A proposed $420 million expansion of Ben Taub Hospital would extend the facility into Hermann Park, prompting concerns over public land use.
The proposed expansion comes amid growing strain on Harris County’s trauma care system.
Ben Taub Hospital is one of only two Level One trauma centers in the county, and according to Harris Health System CEO Esmaeil Porsa, the facility is operating well beyond capacity.
In an internal email, Porsa described the expansion as a critical step in addressing long-term trauma care needs in the region. Rather than attempting to renovate the existing structure—described as too old to meet modern demands—Harris Health intends to construct a brand-new trauma tower across the street.
The project’s estimated cost is about $420 million, which would be funded through a voter-approved bond.
The new tower would be connected to the existing hospital via a skybridge to ensure accessibility between the two facilities.
However, the location of the planned construction has sparked debate: the nearly nine acres needed for the project lie within Hermann Park, a public green space originally gifted to the city of Houston with a stipulation that it remain parkland.
From a legal standpoint, this condition complicates the process and could potentially require the use of eminent domain to secure the land.
Despite this, Harris Health says the long-term plan will expand Hermann Park’s footprint.
Once both the new trauma tower and a replacement hospital are completed adjacent to it, the current Ben Taub Hospital and its parking garage would be demolished. That land, totaling more than 11 acres, would be returned to the city to become part of the park.
“It is our intention to then surrender the existing land that Ben Taub sits on, including the parking garage, to the City of Houston so it can be used for park purposes,” Porsa said. “That land is currently more than 11 acres. So yes, we are taking over nine acres of land, park land today. But fully intend to return back to the city 11 acres of land that can be used for park purposes.”
It is currently unclear if the new hospital will fit on the planned nine acres, or if more land will be demanded after the new tower is completed.
Costs could also be higher depending on whether the $420 million bond covers only the cost of the new tower and not the demolition of the current hospital and the construction of a new hospital.
To begin the process, the Harris Health Board must first vote on the proposal, which is expected to happen in late September. If approved, construction could still be years away, pending detailed planning, the bond process, and various legal and procedural steps.
