LOCAL Houston | The City Guide JANUARY 2015 | Page 45

Local January 2015_FINAL_002houston 12/19/14 9:57 AM Page 45

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PIERCE SKY PARK HOUSTON
You’ve heard of diminishing farfetched ideas to that age-old, catchy
slogan as “pie in the sky.” Well, how
does a “park in the sky” grab you?
Just because downtown Houston’s
Pierce Elevated doesn’t meet current
design standards to continue as a
highway shouldn’t mean that it goes
away altogether. In fact, Texas
Department of Transportation has
demolition plans for it, as they anticipate a re-route of Interstate 45. Yet, a
group of restless, optimistic visionaries
have loftier dreams of converting the
miles of elevated infrastructure into a
recreational treasure, with spaces to
enjoy the outdoors while viewing
Houston’s amazing skyline. Not only
would it complement Buffalo Bayou
Park, but also provide new accessibility into Downtown and become a key
connector to Houston’s growing netMEMORIAL PARK
TRANSFORMING HOUSTON’S
work of hike and bike trails. Potential
Memorial Park, one of the largest urban
LANDSCAPE BY RESTORING AND
end results from planning this urban
parks in the U.S. and located inside
DEVELOPING PARKS AND OPEN SPACES
space in advance? A freeway-turnedHarris County’s 610 Loop, is a favorite
park literally in the sky, featuring a platamong Houston’s joggers. Home to the
form for hosting astonishing community gatherings, not to mention a break in
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, the almost 1500-acre recreational
haven boasts of a breathtakingly beautiful, yet challenging 18-hole golf course, tax dollars by fo ɝ