The Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority / City of Houston TIRZ 20 is pleased to announce that it has worked in coordination with the City of Houston to secure $5.78 Million in federal grant appropriations for the Civic Core Campus project. The project is an effort to redevelop and expand the Southwest Multiservice center in Southwest Houston at Hillcroft Avenue and High Star Drive. The current site, located in one of the densest and most diverse neighborhoods in Houston, experiences approximately 1,350 visitors daily between the Multi-Service Center and the adjacent Legacy Health Clinic, “emphasizing the need and opportunity to address a multitude of community needs related to quality of life, economic vitality, and community development,” according to Southwest Houston Redevelopment Authority Chairman Welcome Wilson Jr.

The funding has been awarded jointly by U.S. Representative Al Green of Texas’ 9^th District and U.S. Representative Lizzie Fletcher of Texas’ 7^th District, as part of a Community Project Funding (CPF) request for FY 2024. This grant will provide the funding necessary to implement the first phase of planned improvements for the Multiservice Center, which includes a planned 20,000 square foot expansion of the existing facility to provide additional space for the Houston Health Department, Houston Public Library, and other related users. Future phases plan to provide a new community park and address area resiliency needs and parking deficiencies through the construction of a multi-purpose resilience hub and structured parking facility. Ultimately, the site is proposed to be fitted with generators and other resilience tools to better equip the community, which has a population density nearly five times greater than the Houston-average, to respond to natural disasters, from winter storms to hurricanes. These efforts are an outgrowth of the Mayor’s mission to equip and strengthen Houston’s communities.

The plan synthesizes and builds upon more than fifteen years of community planning and development efforts across Southwest Houston, leveraging previous TIRZ investments in roadways, drainage, and sidewalk improvements. The Civic Core Campus is a key initiative that brings together a multitude of public, private, and community stakeholders to create a better space for services, recreation, and workforce opportunities. “The Authority greatly appreciates the continued support that this project receives from Representatives Green and Fletcher. We will continue to work with them, the City of Houston, Legacy Community Health, My Connect Community, Harris County Precinct 4, and all of our other partners to deliver this project as envisioned,” said Wilson Jr.