[Wattleigh]

Pierce Elevated Redevelopment / Possible 'Sky Park'

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...e-17742026.php

It’s not just McDonald's: Future Greyhound closure, proposed 'sky park' could transform Midtown

Marissa Luck,
Staff writer
Jan. 27, 2023
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023 9:47 a.m.

The now closed McDonald's in Midtown isn't the only parcel at play in the area that could – when combined with a major proposed "sky park’ – help to reshape the southern edge of downtown.

The Greyhound bus station next to McDonald’s in Midtown is expected to close next year, laying the groundwork for a potential redevelopment opportunity in an area on the cusp of a major transformation. The site is near where economic developers are pitching a proposed elevated park on top of a section of Interstate 45 slated to be abandoned if state officials can move forward with their massive overhaul of the highway.

The proposed sky park is steps away from the Greyhound bus station at 2121 Main Street. A spokesperson for Greyhound said the bus station is open and running now, but they acknowledged Greyhound is looking for a different site.

Greyhound’s leaseback ends in October 2024, according to real estate brokerage Cushman and Wakefield, which is marketing the 1.44-acre property for sale on behalf of Twenty Lake Holdings.

“Midtown has experienced a continued transformation which will be amplified by the transition from the Greyhound Bus Station to its future use,” said Kristen McDade of Cushman and Wakefield, in a statement. “This redevelopment opportunity will completely change the face of Midtown and should directly impact the quality of day-to-day living in this area.”

Renderings from article

A rendering of what amenities could look like on Pierce Elevated if it were to be converted into an elevated sky park, a proposal that is gaining more traction as Texas Department of Transportation is inching closer to moving forward with its massive overhaul of Interstate. The rendering shows Pierce Elevated with a view of the METRO Transit Center in south downtown.

SWA Group for Central Houston, Inc.

Central Houston has proposed creating street scapes and amenities underneath the proposed sky park on Pierce Elevated too. This is a rendering of what potential street scape development could look like.

SWA Group for Central Houston, Inc.

Central Houston has proposed constructing greenspaces underneath portions of Pierce Elevated. This is a rendering of what an "understory park" could look like by the so-called "Four Corners" intersection of Interstate 69, Pierce Street and the current I-45 highway.

SWA Group for Central Houston, Inc.

A site plan showing what a proposed sky-park and associated green spaces could look like if the Pierce Elevated section of Interstate 45 was converted.

SWA Group for Central Houston, Inc.