Houston officials propose $86 million stormwater basin beneath school

The City of Houston plans to construct an $86 million underground stormwater detention basin directly behind Memorial Middle School in the Spring Branch area. City officials presented the proposal to address persistent flooding issues in the neighborhood. The project involves digging a large underground structure and installing two storm sewers beneath a grassy area adjacent to the school.

Funding for the project is a shared effort between the City of Houston, Harris County Flood Control, Precinct 3, and federal grant money. If the city moves forward with the plan, Spring Branch Independent School District would be required to surrender a portion of its land to accommodate the new infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to begin next winter and is projected to last between two and three years.

School district trustees met with residents on Tuesday evening to address the proposal. The meeting drew a large crowd of parents and local residents who expressed uncertainty about the scope of the construction. Many attendees stated they lacked sufficient information regarding how the project would affect daily operations and long-term safety at the school. The proposal notes that part of the middle school building could be rebuilt on top of the new underground structure in the future.

Blake Kirshman, a parent in the district, voiced concern about the long-term consequences of the project. He expressed a fear of future regret if issues arise with the infrastructure. "I just don't want to look back in 20 years if something happens and be like, we could have stopped this, and here we are doing the look back," Kirshman said.

Other residents raised concerns about the complexity of managing a project involving multiple government agencies. One speaker noted that different entities might deflect responsibility to one another. "The different governmental entities involved will point to the other ones and be like, 'It's their project, ask them, and it's like, 'Guys, this is a project that kids are going to be a part of and living on top of; we need to have all this buttoned up,'" the speaker said.

Local residents also recalled a flooding incident in the Memorial area approximately two years ago. During that event, no one was injured, but residents were forced to evacuate their homes. This history has heightened anxiety among families living near the proposed construction site.

City officials were expected to attend the Tuesday evening meeting to answer questions. They did not respond to written inquiries from ABC13 before the gathering. The district and city are now navigating the next steps following the resident feedback.