Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park is undergoing a transformative expansion. In 2019, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BPP) unveiled the Buffalo Bayou East 10-Year Master Plan, a project to extend the park into the East End and Fifth Ward neighborhoods. Supported by a $310 million investment, including $100 million from the Kinder Foundation, the plan aims to create a vibrant community hub and cultural destination through major infrastructure improvements and the addition of new parks, green spaces and amenities.  Bringing the Vision to Life  Click to expand Five years later, the vision for Buffalo Bayou East is becoming a reality. The new Japhet Creek Park opened to the public in September, featuring a new entry plaza, scenic trails and native plantings. Future development will add a pedestrian bridge connecting the park to Tony Marron Park on the south side and a new trail along the creek, enhancing public access to the waterfront.  Click to expand Another milestone is the completion of Lockwood on Buffalo Bayou, the area’s first affordable housing development, introduced this summer. This low-rise, multi-family building includes 80 apartments and sits along the south bank of Buffalo Bayou. Plans are underway to link Lockwood to Tony Marron Park via an improved hike-and-bike trail and Marron Park Way, a new road extending from Lockwood Drive to N. York Street. The building will also be adjacent to the future Lockwood Park.  Meanwhile, progress is underway on another key component of the master plan: Turkey Bend. According to a recent progress report from BBP, construction has begun on the former barge terminal along Navigation Boulevard. The site, featuring multiple warehouses and a historic wharf, is being transformed into a recreational destination for community events and gatherings.  Click to expand Plans for the redevelopment include converting a warehouse on Navigation Boulevard into a community retail space, which will also house the Houston Public Library’s Hispanic History Research Center. The historic wharf will be redesigned as a waterfront park with open gathering spaces and direct access to activities such as canoeing, kayaking and boat tours. A large outdoor plaza, called the Breezeway, will connect to the waterfront through a revitalized tunnel showcasing existing street art.  Future Development  Click to expand A cornerstone of the project is the revitalization and expansion of Tony Marron Park. The plan will nearly double the park’s size, growing it from 19 acres to 40. As a central connector for Buffalo Bayou East, the park will feature expansive lawns, civic spaces with soccer fields and public art, a play area tailored for various age groups, an interactive water playscape and a barbecue pavilion with a picnic grove.   Additional enhancements include an event shed and a maintenance facility to support BBP’s waterway cleanup operations and park management for Buffalo Bayou East. The park is slated to close in January 2025 for construction.  Discover more about Buffalo Bayou East. 

Houston is undergoing a transformative wave of redevelopment, driven by the efforts of local organizations and developers to enhance the city’s quality of life and urban landscape.   A Downtown Transformation  Click to expand GreenStreet, the four-block mixed-use district in downtown managed by Texas-based real estate firm Rebees, is slated for a multimillion-dollar makeover. Already home to popular destinations such as House of Blues and The Laura Hotel, this renovation project will further enhance its appeal, positioning it as a premier destination for residents and visitors.  Planned updates include converting the former Forever 21 building into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly alleyway filled with dining, retail and nightlife attractions. Additional enhancements feature the installation of rooftop solar panels, improved landscaping with lush gardens and upgraded office spaces with multi-level amenities. Phase one of construction is expected to commence in Q1 2025 and be completed by Q3.  “The readaptation of GreenStreet will create a new model for urban space in Downtown Houston,” said Mark Motonaga, Creative Director and Partner, RIOS, the design firm leading the project, in a statement. “Our vision draws inspiration from Houston’s diverse culture and seamlessly blends nature, sustainability, and architecture to create a new urban streetscape experience that unfolds across three distinct blocks and builds toward a central hub of activity connecting people at the ground level.”  Breathing New Life into Baytown  Click to expand In Baytown, Fidelis Realty Partners recently broke ground on the redevelopment of the former San Jacinto Mall, which closed its doors in 2022. The 105-acre project, dubbed San Jacinto Marketplace, will include 500,000 square feet of retail and dining space, complemented by a public green space known as Pelican Green, designed for community gatherings and events. Pedestrian walkways will also be constructed to connect key areas throughout the marketplace, enhancing accessibility and walkability.  According to the Houston Business Journal, phase one of the project is expected to be completed by 2026, while phase two, which includes the development of multifamily, hotel and office space, is still in the planning stages.  Walkable District in Westchase  Click to expand Meanwhile, Johnson Development has unveiled plans to transform the former Halliburton campus in the Westchase District into Park Eight Place, a walkable, 70-acre mixed-use destination. The $1 billion project will feature a mix of residential, retail, hotel and office space with access to nature and recreational amenities in the adjacent 200-acre Arthur Storey Park.   Park Eight Place is set to become Houston’s first developer-initiated Walkable Place, a designation granted by the Houston City Council to promote pedestrian-friendly urban development. This designation allowed Johnson Development to secure additional land for the project. Construction on roads and utilities is scheduled to begin next year.  “This is a prime location that is just about 15 minutes from anywhere you want to go in Houston,” said Charles Lusk, General Manager of Park Eight Place, in a statement. “But within Park Eight Place, you will find everything you need and all within a five- to eight-minute walk from your door. Park Eight Place will emerge as a vibrant urban village where health, connection, sustainability and convenience converge.”  Learn more about living in Houston.