FALL 2016 PARKSIDE HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER 1&3 in the park Hermann Park’s Grand Gateway Renovation Combines Beauty Hermann Park’s Grand Gateway and Connectivity 2 Renovation Combines Beauty Letter From the President 4 and Connectivity Seasonal plantings bring color to the Envisioning the Next 20 Years Grand Gateway’s medians with Homestead Park to Port Bike Ride Purple Verbena, Graffiti Pink Penta and Angel Mist White Angelonia. 5 New Conservancy Board Members 6–7 Evening in the Park 8 Overboard with Urban Green Marking the Way Shell Summer Intern Program 9 Featured Plant Job Shadow Program Ready, Set, Go! 10 George Hermann’s 173rd Birthday Save the Dates! Early Hermann Park planners envisioned a drove into its flower beds. The garden was grand entryway to Houston’s newest Park eventually replaced by the Mecom Fountain to emphasize the notion that visitors were in 1964. entering a peaceful respite from urban life. EVENING IN THE PARK Over the decades the Park’s once grand see pages 6–7 For over 100 years, the entrance to the entrance had become less than grand with Park at the intersection of Montrose and broken sidewalks limiting accessibility and Main Streets has served as the gateway to minimal landscaping. The Grand Gateway MISSION relaxation and recreation for Houstonians. Hermann Park project was launched as part of Hermann In 1915, noted landscape architect, Park Conservancy’s Centennial Campaign. Conservancy is a George E. Kessler, was selected to design The campaign’s goal was to bring major citizens’ organization a plan for a then rustic Hermann Park. Kes- improvements to Hermann Park to fulfill its dedicated to the sler was inspired by the City Beautiful 1995 master plan and to celebrate its 2014 stewardship and Movement popular in the 1890s and early centennial. In addition to funds raised by improvement of 1900s, which emphasized the importance the Centennial Campaign, the $5 million Hermann Park— of green spaces in urban areas. Kessler project’s funding included nearly $3 million today and for designed a magnificently landscaped, from a grant awarded through the Texas generations to elliptical sunken garden as the main focus Department of Transportation, which man- come. of the Park’s gateway. The sunken garden aged the project with the Conservancy and was built in 1917 and added a little variation the City of Houston. in elevation to the flat Park, although it was Continued on page 3 occasionally a traffic hazard for some who hermannpark.org PARKSIDE / FALL 2016 DONORS letter from the president letter from McGovern Centennial Gardens Last April, more than 540 Conservancy $10,000 – $24,999 supporters gathered in the heart of the Christine and Jaime Yordan $1,000 – 4,999 Park for our annual gala, Evening in the Doreen Stoller and Dan Piette Park. Their enthusiasm for Hermann Park $100 – 499 is infectious as is the shared vision of Jan and Joe Castleberry – In memory of Demaris De Lange Hudspeth the Park as a place for our community Patricia Chandler to come together. During the program, Sunshiners Group of St. Pius outgoing Conservancy board chair, Catholic Church Peter Tsan Danny David, spoke to the importance Wharton Garden Club of this Park. Historic Clubhouse $100,000 – 249,999 “Over the years, we have spoken about Clare A. Glassell Hermann Park in terms of quality of life. Gala honoree Tommy W. Lott $50,000 – 99,999 It is important to remember: the Park is and Doreen Stoller Sterling-Turner Foundation $25,000 – 49,999 not a perk. It is not a nice to have. It is a George and Mary Josephine must have. It is not a luxury. It is essential. The Park will need ongoing community Hamman Foundation support.” He added, “Houston is facing some financial headwinds, but now is $5,000 – 9,999 Strake Foundation exactly the time we need to double down and continue to beautify this Park, a $1,000 – 4,999 Park that every year brings six million people of all stripes together without putting Linda M. Fahr and James D. Watson – a price tag on the experience.” In honor of June and Tommy Lott Japanese Garden No one understands that imperative more than the man we honored at the gala, $25,000 – 49,999 Tommy W. Lott. He has lovingly supported Hermann Park through the Conservancy The Garden Club of Houston $10,000 – 24,999 for many years. The first time I met Tommy was a Saturday morning in spring when Donna Cole a group of board members met at the historic clubhouse to make the centerpieces Kathy and Glen Gondo for the gala. And there was Tommy — wielding a hot glue gun and attaching silk $5,000 – 9,999 Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable cherry blossoms to giant tree limbs, his lovely wife June by his side. Tommy had Foundation successfully built his own business — and others in his position might have written Mitsui & Co. (USA), Inc. a check just to escape glue gun duty. But the spirit of working together permeated $1,000 – 4,999 Japan Business Association our board and staff, and Tommy was always the first to roll up his sleeves. of Houston Osaka Gas USA Corporation When the Grand Gateway (the main entrance at Montrose and Main Streets) of Karen and Arthur Rogers Hermann Park was designed 100 years ago, it was composed of a lovely formal $500 – 999 Chiyoda International Corporation planting plan. But then the construction of Fannin and San Jacinto Streets as well Noltex LLC as the MetroRail line cut right through it – obliterating the plantings and leaving Cassie B. Stinson – In honor of Mr. Minami the medians to decay. Tommy made a lead gift to restore the Grand Gateway and $100 – 499 worked with a group of friends in the Warwick Towers to help raise the funds. Kim and Joe Caruana Hannah and Lenny Golub – In honor of The Conservancy’s next project takes us back to where I first met Tommy and June — Abbott Gaelyn Godwin Linda and Barry Hunsaker the historic clubhouse. When he lost his wife, Tommy wanted to do something Takeo Kobayashi special in her memory. He gave the lead gift to restore the clubhouse — which will Junji Kurokawa be named Lott Hall at Hermann Park in June’s honor. While the building has lovely Hidekazu Matsushima Metton America Inc. historic features, time has taken its toll. Tommy’s generosity will help to bring the Kiyomi and Shubun Mizuki clubhouse back to its early grandeur. In Kind William J. Schull Tommy is a favorite among our staff — and not only because he comes to our Centennial Campaign office bearing brownies — but because he more than anyone understands that $500 – 999 Isla and Tommy Reckling – In memory Hermann Park is not a perk, but a must have for all Houstonians. of Sara Houstoun Lindsey $100 – 499 Kind Regards, Demetra C. Jones Elise and Jack Neal – In memory of Sarah Pesikoff Zach Russell Doreen Stoller, President 2 DONORS HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY Art in the Park $100 – 499 Barbara and Phil Rice – In memory of Andrew Rebman Evening in the Park All gifts in honor of Tommy W. Lott, honoree, and chairs Kristy and Chris Bradshaw and Kim and Dan Tutcher $25,000 – 49,999 Kristy and Chris Bradshaw/Era Group Cherie and Jim Flores Kathrine McGovern/John P. McGovern Foundation Phoebe and Bobby Tudor Kim and Dan Tutcher and Friends $10,000 – 24,999 Susan and Richard Anderson Abbi and Robert Antablin Bevin and Dan Dubrowski H-E-B The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Multi-colored seasonal flower beds Morgan Stanley will be planted three times per year. Susan D. Sarofim Allison and Troy Thacker $5,000 – 9,999 Chinhui and Eddie Allen Anonymous continued from page 1 Jay Baker Bank of Texas The update to the original Grand bicyclists. New drainage and irrigation Bud Light/Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P. Mo and Ric Campo Gateway was designed by the landscape systems were installed to preserve the Gracie and Bob Cavnar architecture firm SWA Group. The plan stately Live Oaks along Main Street. CenterPoint Energy/June Deadrick included a renovation of the area leading to Understory plantings including wild roses, Janet F. Clark Cathy and Joe Cleary the Sam Houston Monument, integrating society garlic and Asian jasmine were added Anne and John Clutterbuck three separate medians with extensive along Fannin Street to provide color. Susie and Sanford Criner/ landscaping and seasonal plantings to Cece and Mack Fowler The vision of the Park’s early designers Jane and Bill Curtis/ create the feel of a continuous landscape. lives on today as the Grand Gateway’s Curtis & Windham Architects The restoration also provides improved colorful blooms and landscaped medians Isabel and Danny David/ connectivity to the neighborhoods Baker Botts L.L.P. welcome visitors to one of Houston’s Jenny and Jim Elkins Family Fund surrounding the Park. New features most historic green spaces. Sarah and Doug Foshee include lights, benches, sidewalks and bike Michele and Brent Friedman racks to offer convenience for walkers and Friends of Kim and Dan Generation Park Maureen and Geoff Goddard Christine and Gregg Hollenberg Houston First Corporation Sis and Hasty Johnson Sign up for the Third Annual Gay and Ronald Lott Tommy W. Lott Park to Port Nancy Manderson Bike Ride Rebecca Mark-Jusbasche and Air up your tires and get ready to ride Michael Jusbasche in the Conservancy’s third annual Park Janna Oswald and Brian Niemczak Petrello Family Foundation to Port Bike Ride. The fun fall event Rebekah and Gary Reaves will be held on Saturday, October 15 Rice University with a rolling start from 8–9 a.m.