Revitalization and Baseball in Downtown Houston

The recent on-field success of the Houston Astros is matched by a wave of building in the neighborhood around their home ballpark. All of that means baseball fans might have a harder time finding a place to park this season.

1 minute read

April 15, 2016, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Fans heading [to Minute Maid Park] for Monday's home opener may be in for a rude shock: Those favorite parking spots of years past could very well have a shiny new building on them, or at least a big hole in the ground," according to a post by Mike Tolson.

If that all seems a bit strange for those familiar with Houston and its ballpark, that's because it is: "It wasn't so long ago that the retro-styled ball park was a bit lonesome out on the northeast edge of central Houston in 2000, but no more."

According to Tolson, Downtown Houston is quickly transforming from a day-time business community into a "true community," with "residents, retail shops, and restaurants that remain open long after the lunch rush." Tolson's concern is for the parking situation at the eastern ends of Houston, where demand from sold out games will clash with less supply due to all that revitalization. The remainder of the article reads like a guide to accessing the ballpark, whether by driving or by taking public transit—the Purple and Green lines of the METRORail system have a station just blocks from the stadium.  

Sunday, April 10, 2016 in Houston Chronicle

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