It is adjacent to North Velasco Street and lies just north of a major east-west thoroughfare, Navigation Boulevard. It is only a mile east of Houston’s downtown core and the Central Business District. A key future development in close proximity to the site is the Buffalo Bayou East Masterplan, a waterfront revitalization plan comprised of multimodal connections, small-scale parks and open spaces that will tie the larger destinations together to create a cohesive network of green spaces and attractions that will reinvigorate Buffalo Bayou East. The site has the potential to be aligned and well-integrated with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s Buffalo Bayou East Masterplan as an integral part in creating a safe, sustainable, and resilient waterfront. 

The City sees this competition as an excellent opportunity for private actors to help the city develop climate action innovation, specifically in the field of storm and flood resilient infrastructure and buildings. Teams should explore solutions within the new energy economy area such as the provision of lab spaces and energy transition workforce development centers.

Expected Land Use:

Houston is a city that is on a growth path. There has been a trend of densification inside the IH 610 loop. There are no specific zoning requirements in relation to the development of this site. However, constraints due to the former use of the site as an incinerator/landfill, contamination and possible pollution risks will need to be carefully examined. 

The City of Houston believes the site to be an optimal location for context sensitive design and development that could help improve local environmental quality, provide mixed use development options including housing, retail and co-working spaces, neighborhood amenities such as parks, open spaces, bike and pedestrian infrastructure to improve access and connectivity to highlight the city’s sustainability efforts within a highly visible location. 

Type of Property transfer intended: 
Lease or possibility of other types of agreements.