As we wrote about in October, the efforts to save the urban forest at 11th Street near T.C. Jester were running into problems. Namely, a deadline was looming and fund-raising efforts were millions of dollars short.
A solution has been worked out, although there’s a nagging detail. If the Houston Parks Board can’t raise $3.5 million to seal the deal, they’ll take out a loan from Amegy Bank. For collateral they’ll use five acres of the 21-acre park.
If they can’t pay the loan, the land will become condos.
The Houston Chronicle reported that the Parks Board just got a big donation for the park — $100,000 from Bob Perry. That’s Bob Perry of Perry Homes, one of the leaders in the effort to change Montrose and other distinctive Houston neighborhoods into a character-less collection of cookie-cutter townhomes.
Altruistic public service on Perry’s part? Or was it a bit of before-the-fall butt-covering so he can say “I did all I could!!” as he crams some more two-story, garage-front, no-lawn yuppie shelters between the trees after the loan is called in?
We’ll have to wait and see. Surprise us, Bob, surprise us! — Richard Connelly
This article appears in Jan 11-17, 2007.
