Barbara Bush Now Has Her Own Plaza in Downtown Houston

HOUSTON, TX — She's one of the most beloved and popular former first ladies of all time, and her work promoting literacy has improved the lives of countless individuals. Now, she's being honored by Houston in an appropriate manner: The city is naming a downtown plaza after her.

The area located between the city's central library and the Julia Ideson Building will soon be known as The Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza, the mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, said this week during a press conference.

“Hundreds of thousands visit the plaza during downtown events such as charity walks, parades, festivals, outdoor exhibitions and city occasions. We will transform that useful space into something exceptional and it will become a destination in its own right,” Turner said.

One of Bush's sons, Neil Bush, said he hopes the plaza will be an impetus for others to carry on his mother's vital work, which is spearheaded by the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.

“To have a plaza named, the Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza, to lift up her legacy, hopefully will inspire others to make it their legacy, too,” said Bush, who announced his family had donated $500,000 to the plaza's renovation. The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation and Phillips 66 also contributed to the project, to the tune of $500,000 each. The Houston Public Library Foundation announced that it seeks to raise $5.5 million for the work, which is scheduled to begin in 2017.

— Architectural renderings courtesy The Houston Public Library Foundation