HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 16, 2004 Council Tour
AGENDA
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL
January 16,2004
The City of Denton City Council will tour several transit-oriented developments in the City of
Fort Worth on Friday, January 16,2004 departing from the City Hall parking lot at 9:45 a.m.
The City Council will tour the following developments:
9:30 a.m. Arrive at pickup location:
City Hall
215 E McKinney St
Denton, TX 76201
9:45 a.m. Depart for CentrePort/DFW Airport Station
CentrePortlDFW Airport Station
14470 Statler Blvd., Fort Worth 76155
(southeast of Trinity Blvd. and Hwy. 360)
10:55 a.m. Depart from CentrePortlDFW Airport Station to lTC
11:30 a.m. Arrive at Intermodal Transportation Center
Free parking at the Rail Market Building just south of the ITC
Comer of 9th and Jones Streets
(1000 Jones Street, Fort Worth 76102)
11 :30 to 11 :50 - Personal needs break and tour of ITC.
11:50 a.m. Depart for the Fort Worth Club for Rotary Meeting
306 West 7th Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817)336-7211
Noon to 1 :30 p.m. - Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief discusses Fort Worth bond
election at Rotary.
1 :30 p.m. to 2:40p.m. - Discussion with City of Fort Worth officials regarding
development projects.
'"
2:40 p.m.
Depart for driving tour
Council will depart on a driving tour in a charter bus provided by the City of Fort
Worth with City of Fort Worth Officials to view various locations in the
Downtown Fort Worth and Cultural District locations. Current locations to be
included are: Bass Hall, Old Bank One Tower, New Bank One Tower, Sundance
Square, City Center Towers, Hillside Apartments, Trinity Bluff Site, Urban
Waterfront Site Radio Shack, Firestone Apartments, Pier 1 Imports, Left Bank
SiterMontgomer-y-Ward,-Gultural-QistriGt,lJ~~P1)st-Gffice,T-&P-'Ferminal,
Convention Center and Water Gardens. A site specific and complete location
listing will be provided prior to the beginning of the tour. Council will not leave
the bus until the tour's completion at the Santa Fe Rail Market.
'.
City of Denton City Council Agenda
January 16,2004
Page 2
3:30 p.m.
Complete tour and drive to Rail Market
1401 Jones Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
3:45 - complete Rail Market tour
3:45 p.m.
Depart for the City of Denton, City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, TX 76201
4:30 p.m.
Arrive at Denton City Hall
The City Council will receive information, hold a discussion, and request information on each
development in relation to the City of Denton. Council will enter into dialogue with City of Fort
Worth staff, local officials, and others who are participating in the development and management
of the projects in an effort to determine the process, method and economic development tools
used to develop the above mentioned projects. Please call (940) 594-0306 if you become lost and
need assistance in rejoining the Council tour.
CERTIFICATE
I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the bulletin board at the City Hall of the
City of Denton, Texas, on the day of ,2004 at o'clock
(a.m.) (p.m.)
CITY SECRETARY
"
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NOTE: THE CITY OF DENTON COUNCIL MEETING IS ACCESSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THE CITY WILL PROVIDE SIGN
LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED IF REQUESTED AT LEAST 48
HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE SCHEDULED MEETING. PLEASE CALL THE CITY
SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 349-8309 OR USE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR THE
DEAF (TDD) BY CALLING 1-800-RELAY-TX SO THAT A SIGN LANGUAGEINTERPRETER
CAN BE SCHEDULED THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
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City of Denton
Council Development Tour
January 16, 2004
Resources Compiled By:
Pamela Rambo-Estill, Assistant to the City Manager
Robert Hanna, Assistant to the City Council
City of Denton. 215 E. McKinncy . Denton, TX 7620 ,. (940) 349-8554
FAX (940) 349-8596 . www.citvofdenton.col1l . TDD: (800) 735-2989. ADAlEOE/ADEA
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The Trinity Rail
Express, Intermodal
Transportation Center
and the Santa Fe Rail
Market
. NEWS KELEASES - THE T
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: htt~iww. the-t.com/newsrelease/newsmcdt.html
Page 1 of2
Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T)
1600 East Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Date: August 5, 2002
Contact: Liz Moore
817-215-8736 (office)
817-845-6662 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bartosiewicz to leave the T for promotion by McDonald Transit
FORT WORTH - John Bartosiewicz, whose 25-year management of the Fort Worth Transportation
Authority is distinguished by innovation and national recognition, has been promoted by McDonald
Transit Associates Inc.
Announcement of the move was made Monday by Dave Ragan, chairman of the T's Executive
Committee.
Bartosiewicz will join McDonald Transit's corporate office located in the Fossil Creek business park and
help expand the Fort Worth-based company's nationwide operations. As executive vice president and
chief operating officer, Bartosiewicz will be responsible for coordinating management of 22 transit
systems across the country. He will also manage and conduct the firm's labor relations practice and
assist in consulting and business development.
"Our growth has been fantastic in the last year and we need John's skills to deal with the new business
and help us continue the trend," said Bob Babbitt, president of McDonald Transit.
A transition process has begun and is expected to be complete by Jan. 1,2003.
McDonald Transit has managed the T under contract since 1972. Originally the T's manager as a
contractor to the City of Fort Worth, Bartosiewicz helped lead the creation and development of the
transportation authority following voter approval. He has guided it through many milestone
accomplishments, including growth of the system and physical plant, conversion of the bus fleet to
compressed natural gas, building of the Trinity Railway Express, and construction of the Intermodal
Transportation Center. In 2001 Bartosiewicz was named Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in
North America by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Under its contract, McDonald Transit will work with the T's Executive Committee to hire a successor.
Bartosiewicz's remaining months will overlap with the arrival of the new manager to ensure a smooth
and orderly transition, Babbitt said.
"It will be hard to replace John on both a professional and personal level," Ragan said. "But the good
news is we have the continuity of the McDonald Transit contract and will still have John as part of that
team."
Bartosiewicz said, "Anytime you leave a great place like the T, there is some sadness. I will miss the
daily contact with an outstanding team that has achieved so much and has the potential to do so much
more for this great community."
12/2/2003
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TRINITY RAILWAY EXPRESS VEHICLE INFORMATION
Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs)
Vehicle Type: Dual-cab, self-propelled rail vehicle
Height: 14 feet, 8 inches
Width: 10 feet
Length: 85 feet
Weight: 135,000 pounds
Passenger Capacity: 88/96 passengers seated
Travel Speed: Top operating speed 79 mph. Average speed 45 mph.
Body Material: Stainless steel
Interior: High-backed upholstered seats with arm rests, non-skid rubber
flooring, overhead luggage racks .
Climate Control: Full air conditioning, heating and ventilation
Accessibility: wheelchair accessible cars, with spaces for four wheelchairs
per car
Cost: $1.8 million
History: First manufactured in the 1950s for a Canadian rail line.
Refurbished in the late 1990s for the TRE.
Locomotives
Vehicle Type: General Motors F59 PH
Horsepower: 3,000
Engine: 12-cylinder diesel
Height: 15 feet, 10 inches
Width: 10 feet, 6 inches
Length: 58 feet, 2 inches
Weight: 260,000 pounds
Travel Speed: Top operating speed 63 mph
I Cab Cars
i Vehicle Type: Bombardier passenger coach with cab for operator
I Height: 15 feet, 11 inches
I Width: 9 feet, 10 inches
Length: 64 feet
Weight: 110,500 pounds
Body Material: Steel underframe, aluminum body
Interior Head Room: 6 feet, 7 inches
Passenger Capacity: 142
Climate Control: Full heating, air conditioning and ventilation
Amenities: Wheelchair-accessible restroom, workstation tables, bicycle
racks, luggage racks, cup holders
Accessibility: Wheelchair access and interior spaces
History: First manufactured in 1977, refurbished in 2000
I Passenger Coaches
I Vehicle Type: Bombardier passenger coach
Height: 15 feet, 11 inches
Width: 9 feet, 10 inches
Length: 64 feet
Weight: 109,000 pounds
Body Material: Steel underframe, aluminum body
Interior Head Room: 6 feet, 7 inches
Passenger Capacity: 148
, Climate Control: Full heating, air conditioning and ventilation
Amenities: Work station tables, bicycle racks, luggage racks, cup holders
Accessibility: Wheelchair access and interior spaces
History: First manufactured in 1977, refurbished in 2000
n
Car 25 is one of four electric motorcars ordered by the
Northern Texas Traction Company (NTTC) in 1913. The cars
were manufactured by the St. Louis Car Company. These cars
served on the interurban lines between Ft. Worth and Dallas
and occasionally from Ft. Worth to Cleburne. These' cars
traveled at speeds up to 70 m.p.h. Car 25 features stained
glass windows, inlaid mahogany paneling, and two passenger
compartments - a ladies compartment in front with wool seats
and a smoking compartment with leather seats in the rear. The
NTTC created the Crimson Limited in 1924. In the case of
motorcars this involved a change in the external paint job. The
original dark green with gold trim was replaced with a red and
white scheme with gold trim. Both the Dallas and Cleburne
lines had shut down by the end of 1934.
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COMMUTER RAIL, A MOMENT IN HISTORY - THE INTERURBAN 1924-1934
In 1995, the landowner Mitzi
McWilliams, donated cars 25 and
411 to the Fort Worth Transportation
Authority (the T). Two full time
employees and a host of volunteers
have restored the cars using a
$220,000 federal matching grant.
Subsequently, car 25 found itself with trailer cars 407 and 411
being utilized as farm or ranch housing. Once Eagle Mountain
Lake was established, these cars were effectively a lake house
arranged like the letter U. At some point in time they were
covered with a roof and enclosed on several sides helping to
protect them.
The restored CAR 25 on pennanent Stained glass panels and mahogany
display at the ITe Station. Inlaid paneling.
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Santa Fe Freight Station
1401 Jones - 1938
Constructed in 1938 as one of the improvements to the Fort
Worth Union Depot, this depot housed inbound and outbound
freight, cold storage, and offices. This building's design is
utilitarian; however, it does feature decorative brick work, a
stepped cast stone parapet, and a large neon Santa Fe sign on
the north end of the building. Recently this building and the
neighboring Fort Worth Union Depot have been purchased by a
local developer. Currently, the building has been restored and
converted into the Fort Worth Rail Market. The Rail Market is
Fort Worth's Public Market featuring 20 merchants, a public
meeting room and demonstration kitchen, and studio office
suites. A restaurant with 5,000 square feet of space is schedulec
to open soon on the second floor. This restaurant will have
rooftop dining that offers an excellent view ofthe Fort Worth
skyline, the lntermodal Transportation Center, and operations
at the Santa Fe Rail Yard. A Farmer's Market will be open on
Saturdays from 7:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. The hours of operation
are Monday - Saturday 10 A.M. to TOO P.M. and on Sundays
from Noon to 6:00 P.M
Intermodal
Transportation Center
9th & Jones Street - 2002
This new facility is designed to handle all modes of
transportation serving the downtown area. It was designed by
Gideon Toal of Fort Worth and will be a stop for the Trinity
Railway Express, Amtrak, city bus service, taxis, and the like.
The first commuter rail trains started service to Dallas on
December 3,2001; however, the building was not completed
until January 2002. The center will likely bea catalyst for future
development in the southeast sector of downtown. The design
features a 90' clock tower that will serve as the terminus to the
9th Street axis. Several light fixtures from the old Fort Worth
Public Library at 9th & Throckmorton adorn the entryway and
second floor of the facility.
Fort Worth Rail Market
What is the Fort Worth Rail Market? The Fort Worth Rail
Market is a mixed-use facility that houses a public market on
the first floor, and offices on the second floor. From spring
through fall, a farmers market is held outside in front of the Rail
Market on Fridays and at the Intermodal Transportation Center
adjacent to the market Saturdays and Sundays.
How do I get to the Rail Market? The Rail Market is located
on the east edge of Downtown Fort Worth. Click here for
drivinq directipn!';. For those who work downtown, a trolley is
provided by the T that goes to the Market. From Dallas or the
mid-cities, the Trinitv Railwav EXDress is a quick, economic way
to get to Downtown and the Fort Worth Rail Market. Your stop
will be the Intermodal Transportation Center downtown, located
adjacent on the north to the Rail Market.
Where do I park? The Rail Market provides free parking.
Easy to access head-in parking is provided in front, and plenty
of additional parking is provided in the rear of the Market.
What types of vendors are in the Rail Market? The first
floor is home to a variety of unique shops and food vendors.
Come have lunch, pick up items for dinner, flowers for a loved-
one, or a one-of-a-kind gift for a friend. List of Market vendors.
What are the Rail Market hours? The Rail Market is open
Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. - 5
p.m.
When is the Farmers Market open? Farmers are located
outside the building Fridays 7:30 - 3 p.m., and adjacent to the
Rail Market at the Intermodal Transportation Center on
Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 - 3 p.m. The Farmers will be
open through October.
Are there special events at the Market? The Rail Market
regularly has special events, such as concerts and cooking
demonstrations. For a list of current events, click hEm~.
http://www.fortworthrailmarket.org/index2.cfm?which=faq
Page 1 of1
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11/3/2003
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Fort Worth Rail Market
Page 1 of2
December 06, 200 I
Downtown Public Market receives TIF
funding for lease agreement,
improvements to Santa Fe Warehouse
and is moving toward April opening
FORT WORTH TX - The Fort Worth Rail Market will be ready to
start construction on Dec. 1 with the finalization of funding and
management agreements with the Downtown Tax Increment
Financing District No.3.
"Our project team appreciates the TIF Board's vision for how the
market will stimulate other economic development on this side of
downtown," said David Pettit, Director, Downtown TIF, "We are
looking forward to the synergism associated with the Trinity
Railway Express Station at the Intermodal Transportation Center
(ITC) right next door."
Acting in partnership with Downtown Fort Worth Inc., the TIF
Board authorized execution of a lease for the Santa F e Warehouse
Building on Jones Street and authorized up to $1 million dollars for
improvements to the building.
Start up funding for the market was received from the City of Fort
Worth, the F ort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and
Visitors Bureau and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. "Using our start
up funds, we have mailed more than 5,000 brochures to prospective
tenants for the market this fall. At this time, we have 11 letters of
intent to lease space on the first floor of the Rail Market. We have
many other prospects that our leasing consultant Angie Rawie is
working with, and with our construction documents completed, we
are looking forward to our spring opening," said David Pettit.
Conceived as a major recommendation of the 1993 Downtown
Strategic Action Plan, the Rail Market idea was tested by two
successful trials in Sundance Square in 1998 and 99. Downtown
Fort Worth, Inc. has also completed market research and a United
States Department of Agriculture feasibility study that projects
great success for the project.
http://www.fortworthpublicmarket.com/newsarticles.cfm?id= 1
11117/2003
Fort Worth Rail Market
Page 2 of2
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The market will be in two parts, an indoor six-day-a week venue
inside the Santa Fe Warehouse where fresh food vendors will
coexist with other food merchants, coupled with an outdoor portion
where farmers are selling their produce open air on weekends at
covered areas at the ITC.
Construction documents tentatively outline spaces for 20 tenants in
the downstairs portion of the Rail Market. Upstairs is a location for
a restaurant with an outdoor grotto bar area as well as space for a
cooking school or catering location. The downstairs space will be
filled with fresh food, floral, restaurant and gift vendor areas. The
vendor stalls under the ITC canopies have available water and
electricity and convenient truck and tenant parking under the stalls.
The market is a development project of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
and the Downtown TIF.
For leasing information, please contact Angie Rawie at
817.870.1692 ext. 15.
http://www.fortworthpublicmarket.com/newsarticles.cfm?id= 1
11/17/2003
· NewsLibrary Document Delivery
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. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
. December 19, 2003
Section: Metro
. Edition: FINAL
. Page: 18
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Dealing with market losses
Continued funding for Fort Worth Rail Market in question
, MIKE LEE;ANNA M. TINSLEY
Star- Telegram Staff Writers
. FORT WORTH--With his elbows resting on a case of cheesecake and pastries, Sy Miraki
. looks out the windows of the Fort Worth Rail Market and sees the backs of downtown
. buildings.
. "There's such a big gap between here and downtown," he said, with a shrug that summed up the
. struggles of the stores and restaurants in the Fort Worth Rail Market.
. The market was supposed to be the catalyst that brought shoppers and diners to the southeast
. corner of downtown. Instead, it may become one of the first stumbles in Fort Worth's nationally
touted center-city redevelopment.
.
. The market hasn't drawn the crowds expected when it opened about 1 1/2 years ago in
downtown's old Santa Fe Warehouse. And with the tax district that supports downtown
. redevelopment losing money, the market could be on the chopping block.
· The downtown tax increment financing district board "will take a real serious look at the
. continued viability of the project and whether the TIF can continue to afford the supplement that it
. gives, which far exceeds what we expected," said Councilwoman Wendy Davis, who serves on
the board.
.
. The market is supported by funds from the TIF, which also pays for parking and other
improvements downtown.
.
. TIF districts work by freezing the taxable value of property within their boundaries and diverting
taxes from new construction and increases in value into a special fund for public improvements.
.
.
. http://nl.newsbank.comlnl-search/we/Archives?p__action=doc&p __ docid=OFF8F 1 B46EE8FCF9&p _ docnu... 1/2/2004
NewsLibrary Document Delivery
The downtown TIF is scheduled to put $902,000 into the rail market this fiscal year, including
$350,000 for marketing and advertising, TIF budget records show.
But it is projected to lose $680,000.
This week, that loss and others in the downtown TIF nearly scuttled plans to redevelop the
former Bank One tower. The City Council is calling for more oversight of TIFs, and city officials
are planning to go over the downtown TIF's books.
What's more, the downtown area is expected to have 1 million square feet of vacant office space
when RadioShack and Pier 1 move to their new buildings in the next few years. That could
depress values downtown and cut into revenue in the TIF.
The market bumps up against the railroad tracks along Jones Street. It was supposed to
combine specialty boutiques with fresh-produce stands and small restaurants, resembling an
outdoor market.
But the market is a long six blocks from most downtown office buildings and two blocks from the
convention center and the nearest hotels. Foot traffic has been lighter than predicted.
A wine store, a coffee shop and at least two produce vendors have walked away from the
market since it opened, along with two of the market's directors.
After nearly a decade of planning, the market opened in May 2002 as a joint project of
Downtown Fort Worth Inc., the city, the downtown tax increment financing district and the Fort
Worth Transportation Authority.
Eight businesses are there now: Venison Valley; Hot Damn, Tamales!; Go Texas Gift Store;
Spiral Diner and Bakery: Pizza by Design; The British Attic; Plant Source; and The House of
Croissant.
Andy Taft, director of Downtown Fort Worth Inc., said cutting the rail market's funding would be
an easy way to fix the TIF'S finances.
That doesn't sit well with the merchants, some of whom said they were willing to stick it out in the
center. They blamed the market's troubles on the failure of the city and Downtown Fort Worth
Inc. to draft a solid plan for attracting people to the area.
"The mayor signed my lease," said John Hudson, who opened a branch of his Go Texas Gift
Store in the market.
"That's how it was presented to me - that this would have the full weight of the city behind it,"
Hudson said. "If they cut the funding, they might as well close the doors."
lone Stavron, who owns Hot Damn, Tamales!, agreed.
"They haven't done what they said they were going to do," she said.
Davis, whose council district includes the market, said there are options that could keep the
market open.
"It might cost more to close it down than keep it open," she said. "But it's vulnerable. ... It's a little
before its time."
Jackie DeBolt, hired as market manager in April, said she and other staff members are
evaluating how the market is operating and whether it's meeting city leaders' goals.
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p _ docid=OFF8F I B46EE8FCF9&p _ docnu...
Page 2 Of:
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1/2/200'W
. NewsLibrary Document Delivery
.
. DeBolt said the market has peak times - such as Fridays, Saturdays and lunchtime - and
. slower times as well.
· "I'd be very surprised if that [closure] happened," she said.
.
. Santa Fe Produce moved out for the winter but plans to be back in the spring when produce is
. plentiful, DeBolt said.
. The vacant space is being used for meetings and parties, she said.
. David Pettit, who was director of development for Downtown Fort Worth Inc. when the market
. opened, said he is still optimistic about the market and downtown's future.
· 'We had quite a few experts come in and take a look at it," he said. "They said, 'Let's not fool
. ourselves. It's going to take three to five years to get it going.' "
. .
As for the vacant office space, he said, downtown has absorbed as much as 500,000 square feet
. of vacant space in the past.
.. Hudson, the gift shop owner, said he learned a few things about hard times when he opened his
first gift shop in the Stockyards 13 years ago.
.
. 'We feel good about the management now," he said. "We'd like to see this place succeed."
. ONLINE: www.fortworthrailmarket.org
· Mike Lee, (817) 390-7539 mikelee@star-telegram.com
.
. Anna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610 atinsley@star-telegram.com
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http://www. the-t.org/newsrelease/newsfarmers.html
11/3/2003
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Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T)
1600 East Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Date: May 1, 2003
Contact: Dick Ruddell
Druddell@the-T.com
817-215-8704 (office)
817-798-0375 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FARMERS COME BACK TO TOWN
FORT WORTH - The T and the Fort Worth
Rail Market welcome the Farmers' Market back"
to the neighborhood for a return engagement.
This year the Farmers' Market will be open
Fridays at the Rail Market and at the ITC both
Saturday and Sunday beginning May 30th.
The site at the intersection of Jones and Ninth - the Intermodal Transportation Center
(ITC)-offers Fort Worth residents and tourists an entertaining destination. The Trinity
Railway Express (TRE) departs and arrives at the ITC on weekdays and Saturdays. The
ITC is also home to Amtrak and local bus routes. People may want to plan a day outing
to the Farmer's Market and other downtown Fort Worth locations on the TRE.
The Rail Market located in the old Santa
Fe Freight House features numerous
restaurants in a unique venue with Hot
Damn Tamales, Cafe de Paris Bakery
and European Market, Pizza By Design,
SuppenHaus, Spiral Diner & Bakery,
and Coffee Haus. Meat, eggs and
produce are also offered at Dominion
Farms pastured meats and Santa Fe
Produce.
There are also stores, such as The British Attic, Go Texas and The Plant Source. The
British Attic offers some of the UK;s finest treasures while Go Texas is your source for
an array of Texas gift products. The Plant Source features unique floral arrangements,
plants and gift items in an open air setting at the northern end of the Rail Market.
Opening weekend for this season's Farmers' Market is May 30th and it is open every
weekend until October 31 st. Call the T at (817) 215.8600 or the Rail Market at (817)
335-6758 or visit www.the-t.com and www.fortworthraill1larket.org for additional
information.
###
Copyriqhf Fort Worth Transportation Authority 04.18-2002
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Downtown F ort Worth:
An Overview of
Changes, Downtown
Fort Worth Inc. and
Creative Financing
. NewsLibrary Document Delivery
.
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. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
May 25, 2003
. Section: Opinion;Weekly Review
. Edition: FINAL
Page: 6
. Column:Editorial
Page I of9
Du' Local Channels ,I News " I Business v I Sports " I Entertainment v I Living ., I Ctassifieds v
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.
. How now, Cowtown?
JACK z. SMITH
. Star- Telegram Staff Writer
.IN THE PAST 20 years, Fort Worth's downtown has undergone a dramatic metamorphosis
. from dreary to delightful.
. A wave of new development and restoration beginning in the early 1980s has made residents
. unabashedly proud of a downtown that they once were embarrassed to show out-of-towners.
. But what's ahead for the next 20 years - a sweeping Second Wave of new development __
. probably will be even more stunning than the first.
. Projects aiready under way or at least envisioned could take Fort Worth's downtown to a level
.that wasn't even imaginable when department stores and movie theaters were shutting their
. doors in decades past.
.This future downtown couid be twice as large, in terms of land space, as it is today. In terms of
.poPulation, it could increase sixfold, providing a great boost to retail businesses downtown.
.The downtown revitalization that already has occurred is the result of at least $1.3 billion in
.investment over the past 20 years, estimates urban planning consultant James Toal.
.That figure includes investments by the Bass family, various other private interests, the city,
. Tarrant County, and state and federal agencies for major transportation projects such as the
recently completed Mixmaster.
.
.But considerably greater investment is likely during the next 20 years, Toal says. Indeed, the
projected investment just on major projects aiready under way or being planned is a staggering
.$3.4 billion.
.
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THE NOTION of what constitutes "downtown" will expand markedly - particularly to the west and
north.
Construction of new corporate headquarters for RadioShack Corp. and Pier 1 Imports already is
under way on the banks of the Trinity River on the northwest edge of downtown.
Just to the north of the RadioShack site and the Tarrant County government complex, a "town
lake" is being conceived as a magnet for new development, tourism and local recreation.
The lake, other changes to the river system and ensuing residential, commercial and retail
development could create what some civic leaders have dubbed a "second downtown,"
encompassing a huge chunk of vacant and under-used land on the city's near north side. This
"second downtown" could eventually become home to thousands.
The Seventh Street corridor linking downtown and the Cultural District also is poised for
explosive development. And the Cultural District itseif is expected to continue adding facilities
that could include a new $120 million arena for Stock Show events and a variety of other
activities.
A $350 million residential and retail development is cranking up on the Trinity bluffs on the
northeast edge of downtown.
Downtown's south end also appears on the cusp of revitalization. A $75 million expansion and
renovation of the Fort Worth Convention Center has just been completed, and a $160 million
convention center hotel could still become a reality with voter approval.
In addition, the ugly, development-stifling Interstate 30 overhead has been torn down, and a
grand makeover of Lancaster Avenue is under way, with considerable vacant or under-used
property south of Lancaster becoming ripe for redevelopment.
In the heart of downtown, developers have announced plans to redevelop the tornado-ravaged
former Bank One tower and the Charles D. Tandy Center, the home base for RadioShack until it
moves into its new headquarters in 2005.
There also are tentative - but unfunded - plans to establish a $165 million light-rail starter
system in the central city and to expand commuter rail from downtown to the southwest and
northeast. The long-planned Southwest Parkway is to link downtown with fast-growing parts of
southwest Fort Worth.
ALREADY MORE than 20 sizable development projects in the downtown area and adjacent
Cultural District are recently completed, under way, scheduled to begin soon or planned.
Some may never happen. Others could be delayed for years by a lack of funding or could be
reduced in scope.
But even in a worst-case scenario, future downtown development is "going to be substantial,"
said Bill Thornton, president of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.
Fort Worth's new mayor, Mike Moncrief, is jazzed by the prospects for a tidal wave of
development that could greatly expand and strengthen the city's core.
The city has enormous potential for growth through annexation of newly developing territory on
its outskirts, but it also is steadily revitalizing its downtown and older central-city neighborhoods,
Moncrief said.
"Most other cities don't have the options we do," he said.
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1/2/2004:
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. The North Central Texas Council of Governments forecasts that Fort Worth's population will jump
to 826,665 by 2030 - a gain of about 250,000 residents from its estimated population of 577,500
. as of Jan. 1.
· ''The next growth spurt of the Metroplex can only move west," Dallas developer Ken Hughes
. said. "It doesn't take a genius to look at an aerial map and see where the vacant land is."
.. Hughes is undertaking a $108 million residential and retail development on the south side of
Seventh Street, just west of downtown. His South of 7th project is designed to attract empty-
. nesters and younger couples who enjoy the hubbub of the central city.
. Downtown residential growth also will come because "there's a greater tendency for people to
. want to avoid a long commute," Hughes said.
. About 40,000 people work downtown, and another 30,000 are employed in the medical district to
. the south.
. Toal said he expects the number of people living in the downtown area to increase sixfold in the
. next 15 years - from approximately 3,000 to 18,000.
. James J. McGraw Jr., president of a Columbus, Ohio, economic development consulting firm
. said it bodes well for Fort Worth that two large corporations - RadioShack and Pier 1 Imports --
. have chosen to build new headquarters downtown.
. "That's a tremendous message to the rest of the country," McGraw said, because Fort Worth
. economic development officials can tout the RadioShack and Pier 1 decisions to build downtown
as evidence of its compelling appeal.
.
."There's probably only a handful of cities that could match Fort Worth right now in terms of what
they're doing with this corporate expansion downtown," McGraw said.
.
. Fort Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis said new residential development in and around
downtown will provide a growing core of customers for retail businesses.
.
. That could not only help existing retailers in the Basses' Sundance Square but also could
encourage the establishment of new businesses such as a SuperTarget retail store and
.supermarket now being discussed as a possible development at the old Montgomery Ward
. property just west of downtown.
.Although Moncrief is excited about what's on the horizon, he also is concerned about the
. increasing financial demands that these projects could put on City Hall and taxpayers.
.He's particularly restive in the short term, with the city facing an $11 million budget shortfall for
.the 2003-04 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
.Even projects that are predominantly privately financed could require the city to spend additional
.money for police and fire services and infrastructure such as water and sewer lines, Moncrief
said.
.
."1 just think we're going to have to be very, very cautious and responsible and realize we can't do
. everything we'd like to do, no matter how great these projects are," he said.
.Voters could be asked to help finance part of the cost for a light-rail starter system, the town lake
.project or a new arena in future bond issues.
. .But money for such ventures could be hard to come by, at least in the near term, because of the
.
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Southwest Parkway project, said former City Councilman Jeff Wentworth, a retired bank
executive. The city's local share of costs for the project could total $65 million to $100 million.
City Planning Director Fernando Costa sees the potential for a new wave of development to
"move downtown and the city as a whole to another level of vitality and further reinforce the
importance of downtown Fort Worth to the region as a whole."
One of Fort Worth's most enthusiastic downtown residents is Republican U.S. Rep Kay Granger,
a former mayor who has converted an approximately 75-year-old downtown building into both
living space and an office for an insurance agency that she still owns.
"It's just wonderful living downtown," she said. "I love the street sounds. I love to go out and sit
on my terrace. I love to meet people for dinner and just be able to walk there."
As for all those budding projects, Granger predicts that they will have an "enormous impact" on
downtown's continued rejuvenation.
"Town Lake is my NO.1 priority - not just Town Lake, but that whole river project," she said.
Not everyone is giddy, however, about the prospect of Fort Worth experiencing a dramatic new
wave of growth - particularly if it means greater gridlock on the city's roads.
"I don't see that we need a whole lot more people coming in here. I kind of like it like it is," said
Don Woodard Sr., a well-known insurance executive and former mayoral candidate.
Woodard also expressed frustration with corporate tax abatements, saying he wants companies
here to pay taxes "like the rest of us do."
IN EARLIER DECADES, however, Fort Worth made the mistake of largely standing pat as its
downtown and older central-city neighborhoods deteriorated.
White flight to the suburbs was rampant from 1970 to 1980. The city's population declined by
8,291 residents during the 70s, even though the state's population mushroomed by more than 3
million amid a prolonged energy boom.
By contrast, Fort Worth's population has jumped 29 percent in just the past 13 years, a gain of
nearly 130,000 residents, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Over roughly the same time, local business and civic leaders have put a much heavier focus on
revitalizing downtown and older neighborhoods inside Loop 820.
It has paid off.
The City Council's aggressive backing of creative public-private partnerships, economic
incentives for redevelopment of older areas, more effective planning and zoning policies and
historic preservation have encouraged increased investment in downtown and older
neighborhoods.
Yes, many projects have received tax abatements or other substantial financial incentives. But
that has helped ensure that RadioShack and Pier 1 Imports will build new headquarters
downtown and preserve thousands of jobs here, that the historic Blackstone Hotel was reopened
and that attractive apartment housing was built in the downtown area.
Similarly, financial assistance from City Hall will help bring about the redevelopment of the
tornado-wracked former Bank One tower and the Tandy Center, rather than their becoming
hulking, empty shells that blight the city.
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· Redevelopment of downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods helps reduce urban sprawl as
. more people move into new housing in or near the city's core. That shortens many residents' job
. commutes and promotes cleaner air.
. There are obvious economic benefits to an expanding downtown. But there's also a less tangible
. spiritual benefit.
. This city of 577,500 people wouldn't be as emotionally healthy and happy if its core were still
. rotten.
. The stirring revitalization of downtown during the past 20 years has restored Fort Worth
. residents' pride in their city.
. They're no longer embarrassed to take out-of-town visitors downtown. In fact, they can't wait to
. show them the Bass Performance Hall, Sundance Square or the hundreds of attractive new
. apartments lining Henderson Street.
. But given the number of new developments under way or being planned, the downtown of the
. future could dramatically eclipse today's downtown, notes Ed Casebier, a developer participating
in the project to convert the T&P Terminal building into apartment housing.
.. "If half of what's being talked about gets built, it will be amazing. You won't recognize downtown
10 years from now," Casebier said.
.
. 18 places to watch for the next wave of improvement in downtown Fort Worth
. 1. RadioShack Corp. headquarters
· Cost: $200 miliion
.
. Details: Work is under way on 31 acres bordering the Trinity River. It includes three six-story
. office buildings totaling 600,000 square feet and a three-story, 300,000-square-foot building with
a fitness center and cafeteria; a commons area; a flagship RadioShack store; and a 2,700-car
. parking garage.
. Completion date: 2005
.
.2. Pier 1 Imports headquarters
. Cost: $90 million
· Details: Work is underway on the 20-story, 400,000-square-foot corporate headquarters on 15
.acres bordering the Trinity River.
: Completion date: September 2004
. .3. Trinity Bluffs development
. . Cost: $350 million
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The aggressive support of such projects will help ensure a vibrant, prospering downtown area for
decades to come. That benefits not only people living and working downtown, but also the many
thousands who visit the city on weekends for entertainment and recreation. And it provides jobs
and higher property values that strengthen the city's tax base, which benefits all taxpayers.
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Details: Developer Tom Struhs and businessman Rudy Renda plan 1,500 apartments, condos
and town homes, plus retail development, on the northeast edge of downtown in the historic
Samuels Avenue neighborhood. Construction is expected to start late this year.
Completion date: From 2009 to 2011
4. Bank One tower redevelopment
Cost: $65 million
Details: TLC Realty Advisers has teamed with Greenfield Partners to buy the tomado-damaged,
35-story building and convert it to 280 high-rise residential units - 200 apartments, 80 condos _
and 30,000 square feet of retail stores and restaurants.
Completion date: January 2005
5. Charles D. Tandy Center redevelopment
Cost: $60 million-$80 million
Details: Starting in 2005, PNL Companies plans to convert the 1.2 million-square-foot, twin-towel'
Tandy complex into office, residential, retail and parking space after RadioShack Corp. moves.
Completion date: 2007
6. Town Lake project and near north side development
Cost: $1.6 billion.
Details: Contingent on federal and local funding, a 50-acre lake would be built at the northwest
edge of downtown by widening the Trinity River at the confluence of its West and Clear forks.
This would open up to eight miles of the Trinity's Clear and West forks between Seventh Street
and Samuels Avenue for waterfront development. The lake would be a tourism and recreation
magnet, similar to Austin's Town Lake.
The $320 million project would trigger an estimated $1.3 billion in residential, commercial and
retail development on Fort Worth's near north side, an area larger than the central business
district that includes numerous vacant and under-used sites.
Completion date: 2010-2013 for lake and river improvements; 30 to 40 years for total project.
7. South of 7th development
Cost: $108 million
Details: Starting in July, Dallas developer Ken Hughes plans town homes, high-rise and mid-rise
apartments, high-rise condos, specialty retail stores and a hotel west of downtown, immediately
south of Seventh Street and west of Trinity Park.
Completion date: 2009
8. Fort Worth Convention Center expansion/renovation
Cost: $175 million
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. Details: Two of three phases are complete and include a 30,OOO-square-foot ballroom, 81,000
square feet of additional exhibit space and 40,000 square feet of additional meeting room space.
.
. A third phase, which might be undertaken in about 10 years, would cost an estimated $100
million or more. Tentative plans call for demolition of the center's domed arena and the addition
. of 120,000 square feet of exhibit space and a new grand ballroom of 40,000 to 50,000 square
.feet.
. Completion date: Uncertain
: 9. Convention center hotel
. Cost: $160 million
· Details: A petition drive quashed City Council plans to move forward without a public vote on
. construction of a 600-room hotel. A council-appointed committee has tentatively expressed
. support for building a hotel publicly financed with revenue bonds pending a voter OK.
. Completion date: Uncertain
.
.10. Ramada Hotel redevelopment
.Cost: $35 million
.The Harrell Hospitality Group will begin renovation this summer on the 430-room downtown hotel
.across from the convention center. Upgrades include ornate balconies and an outdoor cafe.
· Completion date: Summer 2004
.
.11. Lancaster Avenue reconstruction
.Cost: $14.5 million
.
.Details: Using state, federal and local funds, the city is converting the str.eet into a pedestrian-
friendly boulevard with trees, decorative lighting, wide sidewalks and a median.
.
.completion date: First quarter of 2005
.12. Tarrant County College Central Campus
:cost: $75 million
.Details: TCC officials plan a new campus somewhere downtown but don't have a.specific site
__named. The district has funding capability for construction, but the project could be deterred by a
-lack of state dollars for new staffing.
.
.ComPletion date: Uncertain
.13. Light-rail streetcar
:cost: $165 miilion
~etails: Last year, the City Council endorsed the concept of a 7.6-mile system that would be the
...start of light-rail streetcar service. It would run from the Cultural District through downtown and
wthe medical district and eastward along East Rosedale Street to Texas Wesleyan University.
.
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Funding - both local and federal - has not been secured.
Completion date: Uncertain
14. Landmark Tower redevelopment
Cost: $62 million
Details: Landmark Property LP plans to convert the vacant 30-story skyscraper into a residential
development with 120 condominiums; build multilevel parking facilities for 900 vehicles: and
construct a seven-story structure with 180 apartments on top of the parking facilities. Landmark
plans to buy the skyscraper from FWTX Building. There is no starting date for the project, which
is estimated to take 20 months.
Completion date: Uncertain
15. T&P Terminal redevelopment
Cost: $30 million
Details: Renaissance Development and Wood Partners plan a 232-unit apartment development.
atthe historic Lancaster Avenue site, with 132 units in the terminal and 100 in a new building to
its east. A parking garage also is planned.
The developers plan to seek city tax breaks for historic structures as well as funding assistance
from a proposed tax increment financing district. The project could begin in late fail.
Completion date: End of 2004
16. Cotton Depot Lofts
Cost: $20 million
Details: A 250-unit apartment development is planned at the site of an old railroad freight depot
on the northeast edge of downtown. German businessman Peter Sonnen, owner of the property,
is expected to select a developer soon.
Completion date: Fall 2004
17. Montgomery Ward site redevelopment
Cost: Unavailable
Details: Dallas developer Weber & Co. is under contract to buy the Ward property west of
downtown. Warehouses behind the eight-story Ward's main building would be cleared to make
way for a shopping center that could include a SuperTarget. Plans for the eight-story building are
unknown, although there is speculation that Weber will bring in a partner to rehabilitate it.
Completion date: Uncertain
18. Cultural District expansion
Cost: $237 million
Details: Tentative plans include construction of a $120 million arena with 12,000 to 15,000 seats
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. and luxury boxes; a $30 million, 300,000-square-foot Livestock Equestrian Building; a $33 million
project to double the exhibit space of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History; a $20
. million Cattle Raisers Museum; $20 million for new Botanical Research Institute of Texas
headquarters; and a $14 million. 1,000-space parking garage. Much of the funding has not been
. secured, but a mix of public and private funding is expected to be sought.
: Completion date: Between 2008 and 2013
. Jack Z. Smith is a Star-Telegram editorial writer. (817) 390-7724 jzsmith@star-telegram.com
. Research by Jack Z. Smith
.
. Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.
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. Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
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Page 1 of2
The Mission of Downtown Fort
Worth, Inc. is to assist in
making the Central Business
District a vibrant, healthy, and
attractive center in which to
work, live, and visit. To
accomplish this mission,
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
leads the effort to make the
Central Business District a
leading regional destination.
DFWI works with the City of
Fort Worth, private property
owners and a host of community
partners to make ensure that
Downtown is a clean, safe,
attractive and accessible. Fort
Worth residents and visitors
enjoy a downtown that offers a
variety of retail, business,
residential, cultural, and
entertainment activities.
Members ofDFWI are
committed to making downtown
a place that all F ort Worth
citizens are proud to call their
own.
About Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
The Fort Worth Improvement
District # 1 is the special
assessment district managed by
DFWI to provide services for a 140
block section of downtown to
insure a safe, clean, and lively area
for the diverse cross section of
business, employee, residential,
.http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?section=l
. .
The Downtown Strategic Action
Plan serves as the organization's
road map for long term goals and
objectives for downtown
economic and cultural
development. DFWI guides the
work of several committees to
implement this plan's vision
1/2/2004
Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
and visitor populations that are
downtown. Downtown Fort Worth
Initiatives,Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-
profit organization that provides a
funding pathway for charitable,
educational, and public purpose
activities like community festivals,
public markets, and affordable to
luxury housing.
through community feedback
and support. DFWI utilizes these
tools and partner organizations
to serve as a liaison, advocate,
and information source for
downtown property owners,
businesses, prospects, and
developers. DFWI serves both in
the support and leadership role to
enhance the vitality of
downtown Fort Worth.
Downtown Fort Worth Inc., (DFWI) was incorporated in 1981, and
became fully operational with a staff of two in 1982. This membership
based, non-profit corporation has evolved into significant force for
downtown progress. Today the Board of Directors in concert with a
staff of eleven dynamic professionals serve in an array of specialty
fields. DFWI is a multi-faceted organization that serves as the
sponsoring entity for numerous ancillary organizations and projects
that serve to benefit our Central Business District.
Downto\lIllFort "'orth, Ine.
DonnlOwn
FOI'l Worth, Inc.
;;o1(r)(6)
- - - - - - - . byC01'l1TllCl
I from city
r---..L.---1
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I I
Advocacy
Planning
Communications
st
Membership DUD
Contracts
C"lIy.n'ort
Worlh1ln
Jncn::rm."I1t
Dl$ldct
(TIll')
Fcsllval, &.
'Rnmu
Dlvi,lon
Housing
Special Pr~
Public
Infrastructure
PrQjects
Maintenance
MatI<etlng
Transportallon
Festivals &: Events
St~llps
Si:AssessmtmtsstPropeltV Value
C4lnll'aClS Incte_
Gra1lIs
777 Taylor St. Ste 100
Fort Worth, TX 76102
817-870-1692
817-335-3313 (fax)
http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?section= 1
Page 2 of2-
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1/2/2004.
: Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
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ehttp://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=3 7
Page I of5
Urban Design Guidelilll.'S
""'11 '
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Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone
Number Three, City of Fort Worth,
The Tax Increment Finance
District, or TIF, is an economic
development tool that can be
utilized to stimulate additional
investment and redevelopment in
particular target areas.
In conjunction with private
investment, TIFs provide public
improvements that further district
revitalization objectives. When
new development occurs, the new
taxes generated are used to pay the
cost of the public projects
undertaken by the TIF.
TIF #3 is a collaboration between
the City of Fort Worth, FWISD,
Tarrant County, Tarrant County
Hospital District, Tarrant County
College System, and Tarrant
County Water Control District 1.
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
manages the downtown TIF by
contract with the TIF Board.
PROJECT AND
FINANCING PLAN
STATUTORY AUTHORITY
In accordance with Tax
[ncrcment Financing Act
Chapter 311 of the Texas Tax
Code, Vernon's Texas Codes
Annotated, municipalities have
the authority to create a TTF and
1/2/2004
Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
Texas, was created via
public/private partnership.
Petitioned by property owners who
owned more than 50 percent of the
appraised property value of the
area, the TIF and the TIF Board of
Directors were established by City
Council Ordinance 12324 in
December 1995. The zone took
effect January 1996 and will
terminate December 2025 (30
years), or at an earlier time
designated by subsequent
ordinance of the City Council.
At the time an area is designated as
a TIF, the total appraised value of
real property serves as the base.
Taxing units levying taxes in the
zone during the life of the TIF are
limited to tax revenues derived
from the base.
Proposed Uses and
Improvements
http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub= 37
plan the subsequent public
improvements via an adopted
Project and Financing Plan.
A UNIQUE
PUBLlC/PRIV ATE
PARTNERSHIP
.
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1/2/200.
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. Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
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ehttp://www .dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=3 7
Pursuant to City Ordinance No.
13603, the City approved Tax
Increment Reinvestment Zone
Number Three, City of Fort
VVorth, Texas,Projectand
Financing Plan.
The project plan for the Tax
Increment Reinvestment Zone
Number Three, represents an
integral part of a larger planning
process outlined in the 1993
Downtown Strategic Action
Plan, which has been an
ongoing pursuit of the partners
of the revitalization of
downtovm Fort WOlth. Some of
the public infrastructure
objectives of the TIF are:
. public parking and the
connecting systems
(trolley and subway),
. special pedestrian and
streetscape systel1ls,
. public l1larket,
. street and utility
adjustments associated
with major projects,
. historic site rehabilitation
. establish an in-tovm
residential community
The Downtown TIF aims to create
a quality urban environment that
will assure that Downtown Fort
Worth attracts its competitive fair
share of corporate office,
government office and other
commercial developments. This
same urban environment will help
achieve the goal of attracting up to
I percent of the Fort Worth
residential inventory to Downtown.
Page 3 of 5
TIF "3 GOALS
1/2/2004
Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
The TIF utilizes the ad valorem
revenue, the increment, to fund the
required public infrastructure. The
public infrastructure, in turn,
generates new anchors for the area
that creates redevelopment
momentum and a tax base that
services the TIF term and creates
net financial gain to local
governments. In all, these efforts
will attract metropolitan visitors,
tourists and conventioneers. In
order for the TIF to accomplish
these goals, Downtown must
overcome some negative
circumstances such as corporate
downsizing, expanding
telecommunications, home based
shopping, the increase in number of
suburban office parks, and other
competative factors.
TIFs are utilized to stimulate
development which otherwise
would not occur. Compared to the
bleak growth projections without
the TIF, the local taxing entities
would receive approximately $40
million more in ad valorem revenue
throughout the first 20 years of the
TIF ($94 million total with the TIF,
$54.5 million without). It is
estimated that the TIF will
encourage more than 3.5 million
square feet of development. These
new anchors will in turn attract
downtown investments in the next
decade. This is compared to the
projected 1.4 million square feet
that is projected to be added
without the TIF. In addition, the
TIF is expected to add more than 1
million square feet of retail and
entertainment uses that will further
attract the metropolitan visitor to
Fort Worth.
http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=37
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1/2/2004.
. Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
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:http://WWW.dfwi.org/index.cfm?Sub= 37
TIF ADVANTAGES
TAX INCREMENT
REINVESTMENT ZONE
NUMBER THREE,
CITY OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS
For more information contact:
www.dfwi.org
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
306 W. Seventh Street Suite 400
Fort Worth, Tx 76102
Jason Thiel
Director, Downtown TIF District
jason@dfwi.org
Page 5 of5
The redeveloped urban
environment enables the City to
retain existing businesses and
attract its fair share of business
growth and corporate relocations.
The TIF and proposed private
investments are funded by local
owners, investors and corporations
with long term commitments to
Fort Worth. The major investors
provide means, capital and soft
costs, to front end the infrastructure
costs.
1/2/2004
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Star-'II!Iegrau>>com
Posted on Thu, Dec. 18, 2003
Star-Thlegram
City seeks tighter oversight of TIFs
By Mike LeejAnna M. Tinsley
Star~Telegram Staff Writers
FORT WORTH - City leaders are calling for closer scrutiny of
a special downtown taxing district in light of miscalculations
that neariv toppled redevelopment of the tornado-ravaged
former Bank One tower.
Citv staff members are reviewing records for the downtown
tax increment finance district, or T1F, and several City Council
members are suggesting that additional city oversight may be
needed for other T1Fs.
"I do think we need to clean up our act with this T1F and all
T1Fs," said Mayor Mike Moncrief, who heads the downtown
district board.
Moncrief and Councilman Jim Lane called for additional
oversight, and Moncrief said it may be necessary for the
council to sign off on all T1F expenditures.
But Councilwoman Wendy Davis said she is concerned that
the city could overstep its authority bV micromanaging TIFs.
"I think that could create problems in getting other taxing
districts to participate in T1Fs," Davis said. She has asked
Jackson about hiring an independent auditor to review all the
city's T1Fs.
STAR-TELEGRAM/RALPH LAUER
Return air tubes snaked through the
basement of the former Bank One tower when
asbestos removal began in August. The city
has guaranteed $2 million toward the cost of
asbestos removal in the downtown landmark.
The revelations about the downtown T1F come after scrutinv
about the number of T1Fs in Fort Worth and the potential risks they pose forthe city.
Fort Worth has four active T1FS -- providing funding for downtown, Texas Motor Speedway, the hospital
district and RadioShack headquarters -- and has created three more since November. Yet another is
planned to finance the proposed Southwest Parkway toll road.
The downtown T1F is widely credited with helping transform downtown into an entertainment and tourist
destination, and officials fear any problems with the T1F could slow the momentum.
TIFs work bV freezing property values and then diverting property taxes from new construction or
increases in value into a special fund that helps paV for public projects in the area.
Much of the downtown T1F money subsidizes parking garages that provide free parking to night and
weekend visitors. But the downtown TIF had also committed $3 million to remove asbestos from the
former Bank One building, which was struck by a tornado in 2000.
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Just weeks ago, however, Downtown Fort Worth Inc. officials -- who manage the TIF funds -- discovered
that a miscalculation had led officials to mistakenly predict that the TIF would generate enough funds to
cover the Bank One deal.
With those funds in question, project developer Tony Landrum asked the city to guarantee that funding,
as well as another $8 million promised for a parking garage.
In a compromise deai worked out Tuesday and approved by the council, the city will guarantee only the
$2 million in funds to help remove asbestos.
On Wednesdav, Moncrief asked city staff l1lembers to draft an ordinance that would give the council
dramatically more authority over TIFs, and he hopes to get updated data on the TIPs finances in coming
weeks.
"We will conduct the matters of this city in a businesslike manner," Moncrief said. "We will make sure
numbers balance and that we understand commitments made before we take action to approve
expenditures.
"I do not intend to iet this happen again."
The TIF's budget mistakenly omitted an $800,000 lease payment in 2005 and underestimated other
expenses, said Andy Taft, executive director of Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
David Pettit, who was director of development for Downtown Fort Worth Inc. until a few months ago,
said the lease could have been interpreted so that the payment was due in 2006.
Pettit said that the TIF has also been buffeted bV reductions in property values the past few years. The
oid Tandy Center towers lost much of their value when RadioShack sold them, and the former Bank One
tower lost even more when the tornado made it uninhabitable.
Pettit said he proposed removing the Tandy and former Bank One towers from the TIF in 2002 because
their property values had fallen below their 1995 leveis, draining $35 million in taxable value frol1l the
TIF. When that didn't happen, the resulting drop in value cost the TIF $2.2 million, Pettit said.
"I made it very ciear it was going to be a tight year," he said.
The TIF is also committed to spending $17 million on a parking lot for the Landmark Tower project over
the next several years. But a deai to redevelop the vacant building at Seventh and Throckmorton streets
appears to be falling apart, and it is unclear if those funds would be available for other projects or if they
would go to whol1lever acquires the building in an upcoming foreclosure sale.
The TIF is supervised by a nine-member board that includes Moncrief and Davis. Assistant City Manager
Reid Rector said he or other city staff members usually attend the board's meetings.
Oty staffers this week were scheduling l1leetings with Downtown Fort Worth to go over the books, Rector
said.
Counciiman Chuck Silcox questioned Tuesday whether the same prOblems could arise in other TIFs, such
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as the Trinitv River TIF, which the city created Tuesdav and which is projected to raise $96 million to
help redevelop the near north side.
"What if the TIF board overcommits on the $96 million?" he asked.
Lane, who heads the speedwav TIF, said the Bank One incident was a wake-up cail.
''The councii was hit upside the head," he said. "We assumed TIFs were working well, and maybe that's
not true.
''They need closer scrutinv."
Moncrief said further action is needed.
"We don't have time to worry about being embarrassed," Moncrief said. "It's our responsibilitv to right
the ship and, as chair of the downtown TIF, that's what I plan to do.
''That could entail some painful decisions."
ONLINE: www.fortworthgov.org
Mike Lee, (817) 390-7539 Mikelee@star-telegram.comAnna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610 atinsley@star-telegram.com
o 21XB Star Tckgram and wire service sources. .All Rights Reserved.
http://www.dfw.com
. NewsLibrary Document Delivery
.
. ~~!l!i'{~~I!1ir-"-~
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. Fort Worth Star-Telegram
October 10,1994
. Section: TARRANT BUSINESS
. Edition: FINAL AM
Page: 7
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Page 1 of2
Du, Laeal Channels > I News '.. I Business v I Sports ., I Entertainment v I living v I Classifleds v
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City renews tax district
Downtown Fort Worth continues management role
Sandra Baker
Star-Telegram Writer
. FORT WORTH - The City Council re-established the downtown Public Improvement
District last week and renewed its contract with Downtown Fort Worth Inc. to manage the
. district for another five years.
.. It is the third time in eight years that the council has approved the district. The action
culminates nearly five months of work by Downtown Fort Worth Inc. to gather property
. owners' signatures to keep the district going.
. In a related matter, the council has also set a public hearing for Oct. 20 on a proposed 3-cent
increase in the tax rate used to finance the district.
.
Downtown Fort Worth Inc. has held two forums for property owners on the proposed rate
. increase and has received no opposition, said Kenneth Devero, president of the group.
.
On its petitions presented to the council last week, the number of signatures collected
. represented 90 percent of the taxable value within the district, 78 percent of the taxable land
. area and 56 percent of the total number of property owners, according to Downtown Fort Worth
.Inc.
. The figures are above the minimum requirement of 51 percent in ail three categories, Devero
. said. They also refiect about the same number of signatures collected when the district was
renewed in 1989, he said.
.
. Devero said the numbers "show good support for the district."
.Downtown Fort Worth Inc. is seeking to raise its tax rate to 11.5 cents per $100 assessed
.
.http://nl.newSbank.comlnl-search/we/Archives?paction=dOC&Pdocid=OEAF8FA3F4408598&pdocn...I/13/2004
. - - -
NewsLibrary Document Delivery
property value, with a cap set at 12 cents, in an effort to reinstate some services and improve
others.
The tax increase would put an extra $171,900 in the group's coffers. Its overall proposed budget
is $878,933.
Downtown Fort Worth Inc. was established in 1986 at the request of downtown property owners
who wanted to see the area, which covers 140 blocks, better maintained and marketed.
At that time, the tax rate was 8 cents per $100 assessed value. The district was re-established in
1989 and the rate was increased to 8.5 cents in 1992.
The Tarrant Appraisal District has valued property in the district at around $563 million,
unchanged from last year.
Copyright 1994 STAR-TELEGRAM INC.
http://nl.newsbank.comlnl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p _ docid=OEAF8F A3F 4408598&p _ docn...
Page 2 of~
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1/13/2004.
.
. Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
Page I of4
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.ttp://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=33
Urban Design Guidelines ,
FORT WORTH IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT #1 (PID)
PID Due for Renewal in 2004:
Created in 1989, Public Improvement District (PID) #1 began offering
supplemental sidewalk cleaning, security measures, litter removal,
coordinated promotional programs and downtown planning assistance
services. PID services have been renewed every five years by
overwhelming majority. On September 30,2004 the Fort Worth Public
Improvement Districts # 1 and # 10 (PIDs) will sunset in accordance with
their mandated five-year renewal cycles. During the upcoming year,
DFWI staff will work with property owners on the re-establishment
process. New this year is the consideration district expansion to include
120 blocks west of Burnett and Macon Streets to the Trinity River. This
expansion is being considered because of development growth in the
area: Firestone Apartments, AMLI Upper West Side Apartments, and the
PierI and RadioShack corporate headquarters buildings now under
construction. Initial contacts with the major property owners in that
region indicate that they are in favor of the expansion of the District to
the river. An outreach effort to all property owners in the area has begun.
The Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Board has taken an incremental
approach to the expansion of the downtown PID, which is based on the
needs and desires of the private property owners. Two years ago, 71
blocks east of Jones Street were added as Fort Worth Improvement
District # 10. This expansion followed residential development in the
northern portion of that area and the Intermodal Transportation Center,
Bus Transfer Center and Rail Market construction in the southern
portion. PID #10 was created in response to private property owners who
want to ensure that their area looks as good as the downtown core. Since
their inception, PID 1 and 10 property owner feedback has been very
favorable. On the south end of downtown, redevelopment of Lancaster
Avenue suggests another area for possible PID service expansion. DFWI
will monitor property owner sentiment and service needs in that area.
THE DISTRICT MISSION:
The objective of the District is the implementation ofthe mission of
Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.: To assist in making the Central Business
District a vibrant, healthy, and attractive center in which to work, live and
visit. The District has six program areas, each with its own set of tasks to
improve the appearance, safety, maintenance, vehicular and pedestrian
circulation and management of the Downtown.
THE DISTRICT SERVICES:
The district provides the following Maintenance and Landscaping
Services: A Downtown with clean streets and sidewalks conveys the
1/2/2004
Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
message that this is a safe place to work, live and visit.
SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE:
A six man crew keeps the District spotless with continuous daily hand
sweeping and planter box maintenance. This crew also provides set up
and maintenance for the various Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. sponsored
special events in the Downtown. This crew also cleans the bus shelters
several times a day, six days a week.
NIGHT MECHANIZED SIDEWALK CLEANING:
This service mechanically sweeps or high pressure washes District
sidewalks nightly. Bus shelters in the District are also cleaned five times
a week During the fall and winter months, much time is devoted to
cleaning up after migratory grackles which enjoy downtown too.
STREET SWEEPING:
The District provides twice-a-week street sweeping service for all
twenty-two miles of curb and gutter within the District boundaries.
LANDSCAPING:
Well maintained planters convey the message that downtown is a safe
place to be. A landscaping firm provides year-round blooms in the 17,000
square feet of planters in the District.
PROMOTIONS:
The Promotions Program is administered by the Festivals and Events
Division of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. It produces the three signature
events of the District:
The Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival
Main Street has been voted one of the top ten festivals in the United
States. Main Street brings over 400,000 people to the center city to enjoy
world class arts and the excitement of downtown.
The Verizon Wireless Parade of Lights
The Verizon Wireless Parade of Lights hosts more than 100,000
annually. This illuminating event, held on the day after Thanksgiving.
each year, features more than 5,000 participants from over 100 local
organizations. Each year the parade ends with the community Christmas
Tree lighting ceremony on Main Street.
COMMUNICATIONS:.
Real Estate Information, Visitors Guides and Walking Tours
CBD office, retail, parking and walking tour brochures are developed in
cooperation with other interested parties. These guides are used by the
http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=3 3
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112/2004.
.
. Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
Page 3 of 4
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. htto:/ /www.dfwi.orglindex.cfm?sub=33
brokerage community, office and retail prospects, the Chamber of
Commerce, City, County, Convention and Visitors Bureau and
downtown visitors.
Downtown Banner Program
The District manages a banner program on Main Street. The banner
program adds color and movement to the street scene and promotes other
non-profit events in the City. The banner program generates revenue to
sustain this effort. If your organization is interested in the banner
program, call us at (817) 870-1692.
Brochures and Newsletters
The marketing of the Downtown is an on going function of the
Communications Division. Newsletters and brochures are developed and
distributed to downtown workers, property owners and visitors, keeping
them up to date on the latest CBD activities.
SECURITY ENHANCEMENT:
Safety is a key to continued downtown success. Ensuring safety and the
perception of safety is an important function of the District. A well
maintained Downtown is a message to citizens that: "Someone is in
charge here. This is a safe place." The District maintenance staff provide
eyes and ears on the street. The District staff cooperate with the Fort
Worth Police Department and private security directors to keep crime at a
very low level. Downtown security enhancement programs include:
Downtown Mounted Patrol
The Mounted Patrol's vetemary supplies, horse feed, ferrier needs and
tack are supplied by the District. More than good will ambassadors, the
Mounted Patrol provides a security presence that can be seen for several
blocks. The mounted officer can also see for several blocks. The
Downtown Mounted Patrol was a District initiative.
Operation Partnership
Operation Partnership is a cooperative effort between the Fort Worth
Police Department, the District and private security directors to
coordinate the rapid distribution of information regarding criminal
behavior in the Downtown in order to reduce crime.
TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING:
The district supports transportation and planning efforts that benefit
downtown through funding ofDFWI's Transportation Management
Organization (TMO).
In addition to PID resources, the TMO is funded in part through a Federal
I2l Transportation Enhancement Grant. The TMO staff conducts
1/2/2004
Welcome to Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
parking and transit studies in the CBD to determine how to best utilize
existing spaces and determine where new facilities are needed to meet
growing needs.
The TMO staff was also very involved in the planning efforts that led to
construction of the Intermodal Transit Center. (ITC)
Because of the growing interest in alternative forms of transportation, the
TMO has implemented a bicycle rack program in the core of downtown.
In addition, bike-route linkage issues are still being evaluated.
All of these programs and activities provided by the Fort Worth
Improvement District # 1 are in response to the needs that the property
owners, merchants and tenants have identified as their high priorities.
Each program is designed to make your downtown experience enjoyable,
productive, easy and fun.
For more information about the District or any of its programs please call
(817) 870-1692 or fax us at (817) 335-3113 or E-mail us at
Todd@DFWI.org .
http://www.dfwi.org/index.cfm?sub=33
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1/2/200~
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Report suggests rules for improvement districts
Page 1 of2
~~~~~l'ii'j)
~>--
Posted on Wed, Oct. 08, 2003
Star!Th\egram
Report suggests rules for improvement districts
By Jessica Deleon
Star~Telegram Staff Writer
Fort Worth should consider guidelines that would regulate the use of Public Improvement District money
-- including barring the Park Glen Neighborhood Association from using it for its own organizations,
according to preliminary findings bV the auditing department.
The report, presented Tuesday to the Fort Worth Otv Council's Government and Neighborhood Relations
Committee, came as staff members are conducting an audit of PID 6. That district, which covers several
associations in north Fort Worth, is an area where residents pay a fee for services such as irrigation and
lawn maintenance.
The final report is expected to be issued Nov. 3. The audit came as the Park Glen Neighborhood
Association considered using PID moneV to pay legal fees for a dispute over its 2002 election.
But Councilwoman Wendy Davis called it "ridiculous" to use the money for that purpose.
"It doesn't sound like we have a verv tight system in place," she said, adding that appropriate
expenditures might be better defined.
Councilwoman Beckv Haskin, whose district Includes PID 6, noted that the districts have used l1loney to
paV for legal fees.
"This one just seemed to be a runaway train, perhaps," she said.
The situation revolves around the 2002 election in Park Glen. After the association canceled the election
because not all ballots were distributed, write-In candidates James Cox and Mike Quinonez had their own
election, and the vote tallV showed that the V were elected president and vice president, respectivelv.
The two sides went to mediation, but the agreement was never signed. Under the agreement, both sides
agreed that the September 2002 election never took place, neither side would saV the association wasted
money pursuing the case in court and neither one was liable for claims made in the dispute.
In November 2002, Park Glen held a vote in which Steve Kosek was elected president and Kevin Sanders
vice president.
Last month, Judge Dana Womack ruled that both sides must agree to the mediation terms and that both
sides are responsible for paying for the legal fees.
Kosek agreed that the new guidelines are needed for the districts.
"It's just the first step in the process," he said.
http://www.dfw.com/mldlstartelegrarn/news/local/696l3l6.htm ?temn I ate=cnntentM()n'll p<
10/RI?()01
Report suggests rules for improvement districts Page 2 of2
Quinonez called Tuesday's report "vague."
"It didn't give you any details of anything," he said.
C 2003 Star T degrnm and wif<~ service sources. All Rights Reserved.
hltp:!lwww.dfw.com
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegrarn/news/loCal/696I316.htm ?temolate=contentMoci,,1 ".0 1 n/R I? n{H
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CLIDE WINNERS:
Lancaster Corridor
Redevelopment, The
Urban Villages
Program and the Trinity
River Master Plan
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The Lancaster Corridor Redevelopment Project
The purpose of the Lancaster Corridor Redevelopment Project is to use the redesign of Lancaster
Avenue as a catalyst for redevelopment in the southern end of Downtown Fort Worth, and as a
means to connect Downtown more effectively with the Medical District on Fort Worth's south side.
The project is an outgrowth of the decision to relocate the 1-30 and 1-35W interchange to the
south side of the Union Pacific railroad tracks and remove the 1-30 overhead, which will provide
the opportunity for revitalization of south Downtown. The Lancaster corridor can become an
attractive, livable, pedestrian-oriented district that capitalizes on streetscape enhancements, the
renovation of historic structures and an expanded Downtown retail trade. A new Downtown
residential population, arts and entertainment activities, and vibrant public plazas will also help
create a distinct district at the southern edge of Downtown.
At the Lancaster Steering Committee meeting on July 15, 2002, City Manager Gary Jackson
announced the formation of a task force to oversee the various City of Fort Worth initiatives
related to the Lancaster Corridor Redevelopment Project. Assistant City Manager Charles
Boswell leads this task force. The purpose of the task force is to provide seamless management
by coordinating the various elements of the project.
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NCTCOG - Center for Development Excellence
Page 1 of:
Home __
~ .: -;
Developmeid Excellence
fer the fuh.l~of North Contr':J1 TU;'l$
J';,~';rj~~~J~
issues
mission
10 principles
technical tools
awards
about the Center
publications
news
links
steering committee
contact us
Leadership Award for Planning and Policy
COG Resources
Land uselTransportation
Interface
City of Fort Worth Urban<LVillage
: ,~v
Development Program
The Urban Village Development Program is a partnership between the City of Fort Worth,
private developers, business groups, and neighborhood associations to transform many of the
central city's older commercial districts into vibrant urban villages. These active, diverse,
mixed-use areas are already attracting investment to the central city, promoting pedestrian
and transit-oriented development.
This program is the centerpiece of the City's central city revitalization effort. The cities vision
for each of the villages is unique, yet they ail share certain characteristics: a concentration of
jobs, housing, commercial uses, public spaces, public transportation and pedestrian activity.
Three strategies - capital improvements, mixed use zoning and economic incentives _ are
central to the urban village program and are currently being utilized by the city to encourage
investors. Neariy $63.3 million in public funds has been secured for development and to date,
five of the thirteen planned urban villages have been rezoned to mix-use. This mix of uses in
the village, including a variety of owner- and renter-occupied multifamily residential, is
envisioned to be located in tailer buildings with minimal setbacks from the street and reduced
parking requirements, achieving the densities necessary to support transit and pedestrian
activity, attract private investment and create a sense of place.
According to the CLlDE Awards Jury:
The Fort Worth Urban ViI/age Development Plan represents a rigorous process
resulting in a sound plan of wide range of development options. It recognizes
the individual characteristics of each community to create quality place to live
and work.
~ttP://www.developmentexcellence.com/CAP03/urbanvilI.html
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The Trinity River Project
Introduction
The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), in association with Streams and
Valleys (S&V), and U.S. Corps of Engineers has undertaken a comprehensive Master
Plan of the Trinity River and major tributaries, known as the Trinity River Vision. The
master plan has been closely coordinated with the City of Fort Worth, adjoining cities,
and other local governments. Approximately 88 miles of river are included in this
planning process. Fort Worth is fortunate that the river and its major tributaries traverse
through all quadrants of the City, including the historic confluence area that defines
Downtown. The recently adopted Fort Worth Comprehensive Plan addresses to the
need to expand and implement the Trinity River Vision Master Plan.
The Vision
The Vision of the Trinity River Vision Master Plan is to preserve and enhance the river
corridors so that they remain as essential greenways for open space, trails, neighborhood
focal points, wildlife, and special recreation areas. These riparian corridors are critical
elements in preserving environmental quality and a high quality of life that attracts
people to locate and stay in Fort Worth. Downtown waterfront initatives wiII help
accomplish a renaissance of the greater Downtown area that result in a sustainable mix of
people living, working, playing, and learning in the Central City area.
Purpose and Objective
The Purpose of the Trinity River Vision Master Plan is to help assure that the river
greenways fulfill the vision surnmarized in the vision section. As development,
redevelopment, and capital projects proceed, it is imperative that the Master Plan be
implemented. When implemented, the Master Plan will:
. Help assure the greater Fort Worth area has open space, recreation and
conservation areas to support a growing population, while continuing to provide
essential flood protection
. Provide trails and greenways that link major recreation areas, park areas,
neighborhoods, and districts of the City
. Provide and preserve the open space and vegetation that is needed to attain air
quality, water quality, wildlife habitat, and temperature moderation that will all
help assure we can sustain environmental health over the long term,
. Improve the river's accessibility to the public, attract more people to its banks, and
increase its prominence within the City
. Provide these quality ofIife elements and environmental integrity, while assuring
that the watercourses can manage storm water runoff, water conservation, and
flood control in a manner that protects public safety and property
The Scope
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The Master Plan will encompass approximately 88 miles of River and m~or tributary
corridors in Tarrant County, including the Clear Fork Trinity River, West Fork
Trinity River, Mary's Creek, Marine Creek, and Sycamore Creek (click on map
below). The scope of the study will include considerations about environmental quality,
conservation, recreation facilities, trail developments, reforestation, beautification,
linkage to neighborhoods, Downtown, and other special districts. The plan will also
address how adjoining land uses, transportation facilities, and other adjoining and
crossing facilities can best complement and benefit from the greenways.
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Tax plan unveiled for Trinity project
Star!leIegram~com
Page 1 of3
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Posted on Wed, Nov. 12,2003
Tax plan unveiled for Trinity project
By Anna M. Tinsley
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - A proposed taxing district along the Trinity
River would generate nearly haif the $360 million needed for
a bustling waterfront and town lake development, city
leaders said Tuesday.
The proposed tax-increment financing district would use
taxes collected on new development to pay for the Trinity
River Vision -- a plan officials tout as the most significant
local project since construction of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
The proposed developl1lent north of downtown would include
shops, restaurants, housing and a large town lake.
"This is one of the most exciting opportunities the city has
had or ever will have," Mayor Mike Moncrief said Tuesday
after the proposed financing plan was presented to the City
Council.
Councilman Clyde Picht also praised the concept, but added:
"The city is not going to shrivel up and die if we don't do it.
"There's a lot of people who don't believe this is the way to
go," he said. "We kid ourselves if we think we won't have
development along the river if we don't do the Trinity River
Vision."
The project, which officials hope to have in the works this
decade, is expected to attract about $180 million in federal
monev, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, said this
week.
But that money needs a local match.
City officials say part of that would come through a tax-
increment financing district, known as a TIF. Officials hope to
have the TIF in place by the end of the year to avoid losing
lucrative income.
The proposed district would inciude more than 1,300 acres
from 23rd Street on the north to Lancaster Avenue on the
south.
MONCRIEF: Calls project "exciting"
DAVIS: Says boundary could be changed
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7242350.htm?template=contentModules/printst.....ll/14/2001
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Tax plan unveiled for Trinity project
Page 2 00
Four elected bodies -- the City Council, the Tarrant County
Commissioners Court, the Fort Worth schooi board and the
Tarrant County College board of trustees -- would need to
give final approval to the TIF by year's end, officials said.
STAR.TELEGRAM DON COOK
PROPOSED BOUNDARY OF TRINITY RIVER VISION
T1F districts work by freezing the taxable value of property within their boundaries and diverting taxes from
new construction into a special fund.
Land along the river is expected to increase in value when the Pier 1 and the nearby RadioShack
headquarters are completed. Establishing the T1F before the end of the year would allow the TIF to
capitalize on that value increase. The Pier 1 headquarters is not included in the proposed TIF; RadioShack
is in a different TIF.
Overall, the Trinity River TIF is expected to generate nearly $147 million over 25 vears, with 80 percent
going to the Trinity River Vision and 20 percent going into city coffers, projections show.
The city's share of the project is estimated to be $96 million. That would be combined with $44 million from
the Tarrant Regional Water District and $40 million from local money, including about $5 million set aside
in a proposed city bond package.
"We are about to move the courthouse from the northern end to central downtown," County Administrator
G.K. Maenius said this week. "There are not too many times the stars are lined up for a project like this.
"If we let it slip, they might not be there."
But the T1F's proposed boundaries have stirred up some controversy.
A staunch supporter of the vision, the Associated Businesses of the Cultural District, recently said it fears
the TIF could siphon money away from its area. Members of the group have worked in recent vears to turn
the area into a successful urban district.
The area of concern, in the southern portion of the TIF, is still being evaluated, and Councilwoman Wendy
Davis said she hopes the city can help those small-business owners "understand this is a very important
thing to do."
She also said the boundary presented Tuesday could be changed.
The Trinity River Vision calls for a lake to be built just downstreal1l of the confluence of the West Fork of the
river and Marine Creek, west of the Main Street bridge and in front of the construction site for the
RadioShack headquarters.
The Trinity would be diverted through a new channel cut through the near north side.
Preliminary plans call for $96 million to create a bypass channel, do environmental studies and ecosystem
restoration, buy needed land around the river ana build or relocate streets, bridges, railroads and utilities.
"This is uniquelv Fort Worth," Granger said this week. "And it will be built not just for the tourists, but for
the people here.
"This is an enormous vision.ll
http:/ /www.dfw.com/mldldfw/news/locaI172423 50.htm?template=contentModules/printst... 11/14/2003
Tax plan unveiled for Trinity project
Page 3 of3
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City staff members will meet with representatives from all participating agencies in coming weeks and plan
to report back to the council -- and conduct a public hearing on the proposal -_ on Dec. 9.
The council could vote on whether to participate in the TIF by Dec. 16, the last meeting of the year.
"It's difficult to not get excited about this," Mayor Pro Tem Ralph McCloud said. "I caution staff, in our
excitement about this, not to neglect those other projects that have been out there."
ONLINE: www.fortworthgov.org
Anna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610 atinsley@star-tefegram.com
C: 2003 Star Telegram and ",ire service sources. All Rights Reserved,
http://www.dfw.com
http://www.dfw.comlmldldfw/newsllocal17242350.htrn?template=contentModules/orintst... 11/14/7001
: NewsLibrary Document Delivery
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. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
. November 19, 2003
Section: Metro
. Edition: FINAL
. Page: 1B
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Page 1 of2
Our Local Channel. > I News "I Business ,i Sports v I Entertainment v I Living / i Ctassifieds v
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House OKs Trinity River funds
MARIA RECIO
Star- Telegram Washington Bureau
.
WASHINGTON-Fort Worth stands to gain $1.35 million to help develop its Trinity River
.Vision plan under a $27 billion energy and water appropriations bill approved Tuesday by
. the House.
."The Trinity River Vision could be the most important project since D/FW Airport and the
.downtown master plan," said Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth. "Transforming a city is not an
exaggeration when describing this project."
.
. The Trinity River Vision includes major commercial and recreational development along the
river in downtown Fort Worth.
.
.Granger, a former Fort Worth mayor and a member of the House Appropriations Committee,
supported the funding for fiscal 2004. Members Joe Barton, R-Ennis, and Martin Frost, D-
.Arlington, also requested that the Trinity River projects get funding in the bill. The appropriations
.bill was approved 387-36.
erhe bill grants $1 million to the Upper Trinity River Basin Feasibility Study as the federal share
.:f several Trinity River floodway projects: flood control, water quality, environmental restoration,
and recreational master planning.
.
.The bill also includes $350,000 for pre-engineering and design work on an oxbow project. The
Trinity River's West Fork and the old West Fork channel, east of downtown Fort Worth, formed
an oxbow when the channel was realigned. The project will re-establish low flows through the old
aPxbow, help wetlands grow, and make environmental and recreational improvements to that
~ection of the Trinity.
.
afrost also secured $2.2 million in ongoing funding for the flood-control project aiong Johnson
'Wtreek in Arlington.
.
.
.ttp://nl.newsbank.com/nl-searchlwe/ Archives?p _ action=doc&p _ docid=OFEFODD7 55D71687 &0 docnu... 1/)/)004
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Page 2 of.
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http://nI.newsbank.com/nJ-searchlwe/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=OFEFODD755D7l687&odocnu...l /2/2004.
NewsLibrary Document Delivery
The appropriations will continue the buyout of 140 structures for flood damage reduction,
environmental restoration of 155 acres and construction of up to six miles of recreational trails.
'This House-Senate agreement is also good news for Arlington," Frost said. "The $2.2 million in
new funding for Johnson Creek should bring us close to the total federal funding we need to
complete the project. I look forward to discussing Johnson Creek's remaining needs with area
residents and city officials so we can get this project completed."
The bill also includes $9.28 million for the Dallas floodway extension. "For too long, the threat of
flooding has hampered economic development in many parts of Dallas:' Frost said.
"The very heart of Dallas' business district and residential areas are at risk from Trinity River
flooding."
Maria Recio, (202) 383-6103 mrecio@krwashington.com
Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.
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: Jnfill and
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: Redevelopment and
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: Information on
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: Tour Sites
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Brownfields Economic Redevelopment
Environmental Management Department
Program Background: "Recycling Fort
Worth's land"
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by Kathryn Hansen, Brownfields Program Manager
(this article appeared in the "Guide to Recvclino in Tarrant Countv" - SDrino 2000)
Across the United States, an estimated 125,000 acres of industrial and commercial land are idle
due to environmental contamination: or the perception of environmental contamination - these
sites are called "brownfields."
Brownfields degrade the neighborhoods in which they are located, and impact negatively on the
economies and property tax bases of America's cities. Lenders, investors, and developers fear
that getting involved with these sites will make them liable for cleaning up contamination they did
not create. They are drawn to "greenfields" (land that has not been developed previously)
because of their relative pristine nature. Greenfields are more convenient to develop. This
encourages cities to sprawl out at the edges, while decaying on the inside. Existing infrastructure,
such as roads and sewer lines are not fully utilized, while new ones are built.
The extent of urban sprawl that the US is experiencing is evident in the US Department of
Agriculture's 1997 National Resources Inventorv. The inventory, released in December 1999,
shows that close to 16 million acres of America's forests, croplands, and open spaces were
converted to urban and other uses from 1992 to 1997. The average rate for those five years - 3.2
million acres a year - is more than twice the conversion rate of 1.4 million acres a year recorded
from 1982 to 1992.
In an effort to combat the problems of brownfields, the federal government established the
Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative to give states, municipalities, and other agencies
the ability to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and reuse brownfields. This effort
includes the establishment of pilot programs in selected cities.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the chief player in the initiative, along with the
Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, many federal departments and
agencies have a role. These include the Army Corps of Engineers, the General Services
Administration, and the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Justice, and
Transportation to name a few.
City launches Its Brownfields Proaram
In October 1999, the City of Fort Worth launched its brownfields economic redevelopment pilot,
managed by the Department of Environmental Management. The City's program includes all
areas of the city, but is focusing on City Council districts 2 (Jim Lane), 5 (Frank Moss), and 8
(Ralph McCloud). These districts are located in the south, southeast, and north sections of Fort
Worth.
The pilot program is funded by a $200,000 grant from the EPA which will be used to identify and
assess brownfields within the city. The pilot's efforts will combine with other City efforts to
emphasize code compliance, property redevelopment, and sustainability issues. Fort Worth has
already taken several steps to create incentives for redevelopment within or adjacent to the
targeted areas (e.g., designated federal enterprise zone, tax increment financing districts, tax
abatement program).
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Activities planned as part of the Fort Worth pilot include identifying brownfield sites - or what the
City refers to as "potential candidates for redevelopment." A facility will not be listed by the City as
a "brownfield" without permission of the owner. Brownfields sites in Fort Worth could be large
former industrial sites, but they could just as likely be abandoned warehouses, dry cleaners and
gas stations.
Fort Worth sees its role in the brownfields program as that of facilitator - to make it economically
desirable to redevelop brownfields. Environmental cleanup should be a building block to
economic redevelopment, not a stumbling block.
The City will assist in the marketing of properties that are accepted into the program, by bringing
together sellers, developers, and buyers. It will also act as a liaison between land owners and
developers and the EPA and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commis~ion (TNRCC).
Like the EPA, the state of Texas is committed to brownfields redevelopment. The Voluntary
Cleanup Program (VCP) run by the TNRCC encourages the process. The City will also attempt to
locate funding sources for remediation and identify other economic incentives that are available to
brownfields redevelopers.
Community Involvement is Key
Community involvement is key to the success of the Fort Worth brownfields program. The
Brownfields Consortium was formed in October to assist the City with the identification,
prioritization, assessment, and redevelopment of selected sites. Members of the consortium
include developers, environmental consultants, attorneys, and staff from state and federal
agencies. Currently the consortium meets every two months.
Additionally, the leadership of the neighborhood associations in the targeted city council districts
were sent letters in February explaining the program and requesting assistance in identifying
candidates for inclusion in the program. Public meetings to discuss the Fort Worth brownfields
program have been scheduled for March 25 at the Worth Heights Community Center, April 8 at
the Handley-Meadowbrook Community Center, and April 15 at the Diamond Hill Community
Center.
Assessina the ProDerties
The City will conduct at least ten Phase I environmental site assessments (ESAs) and three
Phase II ESAs during its pilot program. These will be funded by the EPA grant.
A Phase I ESA essentially involves a iot of detective work. The assessor follows a paper trail
through deed records, old aerial photographs, insurance maps, regulatory records, and other
records to find background on a site. He or she makes a visit to the site, takes photographs,
notes evidence of chemical spills, the presence of storage tanks, or other concerns, and talks to
neighboring land owners. Former owners and employees of a facility might also be interviewed. A
report with recommendations is then prepared.
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A Phase II ESA characterizes a site through the use of sampling and laboratory analysis.
Investigators will collect samples of soil, groundwater, stream sediment, waste stored at a site,
and other materials that might shed light on environmental contamination. The City will also assist
in the preparation of site cleanup design plans.
Additionally, the City will develop a browntields database to aid in long-term tracking of cleanup
and end use activities. This database will utilize the Department of Environl1lental Management's
geographic information system (GIS) capabilities. Eventually this database will be available on
the City's web site.
Prior Brownfields Success Stories
While the City's formal involvement in the browntields arena is relatively recent, browntields
redevelopment has been going on throughout the City for several years. It just has not been
called that.
Most notably among these are redevelopments in the downtown area. The Bass Performance
Hall was built on land that used to house gasoline stations (23 underground storage tanks were
tound during its construction). The Firestone Apartments, an upscale apartment community on
the upper west side, were built upon what used to be called "Automobile Row" - an area
containing car dealerships and car repair facilities.
The Hillside Apartments on the east side of downtown are also a great achievement in
brownfields redevelopment. Although the community was built on a site that was formerly a
residential site (circa 1930s), there was contamination. Hydrocarbons had migrated to the land; a
creek running through the area had been used for years as a dump; and the lead-based paint that
had been used on the houses had peeled off and contaminated the soil. The property was
cleaned up, and 172 rental units were constructed.
. Estimate is based upon a 1999 survey by the US Conference of Mayors.
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Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass
Performance Hall
555 Commerce - 1998
Billed as "the last great hall built this century," this new hall was designed by David M. Schwarz
of Washington, D.C. The Architect of Record is HKS Architects of Dallas. The General
Contractor was Linbeck Construction Company. The hall opened on Friday, May 1, 1998 with a
sound and light show. The hall seats 2,056 patrons. One of the unique architectural features are
the 48 foot high limestone angels on the front of the building. Most of the materials within the
Bass Performance Hall are from Texas with the majority from the Fort Worth vicinity. The hall
is a multi-purpose facility, able to house symphony, ballet, opera, stage, musicals, and rock
concerts. The building has two main entrances, one at 4th & Commerce Streets and the other at
4th & Calhoun Streets. Between these two entrances are two story grand lobbies that connect
them on the first and third levels. Construction has now begun across Calhoun Street on a
rehearsal hall for the facility. It was also designed by David M. Schwarz. Recently the Bass Hall
was voted by Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of the Top 10 best opera houses in the world.
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Hillside Apartments
300 Crump - 1997
This apartment community is located on the east side of
Downtown in the old Hillside Neighborhood. The
development saved the architecturally significant churches
and buildings. The apartment community features
individual units, duplexes and triplexes that resemble the
character of the original neighborhood.
A new office structure and visitor center has been
constructed on the west end of the development. This
building blends with the existing historic structures that
remain.
The l72-unit, mixed income development is a partnership
composed of Fort Worth investors who revitalized this inner
city neighborhood. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc.
acquired the land and public participation included
infrastructure improvements by the City, federal
Community Development Block Grant funds for land
acquisition, and a tax abatement.
In an 8-1 vote on August 27, 1996 the council approved an amended tax abatement agreement for the
$14.7 million Hillside development after the project developers raised the participation level by Fort
Worth contractors and suppliers to 68% of the construction costs.
and Nichols Street on the east.
According to an August 1996 article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the abatement goes to
Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, an investment partnership that includes prominent local
corporations. As well, the investors benefit from federal housing tax credits. Brothers Ed and Robert
Bass supported the development by putting up $2 million to buy the land then selling it to Downtown
Fort Worth Initiatives with out making any profit according to the President of Downtown Fort Worth
at the time.
The development consists of one-, two- and three bedroom units, grouped in triplexes in a prairie
farmhouse style reminiscent of early Fort Worth homes. Rents range from $350 to $850 per month,
with some at market rates and others allower rates for people of moderate incomes. The project
revitalized a long depressed area, historically known as "The Hill" which is bounded by East First
Street on the north, East Fourth Street on the South, rail lines on the west
PACll4A nmnUSlNllSSPRESS Wl!EKOFJANUARY22.1999
-Firestone Aparbnents maintain
downtown FW's historical ties
By ElAllIE C. COLE
$pMiaf to f11t,UStNlSS NSS
Peoptconcodn':we he:re.and tefl,wlth a
new car or new wbeel$; rOr.un old car.
Now. theY'll dri\lihere to lhe. pli1Y lInd
Wort. What'wu once knoWRIl$. "AutoJ
Row'" is fast beCQming a nelgbborbootl.
~'entb Street immediately west of
UellcknOn it the ISIUt tlte' (w oownioW1l
housing. Once a boomltl$ cMlmerclal
district for IUtO sales. the lU'ea tUd
deleriOt31Cd into a .son of "no mnn's
land." empty e~~cp1 tor londy p3tUaa:
InLS n610nger filled with shiny autcmo.
bH(.'1.
II is IiUillg. men, that lhe company that
purchased the laM_ wilh IJope.~ to build :a
new neighborbood unamctl ptU)C"i1.
Risln; from l.~ ashes or ablllldoned re;al
tsWC is a fulurislic.
friendly neighbor-
hood with nods to
lu-Vktori;:m
ucesU)',
The compa."\y
WI:., (onned in 1M
~;:u'ly 1990s 111
dc"elopilltidd.
mulllf;1lllily
ndgltoorhoods.. $.\id
Jason Rl1nnd'!:.
principal with
?hoen." Propc,f1)'
Co. The; l.'Omp3.n}'
q\lickly b<<:u!'.t
aWare of fort
Worth's cxcitiilg downtown 31h! t>ciPD
1(lOkiAt ror :I !iite. 11 too~ 18 lOO:llhs to
u~mble 1M 14 3Cres of land for the
Fireslone Upper West Side projcct,
l-'hoeni:r. then wtl1t to the dty to ask foe
rerMing for mid.income housing.
-We had tn W':'flt: around some in(ra-
~1nJcture issues," Runru:1s said..'1mt the
ci1y was great'to work with,"
AnotbCr ch&llellgC! was gdting the site
properly gnded. BUl Runnels bcUc\'c:s
th.i1. bi lhe end. the gf4tkd elevations
SaIvoging hlJloly. Parts .1... FiIa>lono
building, IndvJing ... originoJ sign,
...,. rotoiIl.,J In ",. /lOW "",sing oIfko
and hlntis e<<)tM'/or /he FirosloM
Uppor W.,I Sido paJ{<<t,
make. the project more imc:rt$tiog.
J'1ioenix thenappro.ichtd thccil)' fu(
fmancialsnpport,
':'f-ort Worth.had R(itbinS ~4ble 10
wh3t we wanted 10 do." Runnels wd.
'"Wch3d mask (ot wabatement;s.but
everyone Was suppOOive.li's indicative
or Um diy's devotion to dnwntown
tevihd,'.atioo."
JUlne$. 1boI ~(Git1rol1 ih31 W4.'
in~lnllntnbl in assiilolilJt Phoenix bt .
!Jin.(:J(1J'iflf, its vis.ion ro.- the city, wl1ich
lno:luded n,lls. studios and 3pMtments in a
highly "bible and wekoming new
ncighborl1ood.
Toat $.1)'$ bis conuibulion \0 the
psyjeCt 'lV3Sconvin.::.ing tbe Clly council,
County commissioners COurt aDd Down-
"I,;\,n Fort W\x1h Inc. that tbis Wa$ 3.
lat\tlnutk project thai would biing mMk<1
rareho:usingtothe
area - one of
dOwntoWn f-ott
Wurth'" ~y
ubJcctivet..
-ltWiJ$:l.VCI'Y
pioneering dli::n1 iu
thlit P~h h~d 10
ll$;.SenlblcatOl of
land 31 ;1 slgnmclmt
1:'O$l." said Toal.
who \l.i:ni on ro
poinlOut thlltthc
project ',vO\lld not
h.'we wo. ked
Wilhollt3 t.u
lJbnI~ntc,1J1.
Cc:nlr.d to the decision was Vlloeni:r. 's
commitmc:nt CO dl:~"dOp II qU:ll"fty project
\\-'lm smcliC3p.ing Ilnd I3ndscaping_ It also
fit well with meeilY's Linkllgt'9 Study
llI\d'downtowo', rt:\'haliutiQo.1'val s.,.ud,
One dcmcm o( the: Untages Study is to
upgrade the appear.ujCc of Se.w-nth Suett
from downtov.13, to the Clrltural District.
AMI~critlc1l aspec:l0(l!te plan was
fl:lainhig the or1gini1J Fitcs.ttll1e btlildil'lg.
-We wllntal trJ Imy hom3go to the
hinorical relcviuti.-e i)rtbe area.," Runnels;
sald.
Klleplng with history
Architect Jerry &e1er of Baller, Ouest
and OwClll( wod;t."d duselywith tOO Fort
Werth Ardlltce(.Ufal Hbtorical SoI.ietyto
maimain the bwldins', lWhitee1uraJ
fx3dc.
"'Origlnaily, it W3S II OflCI'l..-Ait lire
com~ny and g:uagc." Uecke said. "'We
tried to fU:linl3trdhc architectural SU'UC~
lUre wrote enclOsing it inlo a titlteU
Center. social :ttcn and lemoing t,lffice<-
The huMin. W3S b>tsic:t.lly gutted (Jll
tl-.e inlCrior, "lhcn we. brought things buck
in 10 lwk as .;IO$C to' the original as:we
could," said:senior proj<<:1 ~cr Skip
Wm.tc o(P~ Property- nut included
buyinttlipt:ciall.ick to match thcoritinal
and replacing tho roI-tetJ-outawningwith a
prodtK't as close to the orighwl as pmiblc.
1bc originnl Hrnst(lt1O ~ign n:u1.uus.
1ns.-ide.lhe Firesoone boildiilg.wiU
~ .1 community center. as well fl$ a
business centel' complete with t<<:hnic3l
tel FlRESTON'g on page 19A
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FlRESTONEt-po,< 4A
WEEKOF1ANt1A~Y22.lm nmntlSINESSPRESS PAGBI9A
cqaipmell110 bold meetings and wa(~.
CUCe$. A pool. Sp.1_ and outdoor rU'Cp14Ct
ate included in tbC immediaIe Mea: lbcrc:
will be: A fWf..cOUtt basketM.U court inside.
the bullding,c.'(('QStdtO the stttd wilh a"
.glasiW>11.
""Th4 ~1#nSJueen.t exposure makes
. wh3t'l\i going Qn inside vhible. jUS1_ Ai
wlleJllbc:, 'were ChaAgina lires heft
beror~';" Beelu said.
l1w openntu io the pub1ie 3rM1 Mted$
wasfm90rbm to Phoenix.. ^
"'Thty haled to maintain a. re-Iotion.
iMp be1;wCcfi pedes.trlatl!l and"resi.
dC31$....Peelet s.aid. T~) that end, B~let
designed the residenlial buildings or
Fife.1tnne Upper West Side to be: t1O$c
to) lhe SlrtCl. with severa11andscapcd
C(lnunO:DarcU opc'D-tothC stlcets.
Alldlhu crealed the question o(
wlu:~r heavy tram, sounds rrorn busy
Seventh Slr~ would be ~ prOblem for
residents. Dule( lIolved that chiUenae
with & mixtute (If rlliAcml 'Vt-ool .04
,lUC01e s.pra)1:d hmween lbe 2-by-4
Inch w1l.tslllltd ujlin~ 10 provide
sound-proofing. In :&ddition. the-
windows- ~e nm4e with double-paned
,glaSs;
The ~avy uaffic on Sevcnlh Street
al$() p01Cd .c.hall-eage fo( cnnstruC:linn.
It wu impcrali.;e th3.t the traffieOl}w
be disrupted as'linlcas pos..\ible. but
str-ecu hoSd to be blocked alone lime or
anOtl1c'r for the builditrJ: of unrlergrl.Jtltld
eonncetions and rondui~> "Uwa!;. uhnu$1
-as mueh:li he3tbcbe!or- U!> ,a'doc, UlCc
people Itying to drive thmugh.... W:tde
J3id.
Anothd l~halkngc W&S tm: project's
span oW,!r lIttee bk>Cks. In a nomW
pr<.\ject, a.1I wen ~akcs place on one pic<<l
of'gfOUnd: Here. connl1lction C~W$ and
foremen had to So from place too pl;lCC.
Ptwenix easily b:mdled this with ~iM
jlnd phones. Wadt $aid.
Iu lm; buildingS bcCom 10 rise. the
neighborhood's ov-ertll Style became
DI'Pnrenl. On \he" ext<<ior. the rompl-eted
biliWinp will retain a VKtOrl3I1flavor ill
homage to the mansions And home.i thitl
once rmdeup the near.downtown :U'e:J.
Color memes wliLe ItbCmah rell<<t
holT'oCS stin in e.w.js.tence in lhe liCat \i.'CSt
side of downtcw.'n.
A.ga.in. il W15 Phoenix.', inslstencoon a
Crlendly, nci.hbOmood Ccd that 1t.d 10
attention to details such AS; stJIc and
l:Qlors, as wdt as.situaccd $i~.~bil-
it)" and A wckomin, took aDd t~>
"\Vc.'wanledt()"r~lean-jdellljlyond. >
teal nd.shborhood," Runncls Jaid.
Viva variety
Auotbt:r importllnl aspect of tho
ncigbbo<hoodls!he varlcty ofbuil4iog.
within ll. 1'hrcc different types of-buiJd.
ings wi~ be twtired: One i$ .. leries of
dwellings SUlTOUDdlng a p.vking prage
forcuy,a<<e.u and cove<<d JXlrting.
Another cypeis what n~ler calls .
romdOl' building;. These th~ nnd tout-
$toJy buildings fau the street on one side
a.i1d featUre i~.. courtylltds Oil ihc olber.
TIte iUlmor-rlK"in'.lpatmenU wtll
f6fttllt' thettaditWmllWcOn~ 3:iut
(lOJ1itocs.1'bcstrctt.facingapatlmentJS
will ha\"e sotariums inplac.e ()f bakonies.
all private. ~ and gllt$se.d.
Thc tturd typerifbuildlng,in the Arca
is a b1t)wm(01le, Tbe~ IhrC(Hnd four-
story buiJdin.&s ha.lIc_ wdk.up st:r.irs (10m
thcstree( In... poo;b with rrotll.dOOt
acecss. Tht:gtOU1ld level is a privatc
guage. the second level feature.s a fial,
3ruJ Ibe third .nd fourlh lcvels feature
<sludlos.E3cb .llpanment ha.s private >_
UCCC$$. to lhe.street and direCt access to
a prh.aie prage.
The rta:st>n for the V:UiCI)' i$ 10 lIlatt:h
the varicty of people .who ~.iU:1 (0 live
hC/U' downtown. RuniJeI~ said;
'"'There is 4 ,(tong. de....ill~ wli"c n('.at'
entenainment-cellterr; and work... he
said. Interest in the neithbvrnood has
. been active, Wilh leasing movint rigln
along, n(ficials sa)'. The first phast of
the 350 ap:ltImeDIS being buill wlll be
available (OT leuse In February. Phoenix
~wn5 cMlIgh land fouwo more phases
10 be buill bet~eu Mtst and lOlb
$tIeel$.
Rm; \VQnh's condnuously growing
oo"'nlown JC\'ilnli:mdon etroits 3rt: evident
in this new nclihbomoOd. The oommilmCnl
uribe city and lhl: Incerest'oflhceitiJ.eJI" to:
tin:: in the zir<< wm especially ~ILO'
Phoetw: ,Ithen i11ool:cd at .For1 Wooh; Md it
is one of.lhc nuin re.uon!lthe CtJlflparl)'
dee~ 10 bojJd here. RIll!Deb. suid.
C.(Jk'is U Fj)rI mtrln.basnf writrr.
II. Takesthe.Right Team!o.
Baird YOM Cmm:]pmysFl!1tnJrle
Hams .
_TlOgLe
GENERAL COtfTRACTORS. INC.
817-870~S07S
An AlVord Winning
Design/Build Fiml
Comilll/ing to Buitd
Within the Commercial
Marketplace
v
SPECIAL SECTION
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FintQJl:lrtl!'rl~9
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(817)330-8300
fGfCmljBOn
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Star.'1l!Iegnum<com
Posted on Wed, Dec. 17, 2003
City guarantees Tower financing
By Anna M. Tinsley
Star- Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - At risk of losing the planned redevelopment of the tornado-ravaged former Bank One
tower, cltv leaders reluctantly agreed Tuesday to guarantee $2 million in funding to help remove asbestos
from the building.
Last-minute negotiations between developer Tonv Landrum and citV leaders dropped the amount the city
would guarantee bV $9 million -- from the original request of $11 million.
Citv officials voted 8-1 to approve the deal, saying they needed to make right some financial
miscalculations by the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District that had left the district short the monev
needed to pay for the asbestos removal as promised in contracts signed this year. Councill1lan Clyde Picht
voted against the guarantee.
"This is not an easy question for anV of us to answer," Mavor Mike Moncrief said. "We do have more than
just a building at stake -- it's a symbol of the rebuilding of our downtown. This is one of the toughest calls
we have to make."
Citv Manager Gary Jackson said the council's decision could set a questionable precedent for the city.
''This is far better than the $11 million letter of credit we were asked to do," he said. "But it is a precedent
that we may eventuallv regret for shifting responsibility awav from the tax-increment financing district."
The problem, city officials said, is that financial calculations presented to Landrum and his financiers this
year -- that would have paid them $1.5 million in 2004 and $1.5 million in 2005 -- were wrong.
T1F districts work by freezing the taxable value of propertv within their boundaries and diverting taxes from
new construction into a special fund.
But miscalculations -- ranging from pumping extra funding into the lagging Fort Worth Rail Market to
double-counting contributions some developments were expected to make .- meant that the money
probablv wouldn't be there for the 2005 pavment, Assistant City Attorney Peter VakV said.
"Extraordinary circumstances require an extraordinary solution," said Councilwoman Wendy Davis, who
serves on the downtown T1F.
Davis said the city probably will be responsible for about $1.5 million rather than the full $2 miilion
guaranteed. Jackson said that money could come from other economic development projects rather than
from the general fund.
Under the terms of the agreement, the T1F would repay the city at an interest rate vet to be determined for
anv funds used to fulfill the guarantee.
Hours before the council's vote, Landrum -- president of TLC Realty Advisors, a development partner in the
project -- said the entire redevelopment of the building now known as 'The Tower" hinged on the council's
decision.
"I've been told to shut this project down if 1 can't get resolution," he said. "We are not retrading this deal.
"We have met every obligation. We had to believe there was enough money in this TlF for these two
[asbestos payments]. But it's not there."
The financing district was part of a $16.9 million package of financial Incentives approved this year by the
city, Tarrant County, the hospital district, the Tarrant County College district and the Fort Worth school
district.
About $3 million in TIF funds would be used to remove cancer-causing asbestos from the building. An
additional $8 million would be used for a 10-year garage lease to provide 300 public parking spaces at the
site.
Plans call for the building, now shuttered and vacant, to be converted to high-rise residences with stores,
restaurants and the free public parking spaces. The renovation couid be completed by May 2005, Landrum
said.
Some council members expressed reservations about the agreement but approved it nonetheiess.
"I had every reason to walk in here tonight and vote against this," Councilman Chuck Silcox said. "I don't
want to see the citv as a banker. But if that project was to die, it would kill a lot of momentum downtown.
This is a very uncomfortable, very difficult situation."
Councilman John Stevenson voiced similar concerns.
'This is a situation that's a total pain in the tuehis," Stevenson said. "We are left with a mackerel in the
middle of the table. There is no one great solution."
ONUNE: www.fortworthgov.org
Anna M. Tinsley, (817) 390-7610 atinsley@star-telegram.com
C 2003 Star Telegram and wire ser....ice sourc~. All Rights ~served
http://www.dfw.com
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.Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
.December 17,2003
Section: Metro
.Edition: NORTHEAST
Page: 128
: Council OKs tax district for Trinity River Vision
MIKE LEE
. Star- Telegram Staff Writer
.FORT WORTH-The City Council beat an end-of-year deadline to create a special tax
.istrict to help finance a Town Lake and other development along the Trinity River near
tfowntown.
~espite concerns about the boundaries and the cost of the river project, Fort Worth council
members voted Tuesday to approved a tax increment financing district, or TIF, that would include
.he new Pier 1 headquarters now under construction and planned development along West
.eventh Street.
.he TIF would generate about $96 million of the $360 million price tag for the lake and other
.,rojects outlined in the Trinity River Vision plan. About $90 million would come from Fort Worth,
wt'arrant County and other local governments and about half would come from the federal
.overnment.
~onsultants from the planning firm Gideon Toal had urged the city to set up the TIF by yea~s end
. capture taxes produced by the Pier 1 construction along the Trinity River on the edge of
~owntown.
.he timing and boundaries of the TIF are important. In a TIF, the tax dollars from new
.onstruction are diverted into a special fund used for public improvements.
.he city had agreed to rebate 90 percent of Pier 1's property taxes on the new building, but
.cluding it in the TIF would allow county and other taxes from Pier 1 to be diverted to the TIF.
.ity officials initially rejected the idea, saying their calculations showed that the TIF would
.nerate enough revenue without Pier 1.
.ut Assistant City Manager Reid Rector recommended Tuesday that the TIF include Pier 1. The
.
Page I of2
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http://nl.newsbank.comlnl-search/we/ Archives?p _ action=doc&p _ docid=OFF8484902F90593&o docnum. u 1 !?./?004 .
NewsLibrary Document Delivery
TIF, which the council approved 8-1, also includes an area between the river and the Cultural
District, south of West Seventh Street, where a hotel and town houses are slated to be built.
That brought protests from the Associated Businesses of the Cultural District, a nonprofit group
with its own redevelopment plans for the "South of Seventh" area.
Councilwoman Becky Haskin questioned why the area was being con nected to the Trinity River
TIF when it is south of the river.
"Does it abut the Trinity River anywhere?" she asked.
Councilwoman Wendy Davis said that unless the TIF included the Seventh Street area, "we will
forever lose the value" it could have contributed to the district.
James Toal, who helped draw up the plans for the Tarrant Regional Water District, said the lake
and a diversion channel would create more waterfront property and help redevelop the old
industrial area north of the river, much of which has lain fallow because it is polluted.
"It completely eliminates the need for levees in the downtown area" and opens more land for
development, he said.
Councilman Clyde Picht, who voted against the TIF, said the city shouldn't be in the economic
development business.
"Every time we have a projection of economic gain on a project like this, it gets overstated, and
the cost is greatly understated," he said. With taxes diverted into the TIF, "the burden is then
shifted to homeowners."
The council also tentatively agreed Tuesday to a bag-tag system that would allow residents to
pay extra - probably at least $3 per bag - to dispose of garbage that won't fit into their trash
carts.
The plan, which is not completely worked out, could go into effect within 90 days.
"This system is a work in progress and will continue to be until we get it right," Mayor Mike
Moncrief said. "We know it's not working. It's time to find out what will."
Staff Writer Anna Tinsley Contributed to This Report.
Mike Lee, (817) 390-7539 mikelee@star-telegram.com
Copyright 2003 Star-Telegram, Inc.
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Star-~om
Posted on Thu, Dec. 04, 2003
Taking shape
Hotel added to plans as developers begin work on South of Seventh project
By Sandra Saker
Star~ Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - More than two Vears after announcing initial
plans, a group of Dallas-based developers has quietly begun
construction on a long-awaited 2S-acre development on the
west side of Trinity Park near downtown that will now include a
lSD-room hotel.
The South of Seventh project will have almost 60 luxury town
houses and about 12S,000 square feet of retail space and
restaurants, in addition to the extended-stav hotel. The project
also expands the recent trends of redevelopment near the core
downtown area.
Crews began moving dirt this week near the Lancaster Avenue
bridge just south of West Seventh Street, where the first phase
of 12 luxury town houses will be built over the next couple of
months.
UC URBAN/ARCHITECT PHIlIP SHEPHERD
Plans for the South of Seventh project include
town houses with European-inspired
streetscapes. Some of the units will have
elevators.
STAR-TELEGRAM JOHN T. VALLES
HEADING WEST
Called 507 for short, the development will get a new main road called Museum Way, which will split the
property and join the development to the Culturai District. The shopping and restaurant development __
slightiV smaller than the University Park Village shopping center h will front West Seventh Street. The
developers also promise walking paths and lavish landscaping.
The entrance to 507 will also become a new entrance to Trinity Park, theV said.
Some aspects of the plan have been altered because of recent projects announced for the area since the
507 project was launched.
Financing has been arranged through Texas Bank of Fort Worth, said Ken Hughes, a partner in UC Urban,
the DallaS-based developer. The project will take about four years to complete, he said.
"It takes a long time to get deals done," Hughes said. "We feel now we have it well-positioned. All the
pieces uitimateiy fell into place."
The project plans originallv included a grocery store, but that was eliminated when a developer said he
plans a SuperTarget, which Inciudes a full-service grocery, across West Seventh Street on the former
Montgomery Ward property, Hughes said.
The 507 developers then added the idea of a hotel, and have under contract 2.S acres with DallaS-based
Western International. Western plans a 4-story, lSD-room Residence Inn by Marriott. Hughes said
construction on the hotel could begin in the next couple of months.
Because of its iocation between downtown and the Cuitural District, the hotel would be well-positioned to
get business from both areas, said Mike Mahoney, development director at Western International.
Western is not new to the market. It has nearly completed two other Marriott-brand hotels, a SpringHill
Suites at Pulido Street and Interstate 30 and a Courtyard by Marriott at Lands End Boulevard and 1-30,
near Ridgmar Mall in west Fort Worth.
The Residence Inn, a high-end Marriott hotel, would be completed in about a vear, Mahoney said.
Construction of the first town houses will be done as the first streets, infrastructure and other "dirt work"
get under waV, Hughes said.
In all, 59 town houses -- 2-story structures averaging about 3,000 square feet and costing $300,000 to
$600,000 -- will be built.
A high-rise component wili eventually be buiit. Designed by Kahn, Pedersen and Fox Associates in New
York, it will consist of three buildings, one of which is planned to be 12 stories, Hughes said. Those plans
are still being finalized.
The town houses, designed by architect Philip Shepherd, will be built around a plaza, a fountain and
European-inspired streetscapes, the developers said. The Palladian-influenced stucco and stone houses will
have Italian tile roofs, wrought-iron balconies and rooftop terraces, designs new to Fort Worth. Some of the
units will have elevators.
"We played with almost every architectural stvle," Hughes said.
Martha Williams, principal in Williams Trew Real Estate Services in Fort Worth, which is marketing the
residences in 507, said focus groups held on the project about a year ago showed strong demand.
"We are reallv excited it's finally going to happen," Williams said. "Fort Worth has not seen this concept.
They've been very well thought out and designed. There is a tremendous demand for this."
The development is spread among four tracts, stretching from West Seventh Street to just bevond the
Lancaster Avenue bridge to the south. It straddles the Fort Worth & Western Railroad tracks.
The iand has been vacant for years. The site was a light industrial area where only the oid foundations of
peanut silos and former plants remain. A cab company once operated from a building on the property.
The development will be completed from the back of the property forward, to make sUre the entire property
is used, said Jorg Mast, a development partner.
"We always wanted to make sure to entirely develop the site, not just the frontage," Mast said.
There is no timetable on the retail component. It is designed with a Main Street concept, Mast said, and
may include office space and apartments.
"The idea is to have as many local and regional players as POssibie," Mast said. "We're taiking to retailers
who are not in Fort Worth, but want to be here."
Mast said the retail component will complement the plans for the redevelopment of Montgomery Ward,
which in addition to the SuperTarget include a Home Depot, and other retailers and residential units.
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Conditions in the market are good, the developers said. The shopping centers nearest the planned
development are University Park Village, on University Drive near 1-30, and Chapel Hill, at I-3D and Hulen
Street. Both centers are considered upscale and both are booming.
Ian Pierce, director of communications for The Weitzman Group in Dallas, said the overall retail market in
Fort Worth is about 90 percent leased, and the downtown market stays 95 percent leased.
Coupled with UC Urban's reputation and the anticipated residential growth of about 10,000 units in and
around the downtown area, Pierce said the project should succeed.
'The impact is, they are creating a trade area," Pierce said. "Creating a retail area can create a lot of traffic
draw. Ken Hughes has a proven track record."
Marketing for the project will begin aggressive IV in January, Mast said.
The land is owned by Lensworth, one of Australia's largest developers.
In addition to Hughes and Mast, the development team includes David Dunning.
UC Urban is best known for developing Mockingbird Station in Dallas. The popular urban village off
Mockingbird Lane near Southern Methodist University is a mixed-use, residential, office and retail project.
Sandra Baker, (817) 390-7727 sabaker@star-telegram.com
o 2(XlJ Star T ~kgram and wit,,: ser....ice sources. All Rights Rescned
http://www.dfw.com
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Wards Site-Surrounding Area
· 1986: Catalogue operation closes on the site and 10 years later Montgomery Ward files
for bankruptcy protection.
· 2000: March tornado severely damages warehouses and 6 months later Ward completely
vacates the site.
· 200 I: Kimco Realty Corp. acquires Ward's real estate interests through US Bankruptcy
Court.
· 2001: City applies for and receives BED! grant award with the stipulation that it must
apply for and receive the Section 108 loan.
· 2001-2003: Developers try and fail three separate times in submitting a viable plan.
· 9/02/03: City submits HUD Section 108 application in partnership with Weber and Co.
Challenges for Redevelopment of Montgomery Plaza
· Extensive environmental remediation.
· Damage from 2000 tornado.
· Upgrade the aging infrastructure. while accommodating sustainable investment.
· Adaptive reuse of the former catalogue building on a difficult site.
· Because of size and strategic location its viability is crucial to continued Fort Worth
economic development
Conclusion: Successful redevelopment ~f the 45-acre site will require a strong public-private
partnership.
Opportunities for Montgomery Site
· Adaptive reuse of the building (1.4 millions square feet)
· Will provide significant amenities for surrounding neighborhoods
· 200+ residential units
· 500,000 square feet of mixed- use' retail
· Approximately 1,000 central city jobs to be created
· $2 million in federal Brownfields,economic development funds secured by the City
· $13 million in Section 108 funds secured by the City
· The first significant grocery store for the central city
The Redevelopment Plan
The Opportunities
· An additional 300,000 sf. would be developed by separate national anchors (i.e.
Target and the home-improvement store) and is not included in the Montgomery
Plaza Phase I numbers. Approximately 13 acres would be sold to Target Corporation
for the development of a 175,000 sf. SuperTarget.
· An additional 13 acres would De sold for the development of a 135,000 sf. home-
improvement warehouse.
· The redevelopment project generates new tax revenue for all taxing entities from day
one.
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Weber and Co.-Montgomery Plaza
Project Highlights
· $93.5 million private investment (excludes private investment of Target and home-
improvement store). -Phase I (Retail Construction) = $46,500,000 -Phase II (Residential
Construction) = $47,000,000
· 200,000 sf. of mixed-use retail, including multiple junior anchors and restaurants.
· 215 residential units
· 75-100 construction jobs over 18 months
· 250-350 permanent jobs
· Fort Worth and M/WBE Contracting Opportunities
Super Target
Project Highlights
· $2 1.6 million private investment
· 175,000 sf. SuperTarget
· Annual sales = $30miIlion+
· 100 construction jobs over 12 months
. 250-350 permanent jobs
· Fort Worth and M/WBE Contracting Opportunities
Redevelopment Goal: Sustainable Development
· Sets the tone or future development for this area.
· Supports 2003 Downtown Strategic Plan to attract 10,000 residential units in and around
downtown in the next 10 years.
· Montgomery Plaza to be a leading significant retail development project in the Central
City to provide affordable goods and services.
Required Development Incentives
Montgomery Plaza -Phase I
. The project can be completed without federal assistance if the building were demolished.
. The proposed "partnership" allows for the building to be preserved and accommodate the
needs of the developer and the retailers.
. The incentives being requested are directly related to the repayment of the $13 million.
Section 108 Loan from HUD.
· At the time the incentives (both the ad valorem and sales taxes) have repaid the loan the
incentives would stop.
SuperTarget
· Target Corporation has proposed the development of a normal Target at the site.
· Currently, the site does not meet the minimum requirements for development of a
SuperTarget. The City has requested a SuperTarget be developed to serve the central
city/downtown area.
. Ad valorem and sales tax rebates will be required to develop the SuperTarget.
. Once the gap has been met, the incentives would cease and all taxes would flow to the
taxing entities.
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Texas & Pacific
Railway Terminal
w. Lancaster & Throckmorton _
1931; lobby restoration - 1999 (NR,
RTHL)
Wyatt C. Hedrick, with Herman P. Koeppe as
designer planned this monumental railroad complex
on the south end of Downtown. The general
contractor was P.O'B. Montgomery of Dallas. The
complex consisted of three functions, a railroad
passenger terminal, an office building, and a
separate warehouse facility. The entire complex was
designed in the Zigzag Moderne"Style of Art Deco.
The building is in my opinion, the best example of
Art Deco Architecture present in Fort Worth. The
exterior features an eagle in a zigzag motif over the
main entry. Even though the exterior is very
elaborate, the interior passenger lobby and office
building lobbies are even more spectacular. The
lobby with its magnificent ceiling has been artfully
restored by the architectural/engineering firm of
Gideon Toal and the contractor was Beckman
Construction Company.
Plans were announced to convert the building into a
330 room, rail-themed hotel. However, this project
has been scrapped. Yet commuter rail service
started on December 3, 2001. The structure serves
as the western terminus of the Trinity Railway
Express.
. Permission to take interior photographs granted by
. TheT.
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Star-'ll!Iegram~com
Posted on Man, Dec. 08, 2003
Developers seek tax help for T&P
By Anna M. Tinsley
Star. Telegram Staff Writer
STAR~TElEGRAM DEWUAN X. DAVIS
FORT WORTH - Four years after the lights went out in the 1930s-era Texas PROPOSED TIF BOUNDARIES
& Pacific Railroad Terminal buiiding, developers are on the verge of breathing
new life into the aging structure.
They want to turn the building at the southern edge of downtown into high-rise housing __ with a 4-story
apartment complex and parking garage to the east -- to bring the art deco building back to its former glory.
"This is a very exciting project," said Christine Maguire, the city's community development manager. "We're
seeing a lot more (redevelopment] interest from property owners along the Lancaster corridor.
"This project is truly acting as a catalyst for redevelopment in the area."
But the T&P building's deveiopers -- Renaissance Development Co. and Wood Partners of Houston _ want
some help from the city.
They're asking the city to create a tax-increment finanCing district, aiso known as a TlF, along the
Lancaster Corridor to help raise about $2.8 million for the redevelopment.
That money would be used for environmentai remediation, to remove asbestos and lead paint, and for work
on the facade of the building, at Lancaster Avenue and Throckmorton Street.
A public hearing on the issue -- and possible City Council vote -- is scheduled during the coundl's 10 a.m.
meeting Tuesday at City Hall, 1000 Throckmorton St.
'Those historical structures present real economic challenges for redeveiopment," said Councilwoman
Wendy Davis, whose district includes downtown. "Since I've been on the council, I've seen probabiy four or
five deals on the T&P building fall apart because developers couldn't l1lake them work financiaily.
"Unless there's some way to assist in covering the (finanCiai] gap, that building is going to stagnate."
Money matters
The $2.8 million would be part of the $26 million the development team is investing in the project.
TlF districts freeze the taxable value of propertv within their boundaries and divert taxes from new
construction into a special fund.
The goal is to capture some of the increased value in the 225 acres around a stretch of Lancaster Avenue,
as the city redevelops and revitalizes the area.
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Workers are relocating and reconstructing water and sewer lines along Lancaster Avenue from Henderson
Street to Jones Street to prepare for extensive road work expected to begin next summer, said Christa
Sharpe, a planner with the city's Transportation and Public Works Departl1lent.
The goal, officials saV, is to make the area more friendly to pedestrians.
So they'll narrow the street, widen sidewalks, piant trees and add parallel parking along that stretch of
Lancaster -- about $14 million worth of work funded by the city, state and federal governments, Sharpe
said.
The work is not expected to shut the road to traffic, and will take about a vear. It is expected to free up
some of the land now covered bV pavement, which officials hope will draw businesses to the area, further
boosting the tax base.
The proposed TIF -- which would expire in 2024 -- would run downtown from Henderson Street on the west
to Calhoun Street on the east and from Seventh Street on the north to Interstate 30 on the south.
Over its 20-year life, the TIF could generate more than $55 million that could be used to help projects
other than the T&P building, MagUire said.
'The TIF is one of the strongest arrows in Our quiver to really target redevelopment for economically
disenfranchised parts of our city," Maguire said. "For a long time, this area has been bisected by the
interstate.
"Now that barrier has been moved, and the market can be stimulated."
Four elected bodies -- the CitV Council, Tarrant County Commissioners Court, the Tarrant County Water
District and the Tarrant County Hospital District -- will be asked to participate in the TIF, officials said.
The city is expected to be the first to vote on creating the district.
A slice of history
The T&P building once housed the headquarters of the Texas & Pacific Railroad. The train terminal closed in
1957, with a final run to Fort Worth from Ei Paso.
Mer that, the regional offices of the Departl1lent of Housing and Urban Development occupied the nine
fioors above the 10bbV until 1999. That agency moved to the Burnett Plaza office tower downtown.
The first-floor terminal reopened in 2001, when the Trinity Railway Express was extended to the site, but
the rest of the building has remained shuttered.
Ed Casebier, managing partner of Renaissance Deveiopment, said he wants to redevelop the building
because he believes it is one of the most historic structures in Fort Worth, second onlV to the Tarrant
Countv Courthouse.
'The T&P terminal building was the Union Station in Fort Worth," he said. "Its history is what reallv got Fort
Worth going."
Casebier's previous plan to turn the building into a railroad-thel1led hotel was abandoned after financing fell
through.
This time, he teamed up with Wood Partners to renovate the building into rental apartments, to be called
Alta Renaissance.
Plans include about 230 apartments -- 130 in the existing tower and about 100 in the yet-to-be-bullt
structure east of the current building, Casebier said.
If the T1F moves forward on schedule, Casebier said construction could start in January and be finished in
the first quarter of 2005, coinciding with work along Lancaster Avenue.
'This will be great for downtown, especially with the improvements about to begin on Lancaster," Casebier
said. "We're looking for a real renaissance along this end of downtown.
"Once Lancaster starts to blossol1l, and development occurs, you won't recognize this end of downtown in
five to 10 years."
ONUNE: www.fortworthgov.org
Anna M. 77nsley, (817) 390-7610 atinsley@star-telegram.com
C 2rX13 Star Tdegram llIld ~'ire service oourCe$. AU Rights Reserved
http://ww....dfw.com
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