The Main Street Corridor Revitalization Plan identified several key pedestrian/transit oriented development nodes to pilot the implementation of focused plans that would lend themselves to duplication and jump-start other efforts in the Corridor. These projects (Museum District Art Walk, Cathedral Square, Wheeler/Blodgett Economic Development Node, Market Square), already underway and partially funded, aim at attracting and retaining development that would thrive in an urban environment with greater design controls. A number of other projects are currently under discussion or in early planning stages.

Click here for a map showing the location of each pilot project.

Intermodal Feasibility Study

An Intermodal Feasibility Study is examining the potential for an Intermodal Facility that links modes or transportation including local bus, Light Rail Transit (LRT), future commuter rail, intercity bus lines and other modes of transportation.

The purpose of this study is to solicit input from stakeholders about how they might use the facility, analyze and determine where the facility will best be located and finally, build a cohesive group of Intermodal Facility stakeholders who will support funding applications for the facility.

The Downtown Management District is coordinating this study in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the City of Houston, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), the Main Street Coalition and Houston-Midtown Management District.

A web site with addtional information is coming soon.

Museum District Art Walk
The Museum District, identified as one of the focal points along the Corridor is on the southwestern edge of the Third Ward neighborhood, a predominantly African American, low income community of nearly 17,000 residents. The district comprises of 11 institutions, showcasing the best of Houston’s culture and art and attracting 3 million visitors annually.

The district is also the site of one of the 14 proposed LRT stops. While the museums are located within easy walking distance from one another, disjointed sidewalks and lack of visual interest do little to encourage pedestrian activity and transit use.

A design charrette hosted by the Museum District with participation by Friends of Hermann Park, Making Main Street Happen, Inc., South Main Center Association, the City of Houston and Metro will outline detailed design plans based on the ‘Art Walk’ concept of the Main Street Master plan. All have made significant commitments towards connecting the museum facilities and Hermann Park through attractive streetscape elements and maximizing transit opportunities in the area. These enhancements will strengthen the district’s identity and unify institutions, open spaces, offices, housing, and retail into a vibrant pedestrian environment.

Binz Street is another major connection from the Museum District to Third Ward, and it is an ideal street for a major bus route into and out of Third Ward. Enhancements to the pedestrian environment along Binz Street will considerably improve the transit environment of the area.

Stakeholders: Museum District Institutions, Friends of Hermann Park, Making Main Street Happen, Inc., South Main Center Association, City of Houston, and Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO).

Click here to learn more about the Museum District Art Walk Project

Cathedral Square
Cathedral Square is identified in the Main Street Master Plan as an important focal point and stimulant for new development in the southern end of Downtown characterized by office buildings with blank facades, underutilized properties serving as surface parking lots and vacant buildings. One corner of the six-block area will be anchored by a new cathedral to be constructed by the Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston. The opposite corner will be anchored by a new Metro Headquarters Building and intermodal transit terminal. To ensure that these new structures will exemplify the design principles embraced by the Main Street Corridor Master Plan, the Main Street Coalition, in cooperation with the Making Main Street Happen Foundation (MMH), encouraged property owners in the six block area to engage in discussions of future plans and possibilities for “Cathedral Square.”

With the assistance of the MMH, the City of Houston, the Downtown Management District and local architects, property owners in the area participated in a charrette to conceptualize a design for public spaces within the square. A nonprofit development corporation was formed by property owners to guide development of the square and address future maintenance issues. Members of this corporation have committed money for detailed design and will seek to leverage additional funds for construction and maintenance of the proposed public and private streetscape improvements.

The Cathedral Square project, leveraged by planned or recent public improvements described below, will significantly increase pedestrian traffic and enhance the civic importance of the site. Continuation of such extraordinary coordination of planned private development efforts with improvements in the public realm will make this project a success.

• The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (METRO) federally funded Transit Streets recently completed pedestrian and transit improvements along several streets in the target area, including Fannin, San Jacinto and St. Joseph Parkway. The Parkway has recently been improved as a transit street, and will provide improved bus connections traversing the square. The Cathedral Square project will build on this investment and utilize additional funding and project partners to enhance the pedestrian environment and connections to these streets and to Main Street.

• Houston Downtown Management District and the Main Street Market Square Redevelopment Authority recently approved $600,000 for streetscape improvements on Main Street including the area around the St. Joseph Parkway light rail station.

Stakeholders: Diocese of Houston-Galveston, Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), Making Main Street Happen Foundation, Houston Downtown Management District (HDMD), City of Houston, and Property owners.

Wheeler/Blodgett
The Wheeler/Blodgett Light Rail Station is located on the southern edge of Midtown, in a retail area with immense potential to become one of the corridors most prosperous economic development nodes. The area is home to the region’s most successful Sears Department Store, an eclectic flower market, churches, a major grocery store, and some small independent businesses. Metro plans for the LRT station include a nine bay bus terminal and soon this area will have direct access from a major freeway. Publicly owned land surrounding the planned light rail station provides an important opportunity for transit and pedestrian oriented economic development that will be realized by a partnership between private development interests, the City of Houston, and METRO. This transit stop will also play an important role in making crucial connections to the Third Ward (part of the federal EEC zone) from the Main Street Corridor.

Stakeholders: Third Ward Redevelopment Council, OST/Almeda TIRZ, Main Street Coalition, Making Main Street Happen Foundation, Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), and the City of Houston.

Near Northside Economic Revitalization Plan
The Near Northside Economic Revitalization Plan expected to be completed in October 2001 lays out a vision for the Near Northside community based on community assets and needs and development opportunities. It will outline strategies for neighborhood revitalization and lay out a plan for implementation that include the creation of Economic Development Node Plans, Urban Design Guidelines, a streetscape pilot project(s), cost analysis and financing, partnership building, marketing and other elements critical for successful implementation. In addition, the effort will incorporate strategies developed by the Social Compact Neighborhood Retail Market Study.

Stakeholders: Avenue CDC, Houston Independent School District, University of Houston , Area Civic Associations, Northside Redevelopment Council, Northside Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Coalition, and the City of Houston.

• Click here to learn more about the Near Northside Revitalization Plan
• Click here for a summary map of Near Northside Revitalization Plan (in PDF)

Third Ward to Main Street Connectivity Project
The Third Ward to Main Street Connectivity Project will strengthen the connection between Main Street and the Third Ward, a predominantly African American, Federal Enhanced Enterprise Community in the eastern sector of the Main Street Corridor. While major institutions exist in the Third Ward including the University of Houston and the Texas Southern University, the community has not been able to fully capitalize its assets and make the area more economically viable and livable. The poor condition of the sidewalks (narrow and disjointed), insufficient lighting, and lack of transit-related amenities pose a challenge to the area’s many transit-dependent residents and students. Through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration, the City of Houston is working very closely with Metro and the Third Ward Redevelopment Council, an umbrella organization whose members represent civic associations, nonprofit community development corporations, public institutions, and social service organizations, to make pedestrian and transit oriented improvements along key thoroughfares connecting the Third Ward with Main Street. The Wheeler/Blodgett pilot project also takes advantage of the Wheeler/Blodgett intermodal transit station on Main and Fannin Streets that has the potential to greatly improve the connection from Main Street into the Third Ward neighborhood.

Stakeholders: Third Ward Redevelopment Council, OST/Almeda TIRZ, Main Street Coalition, and City of Houston.

Click here to learn more about the Third Ward to Main Street Connectivity Project

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