Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark
The Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark is a massive 30,000 square-foot outdoor concrete skatepark in Houston, Texas that first opened in 2008.
In 2016 and 2017, a partnership between the Houston Parks Board and the Grindline Skateparks design team was formed to renovate the park using an astounding $2.7-million dollar budget.
The result of the renovations was a sprawling skater’s heaven complete with a graffiti garden, seating areas, artistic shade structures, an expansive street plaza, a deep kidney bowl, an open bowl, and a large original Grindline-designed bowl.
Details
| Location | Houston Texas |
| Address | 103 Sabine Street Houston, TX 77007 |
| Coordinates | 29.76201, -95.37693 |
| Features | Large bowl, kidney pool, open bowl, flow park, hubbas, curbs, funbox, manual pad, London gap, quarterpipe, flat rails, handrails, ledges, banks, and stairs. |
| Size | 30,000 Square Feet |
| Riding Allowed | Skateboards and in-line skates only |
| Construction | Concrete |
| Hours | 8 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, Sunday 1 pm to 10 pm |
| Lights | Yes |
| Fence | Yes |
| Fee | No Cost |
| Phone | (713) 222-5500 |
| Opened | 2008 |
| Design/Build | Grindline Skateparks |
Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark Overview
When they say everything is bigger in Texas, they mean it. This notion also applies to skateparks apparently since the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark comes in at a staggering 30,000 square feet.
One of the best parts of the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark is that it contains three separate bowls that have features for every skill-level. The primary bowl is incredibly large and features a skateable inverted half-spherical section for the brave.
Additionally, the primary bowl comprises a very deep rounded rectangular bowl section and a shallow clover leaf section.
Aside from the primary bowl, there is a multi-level kidney bowl and a shallow open bowl. The multi-level kidney bowl is a classic design that many skaters love while the shallow open bowl is unique and provides a separate space where skaters who are newer to bowl skating can develop their skills.
However, the open bowl, although shallower, is not just for beginners, there is an additional deep section with its own inverted half-sphere to challenge skaters.
The street plaza is well-designed and spread out well to give plenty of space for skaters without getting in each other’s way. There are plenty of rails, stairs, hubbas, and ledges to accommodate a large number of skaters at any given time.
Another great design feature of the street plaza is how the open bowl is seamlessly integrated into the street plaza in a way that a skater could endlessly flow between them to throw together runs.
Aside from the skate opportunities, the park itself is part of a larger community project and part of the Buffalo Bayou River recreation area. This is why the skatepark was designed to not only provide skaters with an incredible skate experience but it was designed to be a community space for people to gather.
The graffiti art garden, shade sculptures, seating areas, the regular live music and special events make the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark much more than a skatepark.
Lead photo courtesy of Grindline Skateparks.
