I returned to Presidents Park. No, not where the heads from Presidents Park Williamsburg are currently sitting (You want to see that? Check out my previous post). I went back to their original home, now an overgrown walking path. Yeah, not as thrilling or artistic, but it's still around!
While I posted about Presidents Park in 2024, I actually visited the site the summer of 2022. When I was getting ready to post, I noticed via satellite imagery that there had been some changes at the site in-between 2022 and 2023. Vegetation around the back gazebo had been significantly cut back. What was going on? So it had been on my to-do list to stop by at some point and reinvestigate things. This time, during the winter when plants wouldn't get in my way as much.
The Presidents Park paths were much easier to traverse this time. Tree limbs had been cut down, paths had been rediscovered, and tire tracks from some construction vehicle were marked on the concrete. Already nature was starting to reclaim some sections again with pine needles. Even though, the previous hour-long trek around turned into an easy 10-15 minute stroll. I was laughing at myself for how short it was, and how close the neighboring Wyndham Garden hotel was to the back end of the site. I had no idea in the summer overgrowth a couple years ago.
Significant clearing had happened around the gazebo. You could walk all the way around it now.
The Visitor Center looked more-or-less the same, so I didn't take any shots of it. Here's the comparison views from the Visitor Center's balcony:
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| Presidents Park, 2005 View from the 2nd floor deck of the visitor center. "263_6311" by David via Flickr [CC-BY-2.0] |
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| Presidents Park, 2022 |
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| Presidents Park, 2026 (lining it up better with the 2005 photo) |
In 2022, George Washington's pedestal seemed inaccessible with plant growth. In 2026, it's a lot easier to walk down its dedicated path.
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| Former pedestal for the George Washington head |
So why did a minor clean-up happen? In November 2022, Ryson Development, L.P. bought the property for $2 million. Most likely, they wanted to inspect/have an appraisal done on the existing conditions of the park section, so they cut down the plants to get to some areas.
Ryson has offered spaces in the former visitor center up for lease through Cushman & Wakefield | Thalheimer. There doesn't seem to be any immediate future plans for the park portion of the property. In the marketing materials I found, they briefly mention its existence: "Adjacent parcel offers future development opportunities and potential access to outdoor green space (formerly President's [sic] Park)." (I love how they say "potential access." Sure, if plants are kept under control. Machete to cut through not included!)
If/when redevelopment happens, it will be interesting to see how things play out. Technically, the park portion of the property is a separate parcel of land than the visitor center and its parking lot. While they currently function together, there is a very small access route from the road that could be used as a drive onto that property. If Ryson or a future developer wants to redevelop both properties to work together, that may spell doom for the former Visitor Center. Between a wireless communication tower and a retention pond, the Visitor Center is the only viable bridge between the two properties. That was the right setup for its outdoor museum days, acting as a gate of entry for paying guests, but if they want that land parcel connection, the Visitor Center's gotta go.
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| Screenshot from York County GIS map viewer. 223 Water Country Pkwy is highlighted |
Changing the subject to news outside the park borders, sculptor artist David Adickes passed away last year. He didn't end up finding a permanent home for his Houston presidents heads collection during his lifetime. So far, there seem to be no updates on them, other than an advertisement on Adickes' website for the option of buying individual ones or the whole collection.
There is an unfortunate deadline for the studio. Houston's highways are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar redesign. Construction on the interchange that sits around the studio is scheduled to start in 2028, with the studio most likely being acquired by eminent domain and demolished. Will the third set of presidential heads be lost or saved? Only time will tell.
To wrap things off:
If you want to rent offices next to Presidents Park Williamsburg, click here!
If you want to buy an individual/whole collection of presidential head sculptures, click here!
SOURCES
Texas Monthly: Will This 98-Year-Old Sculptor Ever Find a Home for His Gigantic Concrete Presidents?
York County GIS Map (accessed 5/25/26)
OTHER POSTS
