Gragg Park

Gragg Park Complex is a public park located in Houston, Texas at the intersection of South Wayside Drive and Wheeler Street. The park covers an area of approximately 5 acres and features spacious lawns shaded by moss-draped oak trees and flowering crape myrtles.

The park is home to the historic Gragg Building, which serves as the headquarters for the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. Built in 1957, this Modernist structure was originally designed by MacKie & Kamrath as an administrative center for the Farnsworth & Chambers Company. The building gained historical significance when it briefly housed NASA operations in the early 1960s during the development of manned space flight missions. In 1976, the City of Houston purchased the building, and the surrounding parkland was donated by O.L. Gragg for public use.

Gragg Park Complex offers various recreational facilities for visitors, including a ball field and picnic areas. The park underwent rehabilitation in 2009, led by Harrison Kornberg Architects and landscape architecture firm Asakura Robinson. In 2012, the park added artworks commemorating Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and American astronaut John Glenn, Jr., further enhancing its connection to space exploration history.

The Gragg Building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, recognizing its architectural and historical importance. Today, Gragg Park Complex serves as a pleasant green space for the local community, combining recreational opportunities with historical significance.