About

Midtown Park Plaza is a multi-use outdoor space located on the corner of McGowen and Travis St. in Midtown Houston. The Plaza includes a lush, green lawn area and serves as the “front porch” to the award-winning Midtown Park. It’s located just steps away from the McGowen Station METRORail stop and offers a multitude of experiences.

The Plaza features a dedicated section for table tennis, and a captivating glass mosaic art installation titled Mary-Am which is also a six-tiered water fountain. The Plaza stays cool throughout the day with shaded trees and is patrolled by area officers. Parking is available at the nearby Midtown Park Parking facility.

The park is open to the public daily from 8am – 10pm. Be sure to check our calendar of events here before planning your visit.

The full six-acre site bounded by Main St., McGowen St., Travis St., and Anita St. – which was commonly referred to as the SuperBlock for many years – was jointly developed through a public-private partnership between MRA and Camden Property Trust. This dynamic mixed-use project includes a public park, retail space, and public parking garage developed by Midtown Houston, and a private eight-story multifamily residential development by Camden.

Midtown Park offers three acres of new public urban park and open space with complementary pedestrian-oriented streetscapes. The park’s larger greenspace – located on the 2.5-acre site south of the multifamily development – includes a great lawn, a flexible pavilion, a wetland stream and trail, native landscaping, interactive water feature, playground, public art, game courts, market areas, and a dog park. A wide array of festivals, performances, markets, and other events keep the park exciting throughout the year. Additionally, the park features a half-acre retail plaza located adjacent to McGowen St., which will include a full service restaurant, a food and beverage kiosk, and public plaza space next to the METRORail station. The park’s underground parking garage provides 400 spaces for public use.

Successful parks are a key component of sustainable infrastructure and a healthy vibrant quality of life. Midtown Park acts as a catalyst to attract new development and bring a new level of revitalization to an already vibrant Midtown Houston community.

Getting Here

To allow for easy access to the park, parking is conveniently located below the park at 2811 Travis St. This covered and energy efficient parking facility holds up to 400 vehicles, is well lit, and provides 24/7 security. The facility has an exit that leads directly to the park grounds, two exits that lead to Main St. and another two that lead to Travis St. All access points are located within walking distance to many Midtown destinations. Credit cards and cash are accepted; the rates are:

  • Monday-Friday 7am- 6pm -$1.00/hour with an eight hour maximum
  • Monday-Friday 6pm- 7am – $5.00 flat
  • Saturday and Sunday- $5.00 flat (Weekend and evening rates subject to change based on local events)

For questions or concerns contact Becky Cass, Area Manager.

Midtown Park is also accessible via the McGowen Station METRORail stop. Bcycle and Zipcar locations are also located near the park.

Construction

In 1999, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority began working with developers to assemble a six-acre tract of land located in the heart of Midtown Houston and construction began in 2015.

On Friday, October 28th, 2016, Midtown Park launched its capital campaign with a ribbon cutting on-site, as well as being announced as an official Super Bowl LI Host Committee site.

On Saturday, February 4th and Sunday, February 5th, 2017 the park hosted the Super Block Party as part of its soft opening, which included food trucks, live music, line dancing instruction, and interactive games. Super Bowl weekend presented the perfect opportunity to offer the public a glimpse into Midtown Park. The Camden Pavilion was unveiled to the public for the first time, and guests were able to see progress on the bayou, art wall, garden walk, and Main Street promenade. On Monday, February 6th, the park closed to complete the construction of the  two and a half acre green space.

In late summer 2017, Midtown Park will open to public and include amenities like an interactive water feature, Reliant dog run, and unique playground with climbing sphere, sound tubes, misters, swings and interactive pipe sections. The park will begin hosting regular events in addition to being an anchor in the community.

The public will have the rare opportunity to experience the installation of major art works in July 2017. Art works by Sharon Engelstein include two interactive sculptures for the park’s play area, “Tall Ma” and “Little Ricky,” that at first glance may look like large boulders. The larger piece, “Tall Ma,” will function as a climbing structure with an integrated slide and seating area. “Little Ricky,” the smaller sculpture, will also include integrated seating.  Ms. Engelstein, a longtime resident of Houston, is known for her organic, bubbly sculptural forms.

October 2017 offers another opportunity to see a site-specific art installation by Dixie Friend Gay. The monumental wall at the Main Street entrance to Midtown Park will feature her mosaic landscape titled “Wild Wonderland.” The 18-foot-long mural of hand formed and hand glazed mosaic tiles will present a close-up of Houston flora and fauna. Dixie Friend Gay is a nationally acclaimed artist whose prolific career spans more than three decades.

During fall 2017, construction will begin on the restaurant at the intersection of McGowen St. and Travis St., and will conclude in the summer 2018. Midtown Houston is excited to be home to another world-class eatery that will delight Midtown residents and the Houston community.

Camden’s latest addition to Midtown Houston will complete construction in May 2018, offering residents spectacular views of Houston’s premier greenspace, and the stunning downtown skyline.

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1. Reflecting Pool and Entry Plaza

A pool of water at the southwestern entrance invites people into the parkand provides a dramatic view of the bayou landscape and waterway. The placid water flows north and then falls over a 10’ cascading waterfall. The white noise blocks the sounds of the street, while creating a cooler microclimate temperature and habitat for birds and other city critters to find respite.

2. “Bayou” Landscape and Waterway

As part of the green stormwater infrastructure of the park, a recirculating water system mimics the bayous and wetlands of this region, with native species including bald cypress, sweetgum and red maples. During rainy days, this bayou fills with water utilizing plants and soils to help ensure water quality before it leaves the site. Look for birds and butterflies along this ecologically-based corridor.

3. Sloped Lawn and Prospect

Anchoring the southern end of the park is a large sloped lawn dotted with native pines. This dappled shaded landscape provides for elevated prospect views of performances at the pavilion and dramatic downtown skyline to the north. This is the perfect spot to sunbathe, picnic under the pines or view a concert. The lawn is irrigated by water recycled from a rainwater collection system.

4. Limestone Outcrop Wall

This wall cuts through the sloped lawns, allowing for a secondary entry into the park. The space includes an interactive chalkboard to engage park visitors to make their mark. Stones step out of the wall to act as seats for visitors and outdoor classrooms.

5. Art Wall

This gateway into the park from the southeast showcases a 16-foot-tall mural depicting Houston’s flora and fauna by noted mosaic artist Dixie Friend Gay.

6. Swings

Organized to enjoy both views of the bayou and the great lawn, the swings are designed for a wide age group to enjoy an activity that transcends generation.

7. Great Lawn

Situated between the pavilion and the sloped landforms that will be the main gathering area for park users to enjoy a performance, play informal games, or catch up with friends.

8. Garden Walk

Connecting to the various playground rooms is a nature garden walk. This small loop allows for the discovery, interaction and education of local plants as well as a small water runnel and waterfalls. Look for birds and butterflies along this walk.

9. Playground

This unique playground encourages exploration and adventure play, with a climbing sphere, sound tubes, misters, swings and interactive pipe sections. This is a hands-on experience for kids to experiment, play, and interact with the outdoor environment.

10. The Cube

As the western anchor of the pavilion, the cube is internally illuminated glass building that houses the elevator, stairwell, and informational kiosk that links the underground parking garage and park together.

11. “Rain” Interactive Water Feature

Inspired by the rain events typical to the Bayou City, this water feature invites all ages to splash amidst jets and intermittent bursts of water to cool off from the Texas heat. A thin sheet of water on the granite paving cools off feet, while choreographed water droplets pop up and fall along with flashing lights, mimicking a rain storm.

12. The Camden Pavilion and Stage Area

The popular open-air pavilion and stage area provides a flexible space for concerts and performances, public events and exercise groups. When not in use for events, it serves as a casual gathering spot with movable seating and large fans above overlooking the Rain interactive water feature and great lawn.

13. Reliant, an NRG Company Dog Park

Parks are for more than people. The dog run, a highly sought program by the community, is designed with both flat surfaces and sloped surfaces. This allows for a variety of dog agility to enjoy the dog run area.

14. Social Games

Enjoy an evening with friends playing bocce or washers at the social games room. This space, surrounded by gardens is also a great place to relax and enjoy the park setting.

15. Main Street Promenade

A wide, Live Oak tree shaded promenade allows tents to be set up on weekends for a variety of markets. This is a great spot to get local vegetables and homemade treats. At night, this is a beautiful stroll under the up-lit Live Oak canopy.

16. Plaza

Midtown Park Plaza is a multi-use outdoor space located on the corner of McGowen St. and Travis St. in Midtown Houston. The Plaza includes a lush, green lawn area and serves as the “front porch” to the award-winning Midtown Park. It’s located just steps away from the McGowen Station METRORail stop and offers a multitude of experiences.

The Plaza features a dedicated section for table tennis, and a captivating glass mosaic art installation titled Mary-Am, which is also a six-tiered water fountain. The Plaza stays cool throughout the day with shaded trees and is patrolled by area officers. Parking is available at the nearby Midtown Park Parking facility.

 

17. Reflecting Water Feature

This circular reflecting water feature is designed to house a signature art piece. The water feature also includes small waterfalls to create a comfortable backdrop noise in the plaza.

Art

As part of the development of the new Midtown Park, the Midtown Parks Conservancy Board of Directors commissioned an art plan, which was developed by Jessica Cusick and Rick Lowe.  The plan reflects the aspirations of a broad cross-section of stakeholders, community members, and the Board, for the development of a park that is an important cultural destination.  Located at the geographic center of Houston, Midtown Park will be a neighborhood jewel and a destination for all, Houstonians and visitors alike.  It can be Houston’s art park.  Art will play a role in the Park in a variety of ways, with temporary art projects during construction, major permanent commissions, and ongoing cultural programs, performances, and art installations to ensure that Houston’s new art park is at the heart of Houston’s vibrant art scene.

Support

In addition to providing beautiful green space, the new park will feature a variety of amenities – walking paths, play areas, water features, an open-air stage, a plaza, dog park, marketplace, and public art – that will support an array of uses and will be enjoyed by residents and visitors time and time again.

The total cost of developing Midtown Park is $48 million. The Midtown Redevelopment Authority has already funded the purchase of the land, the construction of the new underground parking garage, and the construction of the basic elements in the park, making a total investment of $40 million. Additionally, an $8 million capital campaign has been launched to fund special features and art elements in the park that will make it a truly unique destination for visitors as well as beloved part of the Midtown resident for those living nearby. Chaired by business-civic leader and neighborhood investor and advocate Ric Campo, the campaign is reaching out to individuals, corporations, and foundations who are committed to improving the quality of life in Midtown Houston and who appreciate the special role that Midtown Park will play in the larger Houston community.

Many of the special elements and features in the park can be named for donors and sponsors making major investments, and we welcome gifts and contributions of every size as we bring this extraordinary amenity to life.

Contact

For more information about Midtown Park, its amenities, art, events, etc. please complete the below form and we’ll be in touch shortly.

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