An Injection of Urbanism in the Land of Sprawl

Anthony Flint reports on the Buffalo Bayou restoration project in Houston, where a remarkably green sensibility has infused the capital of fossil fuels.

1 minute read

February 4, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

Flint writes about the implementation of the $1 billion master plan for the 10-square-mile restoration of a Brownfields site in the center of Houston that will help the low-lying city to manage stormwater in a more natural way while celebrating its waterfront.

Two decades in the making, the project consists of parks, walkways, a performance center, botanical gardens, boat landings, and residential development, and will connect with downtown and the city's right rail line.

According to Robert Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association, who has served as part of the consulting team. "I saw this as an opportunity to do in the 21st century what Olmsted did with his parks to transform 19th century American cities. I think this could become the template for how major U.S. metros manage and reclaim their natural settings in the 21st century."

FULL STORY: The Greening of Houston

Friday, February 3, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

Landscape Architecture Texas Houston Stormwater Management Buffalo Bayou

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