Downtown Houston’s successes over the previous decade had remade the face of the city. With a new construction, a strong office market, parks and open spaces that had become a national model for spurring redevelopment, a growing and thriving residential community, and a baseball team that had dug its way out of the cellar, the Downtown Management District found itself well positioned to ask the question, what’s next? 

Plan Downtown was the result of a 16-month planning process, interrupted by Hurricane Harvey, during which Downtown became a refuge for thousands, and capped off with a public unveiling that occurred on the same day as the Houston Astros 2017 World Series victory parade, the plan reflects the importance of Downtown Houston during the city’s highs and lows, and points the way to a more resilient, more connected, and more livable Downtown. 

Uniquely, the plan sought to build tangible connections between Downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods. A leadership team for the plan included representatives from each of the adjacent neighborhoods, and public workshops were held in each. Many of the plan’s physical recommendations involved improving Downtown’s edges, replacing significant portions of a highway loop with a new “Green Loop” of connected open spaces. 

Working with a steering committee of over 100 members who were representative of Houston’s gender, racial and generational make up, recommendations were also made to improve upon Downtown’s role as the premier location for business and government, to innovate in transportation connectivity, and to set the standard for urban livability. 

*Work completed at Asakura Robinson. Zakcq Lockrem served as the project manager while employed as a principal at Asakura Robinson.