goes out to the team at Trees for Houston who have stepped up to partner with us, providing new trees, mulch, and much needed volunteers.

We hope you have been enjoying the many colorful wildflowers blooming throughout Buffalo Bayou Park. These and the prairie areas fared quite well during Harvey. However, we want to make sure these sites continue to thrive. In April, with funding and volunteer help from Anheuser-Busch and Silver Eagle Distributors, we installed prairie plants on the north bank near the Rosemont Bridge. Just east of the park along Sabine Promenade, a large garden area has been redesigned and replanted thanks to the generosity of the Four Seasons Hotel.

Over 45 Silver Eagle Distributors and Anheuser-Busch employees volunteered to
get their hands dirty and helped to restore a Buffalo Bayou Park meadow.

Trail Repairs
Our Buffalo Bayou Park team has been hard at work installing more than 500 tons of riprap and 150 tons of stabilized sand to repair numerous footpath segments. We also are currently realigning a footpath to merge with the multi-use trail just west of Tapley Tributary and repairing a major damaged area below the Lost Lake Visitor Center. In addition to this work, Harris County Flood Control District, after receiving federal funding, will be repairing major trail failures at the following locations: northside bank near the Rosemont Bridge, southside bank just below the Wortham Fountain, and southside bank just below the Beth Yeshurun Cemetery.

In downtown, there has been a major trail failure on the southside bank just below Milam Street that was caused by a water main break. The City is developing a plan for future repairs. East of downtown, there has been severe erosion with some banks eroding by 100 feet or more. A collapsed northside trail, just west of the Jensen Drive Bridge, has been barricaded off for safety.

Our Work Continues
Although Hurricane Harvey’s impact on Buffalo Bayou has been significant, we are very encouraged by Buffalo Bayou Park’s and other green spaces’ resiliency. Now that it is spring, grass is coming back, trees are budding out, and the light layers of sediment are disappearing. Visitors were enjoying Buffalo Bayou Park within days of Harvey and they continue to use the trails and green spaces in record numbers. Despite the incredible amount of time that we have been spending on cleanup, we have been able to resume our regular activities such as boat rides, walking tours and our annual Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta. We also still have plenty of volunteer opportunities. If you have a few hours to spare over the coming months, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Leticia Sierras at volunteer@buffalobayou.org.

All of us at BBP thank the Houston community and friends from far afield for all they have done to help Buffalo Bayou make a comeback. We are eternally grateful. Enjoy your spring out on Buffalo Bayou!

Sincerely,

Anne Olson
PresidentBuffalo Bayou Partnership is the non-profit organization revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource.
buffalobayou.org

Apr 11

Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact: Trudi Smith
713.752.0314 ext. 103
buffalobayou.org

Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference
Outstanding art program for Houston’s historic reservoir continues
Opens to the public – Saturday, May 12, 2018

HOUSTON – April 11, 2018 – Building on the success of its inaugural art installation, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is proud and honored to present a unique site-specific environment by world-renowned artist Carlos Cruz-Diez in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, a 1926 underground city reservoir that BBP restored, repurposed and revealed in 2016. Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference will open to the public on Saturday, May 12, 2018.

The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, a structure reminiscent of the ancient Roman cisterns in Istanbul, is a cavernous, 87,500-square-foot-space featuring more than 200 slender, 25-foot high concrete columns. BBP re-discovered the Cistern in 2010 when it was developing the $58-million Buffalo Bayou Park project, a 160-acre green space west of downtown Houston. Recognizing the significance of the highly unusual site, BBP took a bold step to repurpose the Cistern into a magnificent public space. In addition to tours highlighting the history and architecture of the Cistern, BBP presents an ambitious program of changing art installations in this iconic space. BBP opened the Cistern in 2016 and the inaugural art exhibition, Rain: Magdalena Fernández at the Houston Cistern, was on view from December 2016 to June 2017. Since opening, the Cistern has welcomed over 65,000 visitors.

For the second art installation in the Cistern, BBP commissioned pioneering artist Cruz-Diez to create the site-specific Spatial Chromointerference. Considered to be one of the fathers and greatest figures of Kinetic and Optical art, Cruz-Diez’s wide-ranging body of work includes unconventional color structures, light environments, street interventions, architectural integration projects and experimental works.

“When Carlos Cruz-Diez expressed interest in working in the Cistern, we were not only honored but thrilled about the possibility of bringing his mastery of color and movement into this industrial space. The artist, the entire Atelier Cruz-Diez team and Sicardi Gallery have all been incredibly generous with their time and resources to realize this truly immersive experience that will be unique to the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern,” says Judy Nyquist, BBP Board Member and Co-Chair of the organization’s Public Art Committee.

Cruz-Diez’s Spatial Chromointerference (1974/2018) creates a situation in space involving the dematerialization, transfiguration, and ambiguity of color through movement. By projecting moving chromatic interference modules on objects and people, these become transparent and virtually change condition and form. The spectator becomes both actor and author of a complete chromatic event, which evolves through space.

For the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, Cruz-Diez conceived an ephemeral and participatory work integrated into the architecture of the urban space, the objective being to radically change the experience of color. Thirty-two projectors will be placed in the Cistern to project moving lattices of light on the columns, interior walls, walkways and on cubes floating in the shallow pool of water on the Cistern floor. This aerial projection, reinforced by its reflection on the water, will create a space where everything loses its materiality. Color becomes not merely a visual object to see but a space to be experienced.

“With this presentation of Carlos Cruz-Diez’s outstanding work, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is solidifying a robust organizational infrastructure for the Cistern to sustain an on-going art program of global importance,” says BBP President Anne Olson

The Cistern’s distinctive architecture as well as its sheer size and raw interior, punctuated by a series of rhythmical columns, will make for an intriguing and interactive experience. Visitors to Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference will be encouraged to wear white or light colored clothing and will actively participate in viewing as the color changes creating a sensation of movement.

Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference (#CisterninColor)

On view from May 12, 2018 to January 13, 2019 at the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern located at 105 Sabine Street, Houston, Texas 77007. Open Wednesday through Friday from 3:30 to 6 PM; Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM.

Admission is $10 per person; $8 for Seniors (65+ with ID), Youth (9-17) and Students (18+ with ID). Admission is free on Thursdays. Please note that children under the age of 9 are not permitted in the Cistern. Visitors are encouraged to wear white or light colored clothing.

Timed tickets for Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern can be purchased at buffalobayou.org.

This exhibition is organized by Buffalo Bayou Partnership with major underwriting provided by Leslie and Brad Bucher.

Additional support provided by Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino. Project management by Weingarten Art Group.

Click here for images of Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern. Photo credit is as follows: Carlos Cruz-Diez at the Cistern: Spatial Chromointerference. © Carlos Cruz-Diez / ADAGP, Paris 2018. Photo by Paul Hester.

Talking Color: Celebrating Carlos Cruz-Diez in Houston
Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the University of Houston will co-host a public talk with Carlos Cruz-Diez, Jr., director of the Atelier Cruz-Diez Paris and son of the artist, and Mari Carmen Ramirez, Wortham Curator of Latin American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, on May 8, 2018 at 6 PM at the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion at the UH Library. The discussion will center on the Cistern presentation as well as the artist’s Double Physichromie on the UH campus.

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About Buffalo Bayou Partnership
Established in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. BBP’s geographic focus is the 10-square mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Drive to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. BBP has raised and leveraged more than $150 million for the redevelopment and stewardship of the waterfront – spearheading award-winning projects such as Sabine Promenade and Sesquicentennial Park, protecting land for future parks, constructing hike and bike trails, and operating comprehensive clean-up and maintenance programs. Buffalo Bayou Partnership also seeks ways to activate Buffalo Bayou through pedestrian, boating and biking amenities; volunteer activities; permanent and temporary art installations; and wide-ranging tours and events that attract thousands.

In 2015, BBP completed transformation of the 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park that lies west of downtown Houston. Enhancement of the park was a collaboration of BBP, the Kinder Foundation, the City of Houston through Houston Parks & Recreation Department and Harris County Flood Control District. Buffalo Bayou Park includes beautiful gardens and native landscaping; hike and bike trails; paddle craft and bike rentals; the go-to dog park in the city; nature play area; two visitor centers; the Cistern; and gathering places for visitors to picnic, relax and enjoy outdoor activities. Buffalo Bayou Partnership maintains and operates the park with annual funding provided by the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #3.

About Carlos Cruz-Diez:
The Franco-Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez (Caracas, 1923) has lived and worked in Paris since 1960 and is considered to be one of the greatest artistic innovators of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. He is a major protagonist in the field of Kinetic and Optical art, a movement that encourages “an awareness of the instability of reality.” He is a master of color and line, adept at creating fluid, participatory visual experiences.

Cruz-Diez’s visual art explores the perception of color as an autonomous reality evolving in space and time, unaided by form or support, in a perpetual present. His artworks are housed in prestigious permanent collections at institutions such as: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; Tate Modern, London; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne.

Mar 05

Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou

Activating and Connecting Six Sites along Buffalo Bayou in the East Sector

SATURDAY, April 7, 2018

WHAT:

Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) recently launched a major planning effort to bring a new network of waterfront parks and open spaces along Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector, stretching from US 59 to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. As part of the organization’s East Sector outreach, Buffalo Bayou Partnership is collaborating with students from the University of Houston Graphic Design and Creative Writing Programs to present Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou on Saturday, April 7^th.

This afternoon event features site-specific, text-based installations at six locations along Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector. Using the sites as inspiration and vehicles for content, the students created large scale typographic/text based messages/stories that activate and animate. The installations express interpretations of the history, economy, resilience, culture and community values of the East Sector neighborhoods as they relate to the bayou and green spaces.

The public is invited to take self-guided tours of the installations and share ideas and opinions related to Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s future plans along the Bayou’s East Sector. Participatory activities ranging from nature walks to boat tours will be offered at the sites and live entertainment and food trucks will be located at the North York Boat Launch site.

This event is made possible in part through the City’s Initiative Grant Program of the Houston Arts Alliance. Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou is funded by the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts in the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts.

Visit buffalobayou.org for more information. View more photos here.

WHEN: Saturday, April 7, 2018

WHERE: Six locations along Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector:

Allen’s Landing – 1005 Commerce Street, Houston, TX 77002
Gravel Silos – 507 N. Nagle Street, Houston, TX 77003
Japhet Creek – 4600 Clinton Drive (at Emile Street), Houston TX 77020
BBP Field Office – 723 N. Drennan Street, Houston, TX 77003

Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park – 2300 S. Sgt Macario Garcia Drive, Houston TX 77011

North York Boat Launch – 808 N. York Street, Houston, TX 77003

*Entertainment and food trucks

COST: FREE (food and drinks for sale at the North York location)

TIME: 1-4pm

WHAT ELSE:

Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s goal for this planning project is to reclaim the waterfront for East Sector residents and create green spaces that will catalyze the equitable revitalization of their communities.

BBP is developing a plan that is based on:

Authenticity – Creating unique park spaces that reflect the cultural and industrial legacy of the East Sector
Connectivity – Rethinking how parks and neighborhoods interact by activating the waterfront and connecting it to surrounding neighborhoods
Inclusivity – Establishing a pioneering precedent where green space can catalyze equitable communities
Resiliency – Providing a sustainable waterfront model by limiting environmental or man-made risks while allowing them to adapt in an ever-changing city.

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About Buffalo Bayou Partnership

Established in 1986, Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) is the non-profit organization transforming and revitalizing Buffalo Bayou, Houston’s most significant natural resource. BBP’s geographic focus is the 10-square mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Drive to the Port of Houston Turning Basin. Thanks to the generous support of foundations, corporations, individuals and government agencies, BBP has raised and leveraged more than $150 million for the redevelopment and stewardship of the waterfront – spearheading award-winning projects such as Sabine Promenade and Sesquicentennial Park, protecting land for future parks, constructing hike and bike trails, and operating comprehensive clean-up and maintenance programs. BBP recently completed the $58 million Buffalo Bayou Park project that includes major destinations, natural landscaping, footpaths, trail lighting, water features and pedestrian bridges. Buffalo Bayou Partnership maintains and operates Buffalo Bayou Park, with annual funding provided by the Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #3. Buffalo Bayou Partnership also seeks ways to activate Buffalo Bayou through pedestrian, boating and biking amenities; volunteer activities; permanent and temporary art installations; and wide-ranging tours and events that attract thousands. For more information, please visit www.buffalobayou.org.

For press inquiries, email Karen Farber, BBP VP of External Affairs, or call 713.752.0314 ext. 353.

News Coverage

2021 Was . . . ? These Works of Art Help Make Sense of It. Texas Monthly, December 22, 2021
Six Art Galleries in Unexpected Places Smithsonian Magazine, December 15, 2021
Houston's best runs: 8 beautiful places to get fit and enjoy nature Houston Chronicle, December 9, 2021
Single for the holidays? Celebrate in style at these 13 Houston events Houston Chronicle, December 3, 2021
Texas bats eat thousands of pounds of insects nightly Victoria Advocate, November 18, 2021
These Simple Design Schemes Can Help Combat Climate Change for Coastal Cities Architectural Digest, November 18, 2021
On Crisp Fall Night, Friends of Buffalo Bayou Gather Outdoors to Toast Riverside Development Houston City Book, November 16, 2021
Protecting Houston’s Historic Waterways — Buffalo Bayou Partnership Parties Through the Cold Paper City, November 8, 2021
Underwater Works YOLO TV, October 8, 2021
We’re Going Batty: Bat-Watching in the Bayou City The Buzz, October 7, 2021

Light Up the Night Along Buffalo Bayou East March 15, 2022
Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s Time No Longer Wins International Art Award September 22, 2021
Three Houston Parks Team Up to Celebrate the Legacy of Jazz in Houston with Free Concerts and a Series Spectacular Featuring Mavis Staples August 6, 2021
Houston Endowment Awards Buffalo Bayou Partnership $10M Grant December 9, 2020
Immersive Installation by Anri Sala in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern November 23, 2020
Houston Celebrates Texas Arbor Day by planting 600 trees at Buffalo Bend Nature Center November 10, 2020
Carmen Herrera: Estructuras Monumentales (En Español) September 28, 2020
A “musical scavenger hunt” with ROCO and Buffalo Bayou Partnership September 21, 2020
Artful Anniversary: A series of virtual and visual arts events through the month of October to celebrate 5 Years of Buffalo Bayou Park September 10, 2020
Carmen Herrera: Estructuras Monumentales September 3, 2020

Buffalo Bayou eNewsletter - May 2022 May 4, 2022
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Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Summer 2021 June 2021
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Banking on Buffalo Bayou - Spring 2019 May 2019
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