lynn's place

Game-changing new downtown plaza named for Houston icon Lynn Wyatt finally opens this week

After three years of construction and a COVID delay, the revamped Jones Plaza opens to the public September 22 with a new name, new features, and new spaces to celebrate Houston's vibrant arts scene.Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts is — fittingly — named for the Houston society icon and arts supporter.

The downtown spot held an official debut event, on Thursday, September 21, with a grand opening attended by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, namesake Wyatt herself, Houston First Corporation (HFC) chairman David Mincberg, and HFC president and CEO Michael Heckman, along with other public officials and leaders from Houston’s performing arts and business community.

The square blends spaces for performances with spots to gather and enjoy city life in downtown. The $26.5 million green space includes a flexible performance lawn for concerts and other free programs, a cascading water feature, accessible entries, gardens, trees, one-of-a-kind tête-à-tête rockers/seating, lighting and sound elements, and space for a future restaurant.

Mini murals created by Anat Ronen and Jessica Guerra (Guerra Girl) cover traffic boxes around the Square. HFC will maintain and operate the square, which will offer year-round programming inspired by Houston’s cultural diversity and the award-winning performing arts organizations surrounding the park.

“I love Houston, I love the arts and I absolutely love this beautiful square," said Wyatt in a press release announcing the official opening. "I am thrilled to support the team bringing people and the arts together in the heart of downtown. And to have my name on such an important piece of Houston, I am humbled and grateful, this truly touches my heart. I look forward to all the good this Square will do now and in the future for the people of this dynamic city and our world-class performing arts community."

Bun B, Queenie, Lynn Wyatt, and Mark Sullivan. Wyatt (pictured with Bun B; his wife, Queenie, and power publicist Mark Sullivan) is nationally renowned for her philanthroy. Photo by Alex Montoya

Opening weekend programming includes a number of activities, lawn games and live entertainment. One highlight is the interactive Bees experience. Created by Polyglot Theatre, a world-renowned Australian-based contemporary theatre company, the show offers a creative and fun way to explore the mysterious world of bees. Performances will take place Friday at 5 pm and 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm.

Nestled in the heart of the theater district, Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts sits adjacent to Jones Hall, home to the Houston Symphony and a base for Performing Arts Houston. This month, Jones Hall showcases its own $50 million renovation; the pair of projects offer Houstonians a re-energized corner of downtown.

One part pre-and-post-theater destination, one part downtown gathering space, the plaza invites downtown workers and visitors all day, every day to a long-forgotten parcel of downtown real estate.

A philanthropic legend in the Houston — and national — society and arts worlds, Wyatt committed $10 million to the Jones Plaza renovation, serving as the core of a $27 million capital campaign to fund the transformation.

An additional $10 million in funding came from the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, and a $5 million gift from Houston First Corporation. Additional funders include the Elkins Foundation, the Cullen Foundation, the Fondren Foundation, the Wortham Foundation, the Herzstein Foundation, Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, Vivian L. Smith Foundation, and the MD Anderson Foundation.

Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston

Photo via Houston First Corporation

Jones Plaza will is now the Lynn Wyatt Square For The Performing Arts.

Los Angeles-based design firm Rios helmed the project, selected following an exhaustive selection process and design contest.

“I always say I was born, bred, and buttered in Houston. I have long been devoted to the arts because I believe that the arts, particularly the performing arts, are the soul of any city,” the always-charming Wyatt said during a christening ceremony in 2019. “This is such a wonderful honor and I am delighted that this beautiful square for the performing arts will be enjoyed by my fellow Houstonians and visitors long after I am gone.”

A heartfelt standing ovation to Houston's iconic benefactor, indeed.

Helping hand

ExxonMobil donates $3 million to Houston nonprofit that feeds hungry kids

Courtesy of Kids’ Meals

The 50,000-square-foot building will triple the size of Kids' Meals' headquarters.

At its annual Harvest Luncheon last week, Kids’ Meals, a a nonprofit combatting childhood food insecurity and hunger, received a huge boost: a $3 million gift from ExxonMobil. The gift makes a milestone for the organization.

“We are incredibly grateful to ExxonMobil for the generous $3 million donation, which is the largest corporate donation Kids’ Meals has ever received, both in size and in impact,” CEO Beth Harp said in a statement.

The nonprofit will use the gift toward its new campus, a 50,000-square-foot facility in Spring Branch. Kids’ Meals broke ground on the project in June.

The new building will nearly triple the size of its current headquarters, further helping Kids’ Meals achieve its goal of serving 26,000 children each weekday by 2031. The organization currently serves over 9,000 children every weekday through its 18,500-square-foot headquarters in Garden Oaks. The new building will carry Exxon-Mobil’s name.

“In establishing the Kids’ Meals ExxonMobil Campus, we will be able to expand our programs, reach more children in need, and make a lasting impact on the lives of countless families in the Houston area,” said Harp. “Together, we’re feeding the future and providing hope.”

Founded in 2006, Kids’ Meals serves children ages five and under, and is the only organization in the country that delivers free, healthy meals to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest children. Since its inception, the organization has delivered more than 14 million meals to children in 56 Houston-area zip codes. After delivering a record-breaking 2.4 million meals in 2023, the nonprofit is on track to deliver 2.7 million meals in 2024.

The Harvest Luncheon is the nonprofit’s biggest event of the year. The event raises funds to provide more than 500,000 meals for preschool-aged children. Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s daughters, Sarah and Whitney, chaired the event. Best-selling author Bob Goff served as keynote speaker.

Courtesy of Kids’ Meals

The 50,000-square-foot building will triple the size of Kids' Meals' headquarters.