Memorial Park Makeover

In its current form, Memorial Park doesnt feel like 1,500 acres, planning consultants say. But it could, if a renewal-minded master plan under development successfully resolves natural and man-made barriers to a more cohesive, connected environment thats ecologically sound.

That a park divided cannot thrive was one of several messages about Memorial Parks future shared last week, at a public reveal of early design concepts. Technical experts from a range of specialties have teamed up to develop a long-term design proposal and strategy to restore, preserve and enhance the park experience for all Houstonians, not just those residing near it.

The planning phase is a third complete, too early to expect a final design for the parks renewal and management, consultants said. They did acknowledge how Houstons get er done tradition might find the timeline a bit confounding.

Still, the vision is sharpening its focus after a years worth of robust public input, park-related research, open houses, data gathering and analysis, interviews, digging (both literal and figurative), polling, workshops and outreach efforts, now assessed and considered.

Were listening...We really want to get this right for the city, landscape architect Thomas Woltz said. His award-winning firm, Nelson, Byrd Woltz, is spearheading a consortium of about 70 experts, most of them local, as they seek a healthy, sustainable future for the park.

The ongoing collaboration to plan, implement and, importantly, fund a new master plan teams up Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston Parks and Recreation and Uptown Houstons TIRZ. The latter has bankrolled many of the studies so far and plans to contribute $100 million to $150 million toward the projects implementation.

Preliminary findings and early design concepts floated at the meeting included one very ambitious one that would dramatically alter the landscape: a land bridge formed above an 800-ft. section of double tunnel accommodating Memorial Drive, which currently separates the parks northern and southern sections.

Renderings showed how new acreage atop the tunnels could support more prairie, ponds and pathways while reconnecting some of the parks fragmented sections. Its implementation would signify the park rising triumphantly over the road, Woltz said.

There are, however, other impediments to park connectivity.

Currently, the 1,500 acres fall into 24 segments formed over time by an assortment of infrastructure and concentrated pockets of designated activities. Woltz said a more integrated use of acreage and amenities would improve park use and enjoyment.

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Memorial Park Makeover