Sylvan Beach pavilion

Sylvan Beach pavilion

The 1956 Sylvan Beach Pavilion celebrates community values that generations of Harris County residents have associated with the Park. Social dancing, long a mainstay of the park, is celebrated in the pavilions design that features a 10,000 ft2 glass walled ballroom with a 3,600 ft2 circular dance floor. Whether the ballroom is used for dancing, or for listening to a music venue, or to provide banquet seating with a breathtaking view, the pavilion can continue to provide for our community as it was originally designed. Despite years of conscious neglect, the reinforced concrete structure requires only cosmetic repairs to once again be the showcase on Galveston Bay.

Early in 2008 plans were announced to replace the Pavilion, located in historic Sylvan Beach Park, with a multi story hotel and convention center. Faced with demolition by mid 2008, the people stood up and stopped the process by stating that they wanted to retain the parks residential zoning, rather than allow the Park to be zoned commercial to accommodate a hotel. Government officials countered by challenging that the public to put forth a business proposal to operate the Pavilion with a positive cash flow. Then came Hurricane Ike that some hoped would destroy the Pavilion. The robust structure survived, but broken out windows were not boarded up for a month allowing rain and wildlife to enter the structure. Despite these challenges, in July 2009, a private investor and successful Houston businessman stepped forward, submitting a written business proposal to restore and operate the Pavilion with no taxpayer assistance. Government officials responded by incorrectly stating that the Pavilion was uninsurable as is and would require that any restoration includes raising the Pavilion at least 4 feet. A feasible, but costly process not justified by FEMA requirements. In addition, government officials brought back the hotel and convention center concept, except now the convention center had grown to 20,000 ft2, almost double the size of the Pavilion. (In February, 2009 Harris County estimated that replacing the 12,000 ft2 Pavilion would cost over $8 million dollars.) Clearly, only corporations will be able to afford the high rental fees for a large convention center costing 10’s of millions of your tax dollars.

We need your help to secure the Pavilion’s survival. Become informed by reviewing the content at this website. Read the comments of others and Email us your thoughts at our ‘Your Comments’ page. Visit our ‘Current Events’ page for upcoming critical government hearings and other activities that you can participate in. Visit the ‘contact elected officials page’ to view contact information so that you can tell our public servants to ‘save the pavilion’!

Savethepavilion.org is a 501(c)(3) registered non profit. Your tax deductible donations are appreciated.

Save The Sylvan Beach Pavilion !