Client: Discovery Green Conservancy
Location: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Markets: Construction | Site Development | CommercialHospitality
Challenges
The pre-development condition of the current location of
Discovery Green Park, a high profile, 10+ block land mass,
presented multiple challenges. Work was financed from multiple
sources, completed under a compressed schedule, and executed
with restricted access. Environmental concerns were related to
historic use/impact within an Urban Core setting and included
multiple Areas of Concern (AOCs) within the Pathway of
Construction (POC), including numerous “ghost” storage tanks
and large areas of impacted media. TGE was responsible for all
environmental aspects including the removal of thousands of tons
of soil impacted above regulatory limits. Likewise, during ongoing
construction, the site required permitted dewatering and
regulated management of tens of millions of gallons of discharge.
The combined property also required full Texas Risk Reduction
Program (TRRP) case closure under Texas Commission of
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) purview.
Downtown Houston Park Redevelopment
Solution
Due to project size and scope, initial “buy in” of all parties was
critical. TGE was selected following a rigorous pre-qualification
process due to our extensive history in successfully executing
similar urban core projects. TGE prepared a project plan that
integrated multiple service lines, leveraged vendor relationships,
drew upon pre-construction regulatory agency concurrence
experience, and relied upon a solutions-based process in
conveying information to the board and construction prime. All
historical use “artifacts” (tanks, abandoned sumps, below-grade
equipment, etc.) were located ahead of construction and
documented, affected areas were delineated and plan
requirements met. Once construction commenced, TGE installed
compliance well points and began extended groundwater
monitoring. While local soil removal was required and in situ
remediation performed for the site, the location of the subgrade,
multi-level garage proved of benefit in expediting case closure
due to extensive dewatering of the area to reach closure
objectives.
Outcome
TGE remediated and “clean-closed” the urban park on time and
under budget; the park now enjoys unrestricted “residential use”
requirements.