The West Houston Association’s Art of Placemaking Forum offered an inspiring look at how arts, culture, and thoughtful design can shape the future of our communities. Held on September 18, the event gathered developers, public officials, civic art professionals, and community leaders to discuss how creative placemaking supports the region’s growth while building a sense of identity and belonging.
WHA President & CEO Alan Steinberg opened the program by noting that quality development depends on more than engineering and utilities. “When someone buys a house or spends an afternoon in a park, they’re not thinking about the size of the water line,” he said. “They’re thinking about how the place makes them feel.” He reminded attendees that placemaking calls for imagination and collaboration among public officials, developers, designers, and residents so that new projects become more than physical improvements, they become part of a region’s identity.
From the outset, the conversation centered on the idea that placemaking is not an accessory to development but a core ingredient of quality growth. Moderator Ernesto Alfaro, Principal Planner at LJA Engineering, reflected on his work with ArtPlace America, an initiative that seeded “creative placemaking” across the country. “What I learned,” he said, “is that the most important thing isn’t just the artwork at the end. It’s the process that allows people to think about the place where they live—and to shape it together.” He highlighted how successful places are often the product of collaboration between artists, residents, and civic leaders. Alfaro emphasized that placemaking is as much about the process as the result; dialogue, experimentation, and shared purpose create the conditions where meaningful public spaces can emerge.
That message resonated with the panelists who joined Alfaro on stage: Anna Deans, Executive Vice President at Midway; Kelsey Thorne, Vice President of Land Development at Howard Hughes; and Grace Zuniga, Director of Civic Art at Houston Arts Alliance. Each described how personal history influences their professional approach.
Deans, raised in a historic New Orleans neighborhood, said, “Growing up surrounded by music and art taught me to see buildings not just as structures but as part of an ongoing story.” For her, projects like East River begin by honoring the area’s working-port past. “The architecture is intentionally raw—steel, concrete, big exterior stairs—because industrial buildings weren’t designed to be pretty; they were designed to work. That honesty gives the community space to add its own layers over time.”
Reflecting on her own path, Zúñiga shared that she grew up in a small town called Sandia, Texas—seven acres right off the Nueces River, where most days were spent “playing with bugs and swimming in the river.” Fine art, she explained, wasn’t part of her daily life, but the tactile experience of being immersed in nature fed a deep curiosity—one she later carried into the studio and into her work solving problems in the arts. That perspective shaped how she approached the panel discussion, underscoring that creative placemaking isn’t just about murals or sculpture, but about cultivating spaces that invite people to explore, feel, and connect as she once did along the riverbanks of South Texas.
Thorne reflected on her grandparents’ work restoring historic buildings in Springfield, Illinois, and how that shaped her commitment to respectful development. “They were always finding ways to bring new life into old places,” she recalled. “At Howard Hughes we try to do the same.” She spoke about Howard Hughes’ long-term investment in communities such as The Woodlands and Bridgeland, where art and landscape are planned together so that people can experience creativity as part of daily life.
Throughout the conversation, authenticity emerged as a central theme. Alfaro asked how developers ensure new projects respect community history. Deans explained that authenticity often comes from restraint. “We had to convince ourselves that not everything needed to be polished,” she said of East River. “Leaving materials a little imperfect let the site’s story stay visible.”
“Authenticity doesn’t happen overnight,” Alfaro remarked. The Woodlands’ art collection has grown over decades. Bridgeland’s placemaking is still unfolding nearly twenty years in. East River is intentionally allowing character to build slowly as tenants and neighbors leave their mark. “You can’t rush a tree into maturity,” Thorne said, smiling. “The same is true for a community.”
“Spirit of Montrose” Mural by Kill Joy in Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library
Zuniga recounted a mural at the Montrose Library that wove together oral histories, LGBTQ+ landmarks, and the shade of historic oak trees, turning a new building into a keeper of community memory. She emphasized the role of artists as historians and interpreters. “When we embed stories—whether about families, geography, or cultural milestones—into public art, we anchor people to place,” she said. “That’s especially important in cities like Houston, where change can be so fast that we risk forgetting what came before.”
The panel also examined how revitalization can trigger displacement even as it improves neighborhoods. Deans acknowledged the dilemma: “We bring green space and safety, but property values rise and longtime residents may be priced out. We can’t control every economic force, but art can act as a bridge. It signals that people are welcome and that their history matters.” As new parks, cultural venues, and public art raise property values, they can inadvertently push out long-standing residents. While developers cannot control every market force, they can signal inclusion through design, temporary installations, and programming that invite everyone to participate in the life of a project. Zuniga stressed that storytelling—through murals, sculpture, or other forms—can preserve local identity even as an area evolves. Thorne reflected on Bridgeland’s nearly twenty-year journey, observing, “It’s exciting to see people that have stayed in the community, and more often than not, we’re seeing them move within the community.”
Artist David Maldonado with his 60’x20′ Houston-themed mural at East River.
While murals remain a familiar way to enliven streetscapes, the panel encouraged thinking beyond the painted wall. They spoke about kinetic sculptures, interactive pieces, light projections, and even performances that can transform public spaces. Deans described how art has brought energy to East River, creating moments that connect people to place. “We’ve brought out art cars. We’ve worked with multiple light artists on these kinds of crazy installations where we project across the river onto the silos. I think that kind of temporary installation is just as important.” Thorne noted that in Bridgeland, nature itself often plays the starring role, whether through birdwatching towers, prairies, or overlooks that invite quiet reflection. Zuniga added that outdoor art heightens awareness of the environment and can encourage stewardship of shared landscapes.
Four of the 24 art benches located in The Woodlands.
Time emerged as an understated but powerful factor in placemaking. Projects like The Woodlands, with its collection of more than ninety public art pieces, took decades to reach their current level of integration. Bridgeland’s cultural layer is still unfolding after nearly twenty years, and East River is only beginning to grow into its potential. Alfaro reminded the audience that lasting places are rarely instant; they evolve as people invest in them and as landscapes mature.
The panel also shared what excites them about the future. Zuniga pointed to the expansion at Hobby Airport, where new civic art commissions will invest more than $2 million in local artists. Deans discussed how current market conditions are prompting developers to reimagine existing buildings, with projects like Post Oak Central focusing on the spaces between structures as opportunities for activation and design. Thorne spoke about Howard Hughes’ upcoming Veterans Memorial at Bridgeland, encouraging residents to consider creative approaches to honoring service while fostering reflection and learning. She also noted the excitement around the region’s first mass timber office building at Bridgeland and the opportunities major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring for public spaces and cultural expression.
Throughout the discussion, one insight kept surfacing: placemaking succeeds when technical expertise, cultural understanding, and community collaboration work hand in hand. Infrastructure alone cannot create loyalty or pride. Those qualities emerge when people see their own stories and values embedded in the places around them. For West Houston, that means pairing mobility, drainage, and utilities with investments that celebrate art, history, and nature.
The Art of Placemaking Forum demonstrated that building memorable communities is both an act of planning and an act of imagination. Whether through a mural that tells a neighborhood’s story, a sculpture that catches the changing light, or a park designed to grow more beautiful over time, creative placemaking helps ensure that growth strengthens the fabric of our region. As Greater West Houston continues to expand, integrating arts and culture into development will be essential to creating places where people not only live and work, but also connect, belong, and thrive.