Cool + Connected Corridors
Project Status: Phase 1 Public Engagement
A better way to move through Downtown.
Downtown Houston+ is launching Phase One of the Cool + Connected Corridors initiative along Texas Avenue—the first step toward a more comfortable daytime experience and an inviting nighttime environment.
Phase One: Texas Avenue
Implemented ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup, this first phase of the Cool + Connected Corridors project offers an initial expression of the long-range vision to come.
The project makes targeted, strategic investments in shade structures, planting, landscaping, pedestrian-level lighting, and small streetscape enhancements that complement what already works on the street.
These additions focus on efficient impact: cooling the walk, shaping a clearer identity, and helping people move between districts with ease.
Why Texas Avenue?
Texas Avenue already functions as one of Downtown's most active pedestrian corridors, linking the Theater District, Historic District, civic and government centers, and Daikin Park.
Phase One strengthens those connections with coordinated elements of shade, planting and lighting on a block-by-block basis to begin forming a cohesive identity along the avenue and making it feel natural as a shaded, intuitive path that can comfortably cross Downtown in minutes.
The key elements of the Cool + Connected Corridors toolkit include:
What Streets Will Become Cool + Connected?
Texas Avenue is the first phase, with future phases planned for the remainder of Texas Avenue and for key east-west streets including McKinney Street and Preston Street.
Together, these streets carry some of the highest pedestrian activity and offer the greatest opportunity for connected, comfortable movement across Downtown.
This work can also be seen in the Main Street Promenade—the first full streetscape redesign shaped by the same principles found in Cool + Connected Corridors. While the Promenade addresses the street level in a much larger scope, the Corridors initiative focuses on complementary fixtures that deliver comfort and identity efficiently and at scale.
The Era of the Livable District
Downtown is entering the "Era of the Livable District" — a chapter focused on human comfort, neighborhood vitality, and an environment that supports business, culture and everyday life.
Previous decades built the foundation: from the Central Business District era of the '80s to the rise of entertainment and sports destinations, and the growth of residential and mixed-use development in the 2010s.
Now, DTH+ is investing in the spaces between those incredible destinations—creating streets that are shaded, welcoming and easy to navigate.
Improving comfort encourages workers and visitors to stay longer, improves safety through activity, strengthens retail and dining, and helps cultivate a Downtown culture that feels unified and alive throughout the day.
Where Did This Project Come From?
Cool + Connected Corridors is one of four core strategies of the Public Realm Action Plan, Downtown Houston+'s long-range guide for shaping a vibrant, walkable public realm.
In part, the plan identifies where strategic investment in streets and sidewalks will have the greatest impact—especially along routes that link major cultural, civic, residential and entertainment anchors. It recognizes that while Downtown has world-class destinations, the experience between them has been inconsistent, unshaded and difficult to navigate.
You can explore the full Public Realm Action Plan for more detail on the principles guiding this initiative.
How the Community Has Shaped This Work
The Cool + Connected Corridors initiative builds on extensive public and stakeholder engagement carried out during the development of the Public Realm Action Plan and the Main Street Promenade design process.
This includes:
Ongoing collaboration with Downtown stakeholders—including the public, Houston First, METRO, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, University of Houston-Downtown, the City of Houston and area developers—continues to refine each corridor and ensure improvements respond to real needs.