Community group opposes Hermann Park land condemnation for hospital

Community Group Opposes Hermann Park Condemnation for Hospital Expansion

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A new community group is working to stop part of Hermann Park from being condemned for the proposed expansion of Ben Taub Hospital.

Many supporters of the park were surprised last summer when ABC13 reported that Harris Health plans to acquire nine acres of the park through eminent domain.

Now, opponents are mobilizing and urging county leaders to reconsider the proposal as public meetings continue.

Public Meetings and Community Response

Harris County Commissioners slowed the condemnation process late last year to allow for more public input. Monday night’s meeting at BakerRipley was the third community hearing on the issue.

Anne Furse, who voted for the Harris Health expansion bond four years ago, spoke out. She did not expect the bond to lead to the loss of parkland.

“All of us involved in this effort voted enthusiastically for the bond, but the bond language was different,” Furse said. “It never mentioned condemning nine acres of the park or building a new facility on a 100-year floodplain.”

Formation of Protect Hermann Park

Furse is now part of Protect Hermann Park, a group formed recently to oppose the plan. Members argue the proposal conflicts with Harris Health’s strategic plan, which calls for building new hospitals in underserved areas of the county.

“People have to travel huge distances for care,” Furse said. “Life Flight can’t land at Ben Taub. For someone having a heart attack or severe injury, a long ambulance ride downtown is not the humane solution. We need facilities closer to where people live.”

Commissioner’s Request for Community Engagement

Commissioner Adrian Garcia requested the additional community meetings. He said many residents and stakeholders felt excluded from earlier discussions.

“The (Hermann Park) Conservancy felt they weren’t engaged, and I believe the general Harris County population was not engaged well enough,” Garcia said. “This is about making sure the public understands what is being proposed.”

Garcia has not stated how he will vote on the condemnation. When ABC13 asked, he declined to elaborate. The final decision will be made by the five-member Harris County Commissioners Court.

Hope for Park Advocates

For park advocates like Furse, the growing public response has renewed hope.

“At the beginning, it did feel like the debate was already over, but what’s been encouraging is the huge outpouring of interest and support among Houstonians,” she said.

Additional community meetings are scheduled for Wednesday and next week.