33 replies to this topic

[JBB]

Anyone know what the project is on the west side of Hulen just north of the new bridge?  Looks like a pre cast garage going up on the back of the site with foundation work for something else in front.  Did I miss a discussion on here?

[youngalum]

Apartments

[prideftw]

What kind of Apartment? Low income, mixed, or high end?

[Jeriat]

What kind of Apartment? Low income, mixed, or high end?

 

For that particular area, it wouldn't surprise me if it was low income. 

But it may be mixed. 

[Thurman52]

All market rate

[youngalum]

All market rate

correct

[Austin55]

Lazy car window picture. 

 

[John T Roberts]

Thanks for shooting this.  I have been by there recently, but I didn't have my camera.

[Jeriat]

Lazy car window picture. 

 

 

 

Anyone else feel like this is a little... out of place?

[mmiller2002]

Odd location.  I wouldn't want to like there.  Traffic and trains.

[JBB]

It's definitely oddly placed, but they're doing a good job of using a lot that never really looked great for development. Traffic and trains? You'll get used to it after a month, if not sooner.

[johnfwd]

This project springing up on an odd lot suggests to me that market demand for housing continues apace in Fort Worth.

[RenaissanceMan]

I believe that there were already condos located on that property (though seriously past their prime), do it doesn't seem to far fetched to build residential there.

[dfwerdoc]

looks out of place till it's filled. 

[Zetna]

I think this is the location of a former retirement village......the building looks no different than anything else going up these days...also, they missed a nice design opportunity by obliterating the hill the former structure was built upon. To the left you can see the big retaining wall used to hold up the remainder of that hill......maybe they did that for sound and visual control from the railroad yard, though vertical penetration on that side of building would have done a similar thing.

[John T Roberts]

The units that were there were the Hulen Place Apartments.  For the most part, they went up with the hillside.  However, I do think there were some retaining walls where the apartments abutted the residential area and the office buildings next door. They were past their prime, and even though these look average, at least they are increasing the density in the area.

[mmiller2002]

That location is where the retaining wall blew out onto the ramp and Vickery a little while ago and they had to do some fancy engineering to hold it back.

[John T Roberts]

I remember when the retaining wall collapsed.

[mmmdan]

You can easily tell which section of the wall collapsed and was replaced.  The one section that is smooth is where it collapsed.  The concrete blocks that are on the rest of the wall is where the existing wall was reinforced.

[Austin55]

An idea of the color pallet and materials.

 

[ruthannbeloved]

I contacted them a couple times to find out the pricing and floor plans....i've never ever heard back from them.

[Austin55]

Little further along, nearly done. Stone looks nice.

 

[Voz]

Prices and floorplans are up:

http://www.4000hulen.com/

Prices range from $941-$2,575.  Square footage ranges from 600-1409. A little background on the project can be found here:

http://www.thompson-...g.php?id=54&h=2

FYI, I'm not associated with any party in the project, just been following it for a while.

[renamerusk]

Its all more of the same.  Might have been a phenomenal site for a high rise apartment building. A guess the current trend is the brutal super block design for apartments.

[Jeriat]

Its all more of the same.  Might have been a phenomenal site for a high rise apartment building. A guess the current trend is the brutal super block design for apartments.

 

It's all infil. Not meant to be super glamorous but also not "brutal", either.

 

THIS is brutal:

[renamerusk]

I actually prefer the two towers at the intersection. I think that you can get as many units with that tower design as you can get with the 3-4 story ranch styled complexes.  I don't actually see the Hulen/Vickery location as infill as much as I would categorize such space use within downtown.  So, there is little variety in apartment choices being offered in Fort Worth other than the Tower.  When the first developer does a tower, I think it will quickly lease out.

[Jeriat]

 

I actually prefer the two towers at the intersection. I think that you can get as many units with that tower design as you can get with the 3-4 story ranch styled complexes.  I don't actually see the Hulen/Vickery location as infill as much as I would categorize such space use within downtown.  So, there is little variety in apartment choices being offered in Fort Worth other than the Tower.  When the first developer does a tower, I think it will quickly lease out.

 

 

If it weren't Hulen and Vickery, I'd be more open to towers.

I don't know. That area just doesn't look ripe for any HIGH rises to me.

[Fort Worthology]

A tower is radically more expensive to build than a 3-5 story apartment building.  And towers aren't appropriate everywhere.  All of these smaller infill projects increase density, and that in turn makes eventual higher buildings (where appropriate) more likely.

[JBB]

So, there is little variety in apartment choices being offered in Fort Worth other than the Tower.

There are no apartments in the Tower. It is all condo.

[renamerusk]

 

So, there is little variety in apartment choices being offered in Fort Worth other than the Tower.

There are no apartments in the Tower. It is all condo.

 

 

I believe that it is merely semantics whether you lease or you purchase living space; the point being made, is that there is little variety in multifamily style that is being currently offered. There are examples of varieties that I speak of:  Trinity Terrance and The Strayton offer a different choice from the more traditional retirement complexes; the just completed new Mckinney Tower in Dallas is marketed as high rise rental apartments; and The House in Dallas is too.

 

As to the Tower, maybe someone who lives in the Tower will have an answer to the following supposition: Are there condos being sub-leased in the tower?

 

It has been suggested that Fort Worth is in the early stage of creating critical density; I agree.  I also think that the rules of efficiency do tend to argue that the more the vertical space is increased, the more the efficiency output of the ground space that it sits on.  I also find that the footprint of vertical buildings are less brutal than the footprint of box structures like Hulen/Vickery.

[renamerusk]

A tower is radically more expensive to build than a 3-5 story apartment building.  And towers aren't appropriate everywhere.  All of these smaller infill projects increase density, and that in turn makes eventual higher buildings (where appropriate) more likely.

 

Well, there is some evidence to dispute that argument.  The availability of land is probably the key factor; and this as we know, a lack of land is not the case in Fort Worth today. 

 

And yet, high rises will always be more efficient, create more density, and are less of a strain on infrastructure than super box buildings.  What we are getting are quick, cookie cutter  big box developments which are a tip of the hat to the Walmart Model; and IMO, the big box model has become monotonous.

 

http://thesocietypag...er-kate-ascher/

[Austin55]

I'm all for these sort of projects in most of the city. Highrises are unnecessary outside of downtown. Also don't forget, the TRV would likely bring several high rises.

[Voz]

Its all more of the same.  Might have been a phenomenal site for a high rise apartment building. A guess the current trend is the brutal super block design for apartments.

 

As someone who looked at apartments when moving to Fort Worth two years ago, I can tell you that it's an improvement.  For starters, that location is incredibly difficult to beat, convenience-wise.  There are other options in that area, such as Marquis which has three properties in the area, but they'are all a bit bland.  I haven't seen interior pictures of this new project, but at worst it's a brand-new 'bland' with a parking garage.  Not everything can be a Golf Warehouse, sadly.

 

It'll be interesting to see what direction the Clearfork apartments take (probably bland mass-appeal as well).

[Thurman52]

The top corner has been lit with purple lights. Caught my eye last night come down the tollway. Nothing fancy but something better than was there