Construction is underway on a major new addition to Houston’s largest urban park.
Memorial Park Conservancy announced March 6 that work has begun on Memorial Groves, a 100-acre project that will reimagine a section of Memorial Park along West Memorial Loop Drive while honoring the park’s World War I history.
Memorial Groves conceptual rendering (courtesy of Nelson Byrd Woltz)
Project donors, conservancy leadership, board members, design team representatives and elected officials gathered for a private groundbreaking ceremony to mark the milestone.
“Today is a defining moment for Memorial Park,” said Chris Ballard, president and CEO of Memorial Park Conservancy. “We are proud to realize Memorial Groves as a project that honors the Park’s historic roots while creating vibrant new spaces for reflection, recreation, and learning that will inspire and serve Houstonians for generations to come.”
Honoring Camp Logan’s Legacy
Established in 1924, Memorial Park was named in honor of the roughly 70,000 soldiers who trained at Camp Logan, a U.S. Army training camp in Houston during World War I.
The Memorial Groves project will expand on that legacy by commemorating not only the soldiers but also others who contributed to the war effort connected to the camp.
Memorial Groves Playground, south view. (Rendering courtesy of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects)
The landscape design is led by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, which will create an interactive environment intended to connect visitors with the site’s history while enhancing the park’s natural setting.
New Amenities and Park Improvements
Memorial Groves will introduce several new features to the park, including parking, restrooms, recreational amenities, play areas and educational elements.
Memorial Groves Visitor Center, entry view. (Rendering courtesy of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects)
The project will also create a new visitor center at the park’s primary entrance. The facility is being designed by Moody Nolan in collaboration with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects.
A central feature of the project will be the Camp Logan Playground, designed with play elements inspired by objects from the World War I era such as soldiers’ helmets and army crates, allowing children and families to engage with the park’s historical narrative.
Plans also call for improvements to the popular Seymour Lieberman Trail, with approximately 0.7 miles of the trail shifted farther from West Memorial Loop Drive. The adjustment will create space for new trees and provide a more shaded and scenic route while adding grassy gathering areas along the trail.
Part of a Larger Park Transformation
Memorial Groves is one of several accelerated projects within the Memorial Park Master Plan made possible through the park’s Ten-Year Plan, supported by a catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation and other donors.
The plan focuses on restoring ecosystems, improving stormwater management, enhancing recreational amenities and strengthening connections across the park.
Memorial Groves conceptual rendering (courtesy of Nelson Byrd Woltz)
The conservancy is implementing the plan in partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Uptown Houston.
Several major projects have already been completed under the initiative, including Clay Family Eastern Glades, the Sports Complex, a relocated segment of the Seymour Lieberman Trail, the Kinder Land Bridge and Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Prairie, and the Running Complex.
Construction on Memorial Groves is expected to continue through 2027, with the new space slated to open to the public in late 2027. During construction, the Seymour Lieberman Trail will remain open to park users.