Houston land bank granted $5.5M to clean up contaminated Second Ward site

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Plans are in motion to transform an old incinerator site in Houston’s Second Ward into a community greenspace by 2028.

The former Velasco Incinerator site, inactive for decades, is located in the 800 block of North Velasco Street near Navigation Boulevard. In 2023, the Houston Land Bank acquired the 4.56-acre property from the City of Houston.

The organization is seeking community input to decide the future of the greenspace. “I want the community to tell me that,” said Houston Land Bank CEO Christa Stoneham.

The site, used by the city from the 1930s through the 1960s, has been unused for decades. Since 2006, tests have shown elevated levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, and other toxins in the soil.

James Tour, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry and materials science at Rice University, believes it is feasible to convert the site into a park. “I don’t think it’s going to be too much trouble to put a park in there,” Tour said. “These sorts of things can be mitigated.”

The Houston Land Bank plans to use a method known as capping to contain the contamination. “That would certainly work for arsenic and lead,” Tour noted. He mentioned that while materials could still escape via the sides of the cap, regular air-quality monitoring would ensure safety.

To inform residents, the Houston Land Bank is hosting an environmental meeting on June 21 at 10:30 a.m. at Bar Boheme, located at 307 Fairview Street.