Katy officials announced their plans for the historic 5-acre property at 5402 Franz Road, Katy, at a Dec. 13 City Council meeting. Officials said the rest of the house would function as offices for the city’s parks director, and parks and recreation coordinator.
The historic Fussell Home was acquired by the city Nov. 30, years after the city purchased the land behind the home, according to City Administrator Byron Hebert. He said the property will be used to educate Katy-area children on local fauna and flora with the back patio acting as a space for bird, bee and butterfly watching.
“There's a beautiful porch, and that porch overlooks that whole acreage in the back,” Hebert said. “Everybody—previous councils, previous mayors—they all know I have had a very passionate part of wanting to create a learning center for children to be able to be with nature.”
Council Member Dan Smith said the property’s use will be valuable for all residents.
“There's such a clear vision for this,” Smith said. “It's a beautiful piece of property because it's going to add tremendous value for kids and all residents.”
According to Hebert, the next steps include working to preserve the history of the house while renovating some of the home for office use as well as collaborating with Harris County and Katy ISD on the learning center.
