Dozens of residents, neighborhood advocates and elected officials urged the Houston City Council on Oct. 7 to oppose permanently abandoning Polk Street as part of the planned George R. Brown Convention Center expansion, saying the closure would sever an important east–west connection between the East End and downtown.

The debate centers on whether Polk should be closed permanently to allow the convention center to expand and create new public plazas and circulation space. Advocates for keeping Polk open said the city has not shown adequate traffic modeling or contingency plans for East End neighborhoods, while supporters of the expansion said the project will generate large economic gains and new visitor activity that benefits the whole city.

"This is one of the most consequential transportation decisions facing Houston," said Catherine Fowler, identifying herself as an Eastwood resident. "Let Houstonians experience the temporary closure in November, then revisit any permanent vote with real‑world feedback. Keep Polk open." Fowler asked the council to interpret silence as an indication that members do not support permanent closure.

Community groups and neighborhood residents pressed several technical and procedural points: multiple speakers said TxDOT planning documents show Polk remaining open; others said Houston First, the agency leading the expansion, had not done sufficient community outreach. Kyle Rogers of People for Polk said the group has collected signatures and social media engagement opposing abandonment and urged the council to withhold a permanent vote until state and local traffic analyses are complete.

"Every single comment to the joint referral committee was opposed to closure," Rogers said. "We invite council to hear the community and demand more data." Lisa Hunt, another East End advocate, echoed that view, saying the decision affects the entire city and not only one district.

Supporters of the expansion argued the project would make Houston more competitive for large conventions and produce economic activity across the hospitality sector. Chris Larson, president and CEO of Downtown Houston Plus, told council the convention campus is "critical to the city's future" and offered his organization's help to manage connectivity and mobility during and after construction. William Franks, a downtown developer, said a modernized convention center is essential for downtown's continued economic health.

Local business and hospitality representatives emphasized projected long‑term benefits. Ramon Ventura Guzman, chair of the Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Houston, said the expansion's new facilities are "projected to generate more than $20 billion in additional spending and $6 billion in new payroll over the next 30 years."

Several speakers asked council to coordinate with state legislators and TxDOT. Marina Guerra, speaking on behalf of State Representative Christina Morales, urged the council to delay any permanent vote until a comprehensive traffic plan and a clear detour and timeline for eastside neighborhoods are publicly released and until the state weighs in on potential alternatives.

City officials and legal observers also flagged questions about process. Roy Hirsch, representing a coalition raising legal concerns, said multiple state legislators had expressed unease and called for a meeting with TxDOT before any permanent abandonment vote. Councilmembers did not take a final vote on the Polk Street abandonment during the session; the public‑comment period was the primary forum for airing support and opposition.

Speakers representing a range of civic organizations and neighborhood groups urged the council either to reject a permanent closure or to postpone any final action until traffic modeling, state discussions and a deeper community engagement process are completed. Others asked that temporary closures scheduled for November be used as a short trial to gather real‑world data before a long‑term decision.

The council did not announce a timetable for any future vote on Polk Street. Several councilmembers said they had heard from residents on both sides and would continue to review materials from Houston First, TxDOT and the city legal and planning offices. The item remains under discussion.

Provenance: The discussion of Polk Street closure and the George R. Brown Convention Center expansion began in public comment around the speaker who said, "I'm coming before you all today to discuss the potential Polk Street closure," and continued through multiple public commenters opposing and supporting closure. Evidence excerpts from the meeting transcript are available in city records.