On March 19, 2026, Harris County Commissioners Court will hold public hearing in compliance with Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code to consider Harris Health’s request to purchase 8.9 acres of Hermann Park land through eminent domain. If approved, the land will be used to build a 100-bed expansion facility to improve capacity for Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital.
In January, the Court unanimously approved scheduling the public hearing, a necessary step in the process for when a public entity uses eminent domain to purchase parkland.
Harris County voters approved a $2.5 billion bond package in 2023. The bond funds represent the bulk of Harris Health’s multi-year strategic facilities plan that includes the Ben Taub Hospital expansion, a new Level I-trauma capable hospital (recently named John M. O’Quinn Hospital) on the Lydon B. Johnson Hospital campus and new construction and extensive renovations to Harris Health’s ambulatory clinics and specialty facilities.
Ben Taub Hospital video on capacity crisis: The proposed 100-bed expansion for Ben Taub Hospital could create capacity for up to 3,000 patients or the equivalent of nearly 37,000 additional inpatient days annually.
The parkland is the only location available for expansion because of its proximity to the existing hospital. As such, the expansion facility would connect to the existing hospital via a skybridge and operate under Ben Taub Hospital’s current hospital license. The skybridge connection also ensures critical services such as diagnostic radiology, phlebotomy, lab, pathology, security and specialty services and staff are available to patients treated in the expansion facility.
Many of you continue to ask how you can support the Ben Taub Hospital expansion project. Fortunately, there are a few methods for you to show support:
Share comments of support by email at BenTaubExpansion@harrishealth.org
Join an online petition of support spearheaded by The Metropolitan Organization (TMO), an organization in Greater Houston of institutions dedicated to developing power and leadership among residents. To do so, visit this site.
Sign up to make supportive comments during the Court’s eminent domain public hearing on March 19. To do so, visit this site.
We hope these options help you amplify your voice to influence positive change in our community.
