Urban Land Institute Unveils Vision for NRG Astrodome

March 26, 2015

The future of Houston’s NRG Astrodome remains unclear, but strides are being made towards the repositioning of the Astrodome as a multi-use park. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) recently released a report that argues for the conversion of the stadium into a multi-use park that would enhance the quality of life for residents and serve as a tourist attraction.

By Liviu Oltean, Associate Editor

The Houston Astrodome

The future of Houston’s NRG Astrodome remains unclear, but strides are being made toward the repositioning the stadium as a multi-use park. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) recently released a report that argues for the conversion to enhance the quality of life for residents and serve as a tourist attraction.

Dubbed The Astrodome. Harris County Texas: A Vision for a Repurposed Icon, the report’s recommendations are as follows:

To recognize the historic importance of the Astrodome and to create a vision that rehabilitates the dome and NRG Park.
To redevelop the Astrodome as a multi-use facility.
To increase parking by 1,500 additional spaces.
To create a new, multi-purpose ground floor.
To create a new outdoor public space or a live oak allée from the light-rail station to the east entrance of the stadium.
To develop outdoor covered pavilions along the allée.

ULI’s report also cautioned about the complexity of such a conversion and advised Harris County to adopt “a framework of guiding principles” that would ensure a successful conversion. The principles emphasize that the Astrodome should be rehabilitated as a space accessible by bike, car and train; that the dome’s historic and architectural importance should be actively respected; and that, upon completion, the dome should be a space for arts, education, technology, innovation and history.

As Commercial Property Executive reported in August 2014, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett made a similar proposal—to reposition the dome as the world’s largest indoor park and recreation center. “Rather than try to convert the Dome into something it was never intended to be, I think it is time to look back to the original vision of Judge Hofheinz,” Emmett said last year. “That vision was to provide a place for traditional outdoor activities in a climate-controlled space. A space like none other in the world.”

Image courtesy of Randall Pugh via Flickr.