The forest of columns behind the newly planted trees above are most of what’s left of the original central plaza structure in Second Ward’s Guadalupe Plaza Park, which the Greater East End Management District says will reopen on July 30th as several years of de- and re-construction work are wrapped up. The 1980s park now caps the western end of the previously redone Navigation Blvd. esplanade, and a landscaped sidewalk now connects the park to Buffalo Bayou at the crossing of Jensen Rd. (right across from the 136-acre KBR campus recently purchased by mixed-use developer Midway).
Here’s the view looking south along the walkway toward the main square from alongside cultural center Talento Bilingue, which the management district says won’t be knocked down until funding is in place to rebuild it:Â
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That assurance comes from a previous district Q&A piece explicitly published to counter community opposition to the project, particularly following a 2014 LULAC-backed press conference lead by since-deceased community activist Yolanda Black Navarro (whose name will replace Stonewall Jackson’s on the middle school at 5100 Polk St. as part of HISD’s ousting of Confederate sympathizers).
The walkway connects all the way to the expanding Buffalo Bayou hike and bike trail; here’s a view from the trail looking south over the Marquis Downtown Lofts that moved into the former city-backed El Mercado del Sol retail building, and the Perry Homes townhomes that moved in to its parking lot:
Here’s another view of the main plaza, looking northwest across the park. The matching column structure previously defining the Runnels St. end of the raised square has been removed, and much of the original hardscaping has been swapped out for grass or planted trees. The main square is now open to the south and includes a splashpad:
Here’s the central structure looking southwest from Jensen, across the landscaped walkway:
And here’s a peek inside:
- Community Invited to Celebrate Guadalupe Plaza Park Opening July 30! [GEEMD]
- The Greater East End Management District Responds to Unfounded Allegations [GEEMD]
- Development Divide: Long-Time Residents Of Houston’s East End Fear Loss Of Latino Culture [Houston Public Media]
Photos: Jose Monterrosa
i love that the East End has committed to making this green space a better place for events and families…. That being said, i jog by here and there are a lot of homeless people that come from downtown for free handouts right across the street from here. How long until this becomes the new homeless crash pad / wash station?
Looks like pavement overkill. That side by side sidewalk is ridiculous. If Houston would stop cutting down trees in public places and right of ways and let them mature, their shade would counter all this super hot pavement. Duh!
There is no doubt that once open it will serve as another gathering spot for the homeless, as it was prior to being fenced off for construction.
Guadalupe Plaza Park is currently administered by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. There are no ongoing discussions with the City by the Greater East End Management District to take over the administration or to reconfigure the park’s layout. These discussions ended 3 years ago. Talento Bilingue’s position in the park is not under any discussion involving the Greater East End Management District.
TBH Cultural Arts & Education Center at 333 Jensen, is across the side street from Guadalupe Plaza and serves as a community hub for artistic expression and cultural awareness as well as a collaborator with other community based non profit organizations. TBH is here for the long haul and may well serve our community by managing the Guadalupe Park for the City of Houston Parks Department.