James Bute Park Project
The Park, as operated by Harris County, consists of
12.5 acres of land around the Historic Frost Town Site and Buffalo Bayou.
If one accounts for the future use of TX DOT property under the freeway
system, this will add an additional twelve acres. In April 1985, Kirk
Farris presented the park concept to the Houston Parks Board and to
Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee. Lee had Harris County help
make the legal arrangements with area property owners to provide for
public space. Through 1986 and 1987, Farris, Lee and Charles Tapley,
the renowned architect, held several meetings to discuss expanding the
park to include a hike and bike trail.
From 1987 to 1992, Farris and AEA worked with Harris
County Park crews, the Harris County Probation Department, and the Boy
Scouts of America in clearing and mowing the land and removing garbage.
From 1992 through 1994, Farris and AEA promoted the site to Mayor Bob
Lanier, encouraging the City of Houston to adopt the bridge as a special
project and to maintain the color scheme. The area was redistricted
and became part of Precinct 2 under Harris County Commissioner Jim Fonteno.
Fonteno purchased for the County a portion of the leased lands for an
official county park property.
In 1994, we led a campaign to rename the McKee Street
Bridge Habitat Park the James Bute Park. The Park was named after the
late James "Jim" Bute IV who owned the Bute Paint Company,
an original contributor to the McKee Street Bridge project. The name
also refers to his grandfather, James Bute I, who was the founder of
the Bute Paint Company, as well as a major contributor to the development
of the city of Houston at the turn of the century.
From 1994 to 1999, Farris and AEA continued to work
to keep up the physical integrity of the area as a public green space.
Keiji Asakura of Studio Land, Inc. created a master plan of the Second
Ward area which included the James Bute Park as a Palm Garden, orchard
and Urban Harvest garden, and featured the historic Frost Town site.
Since July 2001 we have earned tax-exempt status for
our real estate and we hope to raise additional funds for acquisition
and improvements based on our master plan.
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