Buffalo Bayou Conceptual Master Plan
Houston
The Buffalo Bayou Partnershipis the nationally-recognized developer and operator of Houston’s celebrated 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park, which was completed in 2015 and has become one of the country’s great urban green spaces. The Partnership is seeking to extend the Buffalo Bayou greenway network along four miles of Buffalo Bayou waterfront east of Downtown Houston, catalyzing broader neighborhood revitalization for the Fifth Ward and Greater East End communities that primarily comprise the “East Sector.” Ken Greenberg is part of the team led by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates to undertake this planning effort. Thinking beyond park development this Master Plan will not only create great open spaces, but it will also reinvigorate the waterfront by encouraging a variety of new public and private active uses, and tying the park and new development closer to the surrounding neighborhoods they serve. As referenced in the RFQ, three key principles drive BBP’s vision: authenticity, connectivity and inclusiveness. It will guide future open space, infrastructure, and real estate investments by BBP, its public- and private-sector partners, and other community stakeholders. It will focus on physical planning and connectivity concepts for the waterfront and critical adjacent parcels, with close consideration of area-wide opportunities and challenges and the supportive actions required to fulfill the principles set forth by the partnership.