A downtown Houston street that runs past City Hall could soon bear the name of the late Congressman and former Mayor Sylvester Turner, thanks to a proposal by City Controller Chris Hollins.
“He left an incredible legacy,” Hollins said. “He’s deserving of honor, and renaming a street in the heart of our city is just one way we can pay tribute to his memory.”
Turner, who served two terms as Houston’s mayor, spent more than 25 years representing Northwest Houston in the Texas Legislature. Hollins, who now holds the city controller position, said Turner played a pivotal role in his political journey.
“Long before I was involved in politics, before he had any reason to invest in me, he made himself available,” Hollins said. “Over time, he became a mentor and a dear friend.”
Hollins introduced the renaming proposal during a recent City Council meeting, where he became emotional while reflecting on Turner’s influence. Mayor John Whitmire responded by thanking Hollins for his suggestion, signaling openness to honoring Turner’s legacy.
City Council Member Tiffany Thomas expressed her full support for the initiative. She noted that Turner already has a park named in his honor in his home neighborhood of Acres Homes, and community members have also launched a petition to rename the Bethune Empowerment Center after him.
“There’s a strong appetite for this because people recognize the depth of his contributions,” Thomas said. “I want to publicly align myself with the Controller’s proposal. I would absolutely support the renaming of the street.”
For the renaming to move forward, Houston’s planning department requires a petition showing support from at least 75% of property owners along the stretch of Bagby Street in question. Because the city owns the majority of those properties, only one additional private property owner would need to sign on. Other property owners include Landry’s Group (which owns the Downtown Aquarium), Tennison Lofts (an apartment complex) and Brookfield Asset Management (owner of Heritage Plaza and a nearby parking garage).
A Brookfield spokesperson said the company hadn’t yet received the proposal.
Hollins and Thomas are also backing a separate initiative to rename a terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in honor of the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who previously represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District before Turner. That resolution has already received unanimous approval from the City Council.
