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. 

In this episode of the Greater Houston Partnership's Rise to the Top podcast, we speak with Aundrea Young, President and Chief Executive Officer of Competitive Choice.  Host and Partnership Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Katie Pryor talks with Aundrea about how cultivating relationships has been central to her resilience and leadership style.  Launched in 2021, the Greater Houston Partnership's Rise to the Top podcast aims to amplify the insight of accomplished female leaders in the Houston region. Learn more about the Partnership's female-focused business resource groups Executive Women's Partnership and Women on the Rise.