Downtown Houston's Public Realm Action Plan
Project Status: Final Plan Adopted
Downtown Houston's public realm should invite people to linger, explore and connect—not just pass through.
The Public Realm Action Plan lays out strategies to transform our streets, parks and plazas into vibrant, people-friendly places.
This is the era of the livable district: we're investing in streets and public spaces to make every day in Downtown more delightful, comfortable and easy.
Read the Public Realm Action Plan
Want to learn more? For any additional questions, comments or concerns regarding the Public Realm Action Plan, please contact Cassie Hoeprich, Director of Planning & Economic Development.
Why a Public Realm Action Plan?
Downtown has incredible assets—parks, stadiums, restaurants and cultural hubs—but they feel disconnected.
Without a strong public realm, Downtown risks losing the vibrancy and foot traffic that support its economy.
To address this challenge, Downtown Houston+ has partnered with urban strategy team Gehl, Agora Partners and Outside Voices to develop a Public Realm Action Plan that will help align visionaries and doers around a shared goal, organize responsibilities across sectors and kickstart impactful projects.
This roadmap, implemented over several years, will guide efforts to make Downtown more livable and prosperous.
Four Strategies to Activate Downtown's Public Realm
These principles guide decisions and prioritize investments:
Four Catalytic Projects: Where We Start in 2025
Cool & Connected Corridors
Create inviting, shaded, and active pedestrian experiences on McKinney, Texas, and Preston Streets with strategic public realm improvements and business support.
Repositioning Tunnels & Underground Amenities
Collaboratively reimagine downtown office amenities, prioritizing vibrant street-level experiences and reducing reliance on tunnels.
Programming Strategy
Cultivate a consistently vibrant public realm, transitioning from sporadic events to daily activation while strategically leveraging major events.
Place Management Strategy
Align park stewards around a shared vision to transform Downtown parks into thriving community assets.
Implementation & Next Steps
2025 Priority Actions:
- Integrate shade, lighting and greenery along priority sections of Cool & Connected Corridors.
- Establish a task force of real estate and office sector leaders to explore current and potential use of Downtown tunnels and amenities located within them.
- Expand daily programming in parks and introduce microhood activations alongside signature events.
- Convene green space managers to align on a higher standard of care for Downtown's parks.
We'll measure impact by tracking progress with human-centered data to refine and scale these efforts over time.
Past Engagement & Process Recap
Throughout 2024, public workshops, focus groups and the DTH+ Public Realm Advisory Group helped shape the Public Realm Action Plan. Here's how the process unfolded:
- Summer 2024: The team studied how people move through Downtown, observing behaviors with a Public Space Public Life analysis and gathering community input to identify key opportunities and challenges.
- Fall 2024: Stakeholders and community members came together to imagine Downtown's future and shape a shared vision.
- Winter 2024: The team developed strategies to bring this vision to life—ideas that now form the foundation of the Public Realm Action Plan.
Public Engagement Highlights:
- Two open houses gathered 700+ points of feedback
- 40+ stakeholders shaped the plan through 12+ hours of workshops
- 16 hours of public life observations documented how people move through Downtown
A Collaborative Effort — This plan was shaped by Downtown property owners, city leaders and public space experts, with insights from Downtown's many visitors, residents and workers.
Want to Learn More?
Read the Public Realm Action Plan
For any additional questions, comments or concerns regarding the Public Realm Action Plan, please contact Cassie Hoeprich, Director of Planning & Economic Development.