HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – With the vacant Exxon Mobil skyscraper rising in the background and new residential towers filling the foreground, a small green space officially broke ground Friday in downtown Houston: Trebly Park.
Located at 1515 Fannin Street, Trebly Park will occupy roughly three-quarters of a city block bounded by San Jacinto, Bell, Leeland and Fannin streets. The portion of the block excluded from the park is a paved parking lot owned by South Texas College of Law and frequently used by its faculty.
Trebly Park is designed to enhance daily life for residents of nearby multifamily buildings, including the two SkyHouse towers, Block 334 apartments and the 31-story Houston House.
“We envision the park as a third place,” said Bob Eury, president of the Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Downtown District, who hosted the groundbreaking. “It’s becoming the living room of the neighborhood.”
Eury played a central role in the Downtown Living Initiative, a program that encouraged downtown multifamily development by offering tax incentives of $15,000 per unit. The initiative helped spur construction of several new apartment towers in the area.
Mayor: City Should Increase Downtown Living
“We have 10,000 people living in downtown and our goal is to grow even more,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said to the masked audience seated in socially distanced rows of white chairs at the groundbreaking.
Construction is set to begin immediately, with estimated completion in March 2022.
Public art will be a signature feature. At the park’s northern entrance near Fannin and Bell, a dynamic gateway installation will be unveiled and rotated every two years. German artists Thomas Granseuer and Tomislav Topic of Quintessenz—recognized for site-specific works that distill art to color and form—were chosen to create the inaugural piece. Porta Pigmenta will consist of layers of painted PVC mesh suspended at canopy height over a square frame. The “floating” fabric installation will capture shifting light and wind to create ever-changing waves of color that draw visitors into the park.
Quintessenz will collaborate with local artist Kelly O’Brien of Fenris LLC, who will provide engineering support, fabricate the structure and assist with installation.
Bikes, Art and Food
The L-shaped park is intended to serve as a backyard for nearby residents and workers. A central lawn will be framed by planted garden zones with seating and water features at the north edge along Bell Street and the south edge along Leeland Street. The design emphasizes accessibility for cyclists and safe pedestrian connections: the park will include a B-Cycle station, bike racks and a repair station. Distinctive areas will be linked by a broad, curved walkway lined with live oak trees stretching from the southeast to the northwest corner.
Trebly Park will host Tout Suite, the second outpost from La Vie de St Concepts, bringing their popular EaDo café to the site. The all-day counter-service café will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and weekend brunch, along with coffee, juice, craft beer, wine and sparkling beverages. Pastries and baked goods will be prepared at a nearby commissary on Commerce Street and delivered fresh daily. The approximately 2,400-square-foot café will provide indoor seating for about 70 guests and outdoor seating for roughly 48 under a canopy of trees.
Adjacent to the outdoor dining area, a whimsical playscape designed by Chiaozza will provide play opportunities for children.
The Downtown District will manage park operations under an agreement similar to its partnership with the City of Houston at Market Square Park. Structura has been selected as the general contractor. Lauren Griffith Associates developed the park design based on a site programming report by Project for Public Spaces (PPS), which identified recommended activities, amenities and events through extensive public engagement in 2018. The site previously housed a Goodyear Tire retail and repair facility. Gensler is providing architectural services for the café and other structures; Gandy2 Lighting Design is designing park lighting; electrical engineering is by Hunt & Hunt; structural engineering by Henderson Rogers, Inc.; mechanical engineering by T&D Engineers; civil engineering by Kuo & Associates; and kitchen food-service consulting and design by Ala Carte Consulting and C&T Design & Equipment.
The Trebly Name? … Hint: There Is No Mr. Trebly
“The name’s origin was inspired by location, shape and a sense of fun,” said Curtis Flowers, DRA board chair, in a press release. “Trebly Park sits on Block 333 of downtown Houston at a site defined by three city block corners. Trebly—meaning ‘three times as much’—feels fresh, rolls off the tongue and isn’t tied to convention. By definition, Trebly Park suggests a place with ‘three times as much’ to offer in terms of play, interaction, relaxation and deliciousness. We also hope it will serve as a ‘third space’ for residents, students, workers and visitors.”
The groundbreaking—originally planned for March 2020 under the working title Southern Downtown Park—was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 12, 2021 Realty News Report © 2021
File: Downtown Groundbreaking for Park
All photos by Ralph Bivins of Realty News Report © 2021