Discovery Park – Houston

I was fortunate to have my family join me on my recent business trip to Houston and we became a daily user of Discovery Green, Houston's “Central Park.” It is a must-see for visitors to Houston, especially considering that this phenomenal 12 acre park was created on a site of former parking lots and vacant land. Sandwiched between the convention center, Minute Maid Park, CBD Office core, and the Toyota Center, the park is filled with families, conventioneers and sports fans. A family day downtown happens around Discovery Green with an Astros game, remote sailboats, and a hamburger stand. Our visit included cheering on our home state universities, Purdue and Rose Hulman, in their quest for the Shell Cup solar powered car race that intersected the Green. The water feature and directly adjacent playground were great additions to an already multi-faceted public-space. That evening, a dinner on the balcony of The Grove, overlooking Discovery Green was a nice finish.

Currently, the sole residential project in the area is [One Park Place](www.oneparkplacehouston.com), a 37-story, 346-unit apartment project that overlooks the park. However, the presence of such a park is definitely a step in the right direction to attract more residential development to the area. One of the biggest things missing in many of the urban locations I visit is the availability of open green space and play sets for children. These amenities are key to attracting and keeping families in downtown urban markets. All in all, Discovery Green was a great place to spend an afternoon with the family, and a place that I would like to see us emulate in Indianapolis sometime in the very near future.