Urban living

Downtown retail plan unleashes pedestrian-friendly possibilities for Houston

New look for proposed shopping disctrict centered at Main and Dallas
Proposed widened sidewalk area Dallas, complete with outdoor dining
The final phase of the plan is establish an L-shaped residential mixed-use areafrom Discovery Green to Main and up to Rusk.
The monolithic Macy's building once served as the headquarters for Foley'sdepartment store. Levels of office space remain vacant since Macy's took over in2006.
Photo via Way Marketing.com
The connectivity diagram from planning firm AECOM
The original Sakowitz department store, completed 1951
The Sakowitz building was converted into a multi-level parking garage in themid-1980s. The new plan intends to convert the ground level back into retailspace.
Photo via Image Shack

With more than 140,000 office workers, downtown Houston is one of the city's most thriving daytime locales during the week. The Downtown Management District hopes to tap into this regular activity with plans for a pedestrian-friendly shopping corridor linking the retail-heavy blocks around Main and Dallas with the convention center area.

At the center of the proposed plan led by urban design firm AECOM, two iconic Main Street structures face major revitalization: the Foley Brothers building which houses Macy's and the marble-clad Sakowitz department store, used as a parking garage since the mid-1980s.

"The Foley's building used to be the company headquarters and maintained several levels of office space," said Angie Bertinot, director of marketing and retail development for the Downtown District. "Macy's didn't need the upstairs offices when they took over the department store space [in 2006] and much of the building has remained empty ever since."

Bertinot said the redevelopment project began as the Downtown Managment District sought ideas to incoporate the underutilized space above Macy's into a mixed-use schema. From there, the organization looked across the street to the Sakowitz building, convincing the owners to restore the first floor parking level to retail space. In the end, Bertinot said, the intersection will form the center of a new urban shopping district.

"Phase one of the new plan is the Macy's renovation," Bertinot said, indicating that discussions with the building's owners are well underway. "Phase two, the retail level in the Sakowitz, is also in negotiation with building developers. Future phases focus on major sidewalk and retail improvements along Main, Dallas and Lamar."

"This is a very unique plan, because owners were part of the process since the onset," she said. "They're already onboard."

The ultimate goal, according to the proposal, looks to a mixed‐use residential neighborhood stretching from Discovery Green to Main along Dallas and Lamar.

The Houston Downtown Management District will work with area property owners to fund the projects. Existing stores like Macy’s, Forever XXI, BCBG, Books-A-Million and Tipping Point are included in the new plans, although Bertinot suggested that higher-end retailers will be considered as well.

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tapping into safety

Bike trail connecting EaDo and Third Ward shines with new lights

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Solar lamps will light up the Columbia Tap Trail before the FIFA 2026 World Cup, with more to come.

The Columbia Tap Trail is getting safer and brighter. The Greater Southeast Management District and the East Downtown Management District announced on Monday that Phase 1 of their Columbia Tap Trail Comprehensive Improvement Initiative had begun, which will install 50 solar powered lights along the trail before the start of the FIFA 2026 World Cup with more to come later.

"The Columbia Tap Trail is more than a bike path. It is a vital artery connecting communities that have shaped Houston's history," said Brian Smith, board chair of the Greater Southeast Management District. "This project demonstrates what's possible when districts, city officials, and federal partners work together to create safer, more accessible public spaces. This $7.5 million investment isn't just about lighting. It's about building a trail that serves our neighborhoods for generations. With the world's eyes on Houston this summer, we're proud to showcase infrastructure that will serve our community long after the final whistle."

When completed later this fall, Phase 1 will have installed 300 new lights along the 10-foot-wide paved parkway. Further improvements as part of Phase 1 will include emergency call boxes, improved signage, and safety features at the various intersections.

Houston is in the midst of a massive expansion of both its public parks and access to the city through walking and bike paths. The Columbia Tap Trail is a 4-mile trail from Dixie Drive to Emancipation Avenue that serves as an important artery for Third Ward and East Downtown. It follows the path of the old Tap and Brazoria Railway, a vital method of exporting goods from Houston that was largely built by enslaved Black Texans. Naturally, Black communities sprang up around the trail, making it a hub of accessibility for generations to come.

Improving the trail opens up alternative and safer paths than driving to destinations like Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science thanks to links to the Brays Bayou Hike and Bike Trail at the southern end, as well as numerous schools, neighborhoods, and small businesses. Along with the Hill at Sims and the larger Bayou Greenway Network, Houston greenspaces and parks are becoming thoroughfares. Houston Council Member Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who frequently uses the trails, applauded the city's commitment to improving and revitalizing the trail system.

"The Columbia Tap Trail has long been a priority for our office because it directly impacts public safety, mobility, and quality of life for the neighborhoods it connects," she said. "As someone who lives in the District of Destination and personally uses this trail, I understand firsthand how important these improvements are to the residents, students, workers, families, and visitors who rely on this corridor. Nearly two years ago, we brought this need to Mayor John Whitmire, and I am grateful that he recognized the importance of this historic trail and worked with us to move these improvements forward."

parks sustainability