August 27, 2025
Park and green space advocates in Houston have growing concerns about the recently revealed plans for Ben Taub Hospital to take a portion of Hermann Park land for a future hospital expansion project. The parcel of land in question is west of Cambridge St., and bounded on the northwest side by Lamar Fleming St., and on the south by Braeswood Blvd. The Hermann Park Master Plan, updated in 2017, included significant new design elements for this specific portion of the Park.
Here is a recent news article about the proposal and related developments:
One of the best actions that all of us could take at present, would be to contact Mayor Whitmire, and express opposition or concerns about ceding any Hermann Park land for new Med. Ctr. development. Contact the Mayor at: Email: mayor@houstontx.gov
Some recent news reports on this issue have mentioned the following points:
1. Reportedly Ben Taub has looked at a development plan option that would add new facilities to their existing site at the Med Ctr., without taking the Hermann Park land.
2. Reportedly the original bequest by the donors of the park land in question, had a provision in their bequest to the City that the land could ONLY be used for Park purposes, and if that provision was violated the land would revert to the descendants of the original donors.
3. Reportedly, the Hermann Park Conservancy has said that if the land in question was transferred to Ben Taub, they would want the Hermann Park Conservancy to be appropriately compensated. Land in the Med. Ctr. is extremely expensive, so that would mean a considerable expense to the City of Houston or the Ben Taub project/Hospital District.
4. The Med. Ctr. has been quickly expanding in recent years to south of Brays Bayou, and now to the west side of Main St. south of Rice University. There are other areas in reasonable proximity to the Med. Ctr. core that could be possible expansion sites.
5. Existing green space in the current Med. Ctr. will be decreasing. There are plans to develop the large prairie area at the corner of Holcombe and Fannin. That green space was always planned to be temporary, to be used for future development.
6. Due to the high cost of land in the Med. Ctr. area, any loss of park space will be extremely difficult to replace. This Hermann Park green space in question is an important asset to the Med. Ctr. as green space. And future park improvements by the Hermann Park Conservancy would make it a more important asset for the Med Center area and the city at large.
A simple note of concern to the Mayor would be extremely useful. The Mayor does seem to monitor and consider public opinion.