Search Results for: astrodome

Time once again for reimagining the Astrodome

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Knock yourselves out. Alfonso Hernandez recalled growing up in a little town in Venezuela with a population of about 500,000 people, but still knowing what the Astrodome was due to seeing so many monumental moments on TV — including Nolan … Continue reading →

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Checking in on the Astrodome

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

With the Final Four in town, we have visitors at Reliant Stadium looking over at its unused predecessor and wondering what’s going on with it. The short answer is, not much. The state of the dome and prospects for its … Continue reading →

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Wait, what Astrodome mural project?

Posted on October 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

How is it we hadn’t known about this before now? A proposal to repaint the Astrodome with a series of murals expressing opposition to human trafficking was rejected Friday by the Texas Historical Commission out of concern for the 56-year-old … Continue reading →

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It’s time for another Astrodome redevelopment effort

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Astrodome redevelopment for a new generation. Nineteen years after the Astrodome last hosted an event, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Houston’s most famous building hopes to finally develop a renovation plan that will actually come to fruition. The nonprofit Astrodome … Continue reading →

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Astrodome renovation officially on hold

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise, given everything that is going on right now. The COVID-19 pandemic upended most aspects of normal life, but this year has clutched dearly to one bit of normalcy for Houston residents: inaction on the Astrodome. For 12 … Continue reading →

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What’s going on with the Astrodome?

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on the back burner for now. A $105 million county-approved plan to renovate and build parking at Houston’s most famous relic has been put on pause since the plan’s most prominent advocate, Republican Ed Emmett, lost his seat last … Continue reading →

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Astrodome song

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of nostalgia for you today. Like many of us, Bruce Robison has driven by the Astrodome and gotten emotional. He is of that age — born in 1966, one year after the Dome opened — that gives … Continue reading →

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Does the Astrodome redevelopment need air conditioning?

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t thought about this, to be honest. As work continues on the initial stages of preparing the Astrodome for its new life as a parking and events venue, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo raised questions last week about the … Continue reading →

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The timeline for the Astrodome

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Work will get started after the Rodeo. According to Ryan Walsh, executive director of the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation and NRG Park, the final phase of asbestos abatement is scheduled to get underway at the Dome next week … Continue reading →

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That’s the Texas State Historical Astrodome to you, pal

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s got a marker and everything. More than 56 years after ground was broken on what would become the world’s first domed stadium, the Astrodome is now a bonafide recorded Texas historic landmark. Installed on the stadium’s southwest end, a … Continue reading →

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Another designation for the Astrodome

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s quite the historic place. The famed Astrodome will be designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark — the highest honor the state can bestow on a historic structure. The marker will finally and officially tell the story of the … Continue reading →

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The case for the Astrodome

Posted on February 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg lays it out. But here’s the thing: leaders have to balance today’s needs with tomorrow’s. The long view has its virtues. And frankly, it’s been all to absent in the decision-making of Houston and Harris County. Shortsightedness has … Continue reading →

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County approves Astrodome plan

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, here it comes. Harris County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with the final design and construction of a $105 million project to transform the cherished piece of Houston’s sporting history into what officials … Continue reading →

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No Astrodome vote this fall

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is a bit of a surprise. [Sen. John] Whitmire filed a bill that would force the county to get voter approval before spending any money on the Dome. “It’s a dream and you shouldn’t spend taxpayer dollars on a … Continue reading →

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Whitmire Astrodome bill passes out of committee

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. A Senate committee voted Monday in favor of a bill that would require Harris County residents to approve a county project to renovate the Astrodome by raising its floors and installing parking underneath. The bill could effectively could torpedo … Continue reading →

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More on the Whitmire Astrodome bill

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I still don’t care for this. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett voiced concern Tuesday that a bill filed by a veteran state senator jeopardizes the county’s plan to revitalize the Astrodome, adding that county representatives would continue to try to … Continue reading →

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We don’t need another vote on the Astrodome

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not for this we don’t, anyway. Less than five months ago, the future of the Astrodome seemed to be more secure than it has been in the decades since it hosted its last Astros game, with Harris County commissioners moving … Continue reading →

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Astrodome gains antiquities status

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The aging behemoth billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World has joined the revered ranks of the Alamo and State Capitol as an honored historical site. Just days before a crowd of more than 70,000 files past for … Continue reading →

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Astrodome architects chosen

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For the first phase. Harris County commissioners on Tuesday chose Kirksey Architecture to design a project to retrofit the Astrodome by raising its floor and installing parking spaces underneath. Commissioners designated the Houston-based firm as their top pick to conduct … Continue reading →

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No Astrodome laser light show for the Super Bowl

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. Organizers have nixed a proposal to use high-tech lasers to project dazzling images of Houston’s culture and history onto and through the roof of the Astrodome during Super Bowl LI. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said the NFL turned … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves Astrodome parking plan

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. Harris County commissioners approved the first piece of a $105 million plan to transform the stadium into part parking garage and part event space for things like concerts and trade shows. After years of indecision, advocates for … Continue reading →

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The Astrodome parking proposal is about to get real

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. Harris County commissioners are poised to make their largest investment yet in the Astrodome’s future next week. They are slated to vote on the first piece of a $105 million plan to raise the ground level two … Continue reading →

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Astrodome parking plan coming

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Better get ready. Harris County officials on Friday unveiled a $105 million plan to raise the floor of the Astrodome and build two new levels of parking beneath it, the strongest signal yet that the county plans to maintain and … Continue reading →

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Hey, look, it’s another Astrodome proposal

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Meet A-Dome Park. A Houston architect is touting a new idea for the Astrodome’s overhaul, urging the county to avoid an indoor park concept and instead strip the structure down to its bones. The concept, dubbed “A-Dome Park,” is being … Continue reading →

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A way to use the Astrodome while we figure out what to do with it

Posted on May 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

How does a Super Bowl light show grab you? The future of the Astrodome still might be in the dark, but that doesn’t mean the iconic building can’t return to the spotlight for at least a few minutes. A pair … Continue reading →

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ULI releases its Astrodome plan

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Feast your eyes on what the Urban Land Institute has in mind for the Astrodome. A final assessment by a group focused on sparing the Astrodome from the wrecking ball sets the price tag of reusing the iconic stadium at … Continue reading →

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More on the ULI Astrodome plan

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Tory Gattis: This was not a presentation of, “well, if the all the stars line up you might be able to make this work.” The theme was more, “this is an absolutely incredible opportunity and you would be fools … Continue reading →

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Urban Land Institute report on the Astrodome

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Is this, at long last, The Plan for the Astrodome? The iconic, yet aging Astrodome is worth saving from the wrecking ball and could find new life as a massive indoor park and green space, a national land use group … Continue reading →

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KHOU poll shows little support for Astrodome Park plan

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another result of interest from that KHOU/KUHF poll. The plan to turn the Astrodome into the world’s largest indoor park is politically unpopular with Harris County voters if the transformation requires any taxpayer dollars, according to a new poll released … Continue reading →

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More on the Emmett Astrodome Park plan

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good to know that an architect thinks its feasible, but it will need more than that to become reality. Kinder Baumgardner, president of SWA Architects, the firm behind several public projects in Houston involving parks, said plenty of big-idea architectural … Continue reading →

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How about Astrodome Indoor Park?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

County Judge Ed Emmett gives his vision for the Astrodome. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Tuesday proposed turning the Astrodome into “the world’s largest indoor park” and recreation area, a concept he said would honor the reason his predecessor … Continue reading →

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Astrodome Park proponents tout a survey showing people like the idea of Astrodome Park

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

How can you argue with that? The NRG Astrodome should be turned into a green space similar to Discovery Green downtown, said a majority of people recently surveyed about the future of the former sports arena. The survey, ordered by … Continue reading →

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The Astrodome isn’t officially a historic landmark just yet

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The decision has been delayed until there can be a meeting to discuss it in Houston. Honoring a request by Harris County officials to table the vote and meet much closer to Houston, the Texas Historical Commission voted Wednesday at … Continue reading →

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Chron agrees that the Astrodome Park plan is silly

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So there you have it. There is something uniquely Houston about tearing down an historic structure to build a memorial commemorating the history of that very structure. But that is exactly what the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the … Continue reading →

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