Multiple entities involved in the potential expansion of the Ben Taub Hospital into the land currently occupied by Hermann Park have held town halls across Houston to inform residents of the details of the land acquisition.

The final two dates for the remaining town hall meetings are Jan. 7 and Jan. 13.

Dates to know

The Hermann Park Conservancy will host its own town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston.

The meeting will include remarks from:
  • Cara Lambright, president and CEO of the Hermann Park Conservancy
  • Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, president and CEO of Harris Health
  • Mathew Urbanski, a partner at Michael and Valkenburgh Associations Inc., the landscape architects responsible for Hermann's Park's master plan
According to the town hall flyer, a Q&A with the audience will follow the presentation from the guest speakers. All residents are welcome to attend the town hall and can submit questions ahead of the meeting here.


Another town hall will occur at 6:45 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, with Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones. The meeting is open and free to the public.

The backstory

Ben Taub Hospital is planning a $410 million expansion in the Texas Medical Center to address increasing demand for medical services. The proposal includes using nearly nine acres of land in Hermann Park, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

The project is funded by the $2.5 million bond package approved by Harris County voters in 2023 and is anticipated to add approximately 100 "critically needed" patient rooms and expand surgical capacity through a new patient tower located adjacent to Ben Taub on parkland.


Next steps

Harris County Commissioners Court will hold its Chapter 26 public hearing in January, a meeting required before any dedicated parkland can be considered for another public use, according to the Hermann Park Conservancy website. A vote on the proposal is expected in March.