The details
Spearheaded by Downtown Houston+—a coalition compromised of Central Houston, Inc., Central Houston Civic Improvement, Houston Downtown Management District, Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone—the $12 million project will work on seven blocks of Main Street that stretches from Rusk Street to Commerce Street to create a safer, more enjoyable space for people to walk and dine, according to the presentation.
Brian Crimmins, a special projects manager at the Mayor’s Office, presented to Houston City Council the final design plans May 7, and said the idea for the project started after sections of Main Street were closed to traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision was to provide businesses with more outdoor seating, assisting businesses impacted by lockdowns and social distancing.
After the success of the project, council members approved an ordinance in March 2023 to permanently close those sections of Main Street and to start work on the promenade, Crimmins said.
Crimmins said the project plans on achieving the goal of a pedestrian-friendly walkway by raising the existing street to sidewalk level, allowing a wider walkway and making it more accessible for wheelchair users, as well as providing more space for restaurant seating.
The project also wants to create more shade for the area by increasing tree canopy and implementing structures that could provide further shade, Crimmins said. The goal is to reduce ambient temperatures by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I was actually downtown, and I was pleasantly surprised at how many people were actually walking downtown,” Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum said during the meeting. “I felt like it was safe, people were having a good time and enjoying our city, so I’m really looking forward to the project.”
What else?
Construction is expected to start in June and conclude in 2026 before the FIFA World Cup, Crimmins said. The FIFA World Cup starts June 11, 2026.
The north and southbound lanes of the seven blocks along Main Street will be closed off to cars as part of the project, but the east and west will remain open, Crimmins said.
Crimmins said the street will also remain open during construction, something that was kept in mind during the designing phase as a way not to disrupt businesses.
