The Planning and Development Department (P&D) recommends the adoption of the ordinance to rename the entirety of Dowling Street to Emancipation Avenue.
Emancipation Park has been a local community gathering place and a symbol of cultural pride for nearly a century and a half. The park is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation project and will soon be rededicated to the community for the enjoyment of future generations. The proposed street name change pays tribute to the rich history of this noteworthy public park and would align the name of the street that serves as the front door to the park with the name of the park itself. Many signature parks share a name with an adjacent street that helps to strength the tie to the community. Examples include Hermann, Memorial, MacGregor, and TC Jester parks. This name change would raise Emancipation Park into the same category as many of the city’s other noteworthy parks.
Dowling Street was originally named East Broadway. The name was changed to Dowling in 1892 by the Houston City Council to honor Richard “Dick” Dowling (1837-1867). Dowling, born in Ireland, moved to Houston in 1857. He was a businessman and served in the Army of the Confederate States of America. Major Dowling played a role in the Second Battle of Sabine Pass in September 1863 that resulted in a failed attempt by the Union Army to invade the then Confederate state of Texas. Tuam Street, a street that runs along the north side of Emancipation Park, also pays tribute to Dick Dowling having been named after his hometown in Ireland.
The public was engaged extensively throughout the process using multiple methods of communication, including notification by first class mail, email, newspaper notices, and signage along the street corridor. At the start of the process, P&D held two meetings in the community on September 13 and 15, 2016 to discuss the details of the public input process and the roles of P&D, the Planning Commission, and City Council related to the proposed street name change. A 60-day public comment period that ended on October 27, 2016 yielded hundreds of comments from the community. In total, approximately 61% of the respondents supported the name change to Emancipation Avenue, 33% wanted the name to remain Dowling Street, and 6% offered no definitive position on the change.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on October 27, 2016 to receive input on the proposed name change. After reviewing the public comment summary and hearing community testimony, the Commission voted unanimously to support the name change and forward the item to City Council for approval.
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Patrick Walsh, P.E.
Director
Planning and Development Department