HOUSTON — The fight over the future of Bastrop Promenade in East Downtown is now raising questions about more than grass and decomposed granite.
Residents who have been pushing to restore the promenade’s green space say they are questioning the structure of the East Downtown Management District board, who says they are keeping the granite surface in place.
The grass was removed ahead of the FIFA World Cup Fan Fest. In a previous statement, district officials cited drainage and timing concerns as reasons for keeping the granite. While residents say the surface radiates more heat, and that grass soaks up rainwater more effectively.
Now, neighbors add the board’s makeup and selection process are part of the problem.
“You don’t need to be a professional to see that whoever installed this granite did a shoddy job,” Ed Pettitt, with the Friends of Columbia Tap said. The president of the organization supports equitable community development along the Columbia Tap Trail, which runs through East Downtown.
Pettitt and other residents say they believed the promenade would be restored after the World Cup — possibly with an even more lush greenway than before.
The project was funded by the Harris County Sports Authority, for FIFA-related event. But because of the location of the promenade, the East Downtown Management District board is the body considering whether the decomposed granite will remain.
“I was furious when I found that out,” resident June Vidrine said.
Vidrine has also raised concerns about the lack of shade. She said her father died from melanoma, her sister died from melanoma two years ago and her niece recently underwent invasive surgery for melanoma.
“Having shade for folks like me is super important,” Vidrine said. “I think that’s important for the board to know that not everybody is a cookie cutter.”
Who chooses the board?
The East Downtown Management District is a management district, a public entity funded through assessments on commercial property in the area. Residents do not directly elect its board members.
The district told KPRC that its directors are appointed by the existing management district board and approved by Houston City Council every two years.
The district also said current board members either own commercial property within the district or have an agent representing property there.
“They actually recommend their own board replacements,” Pettitt said.
Residents say people who live in East Downtown should have their voices heard in decisions affecting their neighborhood. Some are calling for greater community input, while others say board members should be elected by residents.
The debate comes as neighbors continue demanding that the grass, trees and shade return to Bastrop Promenade.
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