Indoor park scheme could save Houston's Astrodome
A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) has suggested turning Houston, Texas’ Astrodome into a multi-use indoor park, complete with zip-lines and bike trails.
The dome’s future looked to be in jeopardy when voters rejected a US$217m (€202m, £147m) proposal to turn the venue into a multi-purpose convention centre in late 2013. But the new plan could breathe life into the vast domed structure first opened in 1965 and has hosted baseball, football, live musicians and professional wrestling among other things. The ageing structure was closed down in 2008 with the Astrodome breaching multiple building code violations.
The dome is on the US National Register of Historic Places, meaning that any potential investor would receive tax breaks for preserving the property. The ULI report is made up of a panel of experts from the fields of architecture, urban planning, land use and more. Suggestions include a ground-level open space that could host an array of activities including an adventure park, indoor track, zip lines and mountain bike trails. An agricultural approach has also been touted, with space to support an aquaponics research lab or centre for sustainable farming.
Outside of the stadium’s main area, various floors could house community festivals, farmers markets, movie nights and charity events. The proposal also recommends a “pedestrian corridor lined with oak trees and edged by pavilions to provide shade and rain protection.” The dome’s promenade would surround a central lawn for informal field sports, along with seating and children’s play areas.
The grand vision however still has a major hurdle to cross in that funding has not yet materialised. The ULI proposal has been valued at US$242m (€225m, £164m), US$25m (€23.2m, £17m) more than the voter-rejected proposal in 2013.
To read the report in its entirety, click here.
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