Mayor John Whitmire and Houston First Corporation marked the completion of the GRB South Garage on Thursday. The 1,000-space facility is at 1835 Bell Street near Chenevert Street. The $1.14 billion first phase of the Convention District Transformation Project is still under construction.
The garage is already in use for Houston Rockets games, concerts and other events at Toyota Center. Houston First said it will eventually serve guests of the Hilton Americas-Houston and other visitors as construction progresses. Whitmire said the Convention District Transformation has been a priority of his administration since he took office.
The garage opened six months after the Avenida South Garage was demolished. That demolition removed more than 1,400 parking spaces near the convention center. KPRC 2 previously reported that downtown visitors and nearby businesses raised concerns about parking during construction. Access to the new garage remains limited while work continues. The 660-space Avenida Central Garage beneath Discovery Green has also reopened for public parking. Houston First said the Hilton will use some of its spaces during peak periods until a tunnel connecting the hotel to the GRB South Garage is finished next year.