Dynamo Park update

Carolyn Feibel in today's Houston Chronicle has an excellent piece (see it here) on the city of Houston's plan to spend up to $20 million to purchase land east of downtown for the site of the future Dynamo Park.

Feibel reported that the Harris County Appraisal District has appraised the land in question at about $5.1 million, but since the local owners, who include former city councilmember Louis Macey, feel the area is primed for development, the amount could be three or four times that. Feibel wrote that HCAD has appraised the properties in the area at $12.50 per square foot, but according to Dan Nip of the East Downtown Redevelopment Authority, asking prices over there have been around $30 psf or even up to $40-50.

I like the fact that both councilmembers Peter Brown and Sue Lovell are quoted as supporting the stadium purchase anyway and seem to be unfazed at the up to $20 million asking price. This is very good news because nothing will scotch this whole deal quicker than having a whiney and uncooperative City Council.

Now is the time to hit up Council on this point. Follow the links to Brown and Lovell and all of the City Council members here, as well as to Mayor White here. Write, call and let your voice be heard on this. You can also write a letter through snail mail at

900 Bagby
City Hall Annex
First Floor
Houston, TX 77002.