East River

Project Overview

East River is the major mixed-use redevelopment transforming 150 acres along Buffalo Bayou in Houston’s East End. For the project’s waterfront public spaces, Contract Fabricating Services fabricated and installed the steel guardrail system lining the bayou trail. It protects pedestrians and cyclists along the water’s edge while framing views of the bayou and the downtown skyline.

Our Scope

• Bayou-edge guardrail: Approximately 500 linear feet of steel guardrail with continuous top rails and closely spaced vertical pickets, following the curve of the trail along the bayou bank.
• Weathering steel finish: Posts and rails in a rust-patina finish that blends with the natural landscape and needs very little maintenance over time.
• Base-plated posts: Each post is mounted on a steel base plate anchored to the concrete edge, so the rail stays rigid and secure along the bank.
• Field installation: Our crews set, aligned, and anchored the rail on site, working in sections alongside the hardscape and landscaping trades.

The Challenge

Building along a bayou is not like building on a level jobsite. The rail had to follow the changing curve and grade of the waterfront trail while keeping a clean, continuous line, so every section needed precise fitting in the field. It also had to meet guardrail safety requirements for a public trail and stand up to an outdoor, flood-prone environment for decades, all while finishing in step with the landscape and paving crews on a large, multi-phase development.

The Result

A finished waterfront edge that is safe, durable, and part of the landscape design. Our work on East River grew well beyond this rail: four contractors on the development, including Burton Construction, Russell Marine, Harvey Builders, and Satterfield & Pontikes, brought us in for their steel scopes, from guardrails to bulkhead repair. In total, we have delivered more than $560,000 in steel across East River.

Houston, TX

2024

Municipal & Infrastructure

Burton Construction

$369,323