Discovery Green has become one of the most popular destinations in downtown Houston and a highly regarded operating model for cities in the greater southwest region that are striving for similar downtown revitalization and economic stimulation. This development includes a high-end residential tower, an office development, and a new hotel built to support the influx of convention activity brought in by the park. Ultimately, ETM developed a comprehensive O+M Manual for the Conservancy, covering topics such as maintenance, programming, management/administration, and budgeting (please contact us for the full scope of the manual).Īs a highly successful public space model for other cities, the initial cost of land acquisition and construction for Discovery Green was estimated at $125 million however, the creation of the park has led to tremendous development in the downtown area that has more than compensated for the cost. The stage faces the Fondren Performance Space. The backdrop of the stage is a magnificent view of Houston’s downtown skyline. This also allowed the staff to develop a working relationship prior to park opening. The Anheuser-Busch Stage is a state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue, with audio and lighting systems designed to enhance the unique diversity of Houston’s performing and visual arts, as well as all musical genres. Additionally, ETM worked with the Conservancy to develop senior technical staff job descriptions and interviewed a pool of candidates for all key positions in order to ensure the Conservancy could transition from a development mode to an operating mode (which required different skill sets).ĮTM also oversaw the hiring of senior staff before construction was finished in order to provide proper planning for maintenance, operations, and special events, which enabled the Conservancy “to hit the ground running” when construction was complete. ETM Associates assisted the Conservancy by providing analysis of ongoing annual operations and maintenance (O+M) costs as well as recommendations for an ongoing operating model for delivery of O+M services. The new park has also helped lure significant events to the adjacent convention center.The Discovery Green Conservancy was the first non-profit private organization responsible for the maintenance, management, and operations of a public park in Houston. Since opening in 2008, Discovery Green has spurred $1.25 billion in nearby offices, hotels, and residential development-a 10:1 return on investment. When the site reopened in 2008, it had become a green oasis in the city, balancing LEED-certified sustainable infrastructure with public access to nature and other uses. When the city purchased the 12 acres of land that would become Discovery Green in 2004, it consisted of two large parking lots and an underutilized green space. The audience is overwhelmingly local, too, with over two-thirds of visitors from within Houston's Beltway 8 ("the loop"), and another quarter from Houston's suburbs. Over 1.5 million visitors attend Discovery Green's 600 free events each year, tripling initial attendance estimates. "Walk This Way," a Brookings Institution report on Washington, DC, found that an increase of 20 points in this index yields premiums of $9/sf in office rents, $7/sf in retail rents, $300/unit for residential rents, and 80% in retail revenue. Still, most importantly, Discovery Green has put downtown back on the map as a place for Houstonians to play, relax, meet one another, and even as a place to live.Īccording to State of Place, an index measuring ten proven factors of walkable urban design, the streets surrounding Discovery Green rose from a score of 29 before placemaking activations to 60, increasing 31 points. The park has also boosted business at the nearby Convention Center. Discovery Green has catalyzed $1.25 billion in nearby development several residential and commercial projects have expressly noted Discovery Green as the impetus for their investment. It now attracts more than 1.5 million visitors to its 600+ free events annually, consistently drawing local patrons. The park opened in Spring 2008, and it has been phenomenally successful. The new park would serve as a village green, a source of health and happiness for Houstonians, and a window into the diverse talents and traditions that enrich life in the city. Project for Public Spaces was hired by the Discovery Green Conservancy to lead a community engagement visioning process to transform 12 acres of underused green space and parking lots near the Convention Center into an urban oasis. For years, downtown Houston was an automobile-centric, placeless district without any public spaces for residents to congregate.
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