Old Pour House Building to be demolished?
#1
Posted 08 March 2011 - 07:47 AM
#2
Posted 08 March 2011 - 08:43 AM
I've seen nothing on the DDRB site, but it appears Midwest Wrecking is setting up to demolish the old Pour House location at 5th and Throckmorton. If memory serves, XTO owns this property. Was this building not historic designated?
Let me guess... more surface parking?
#3
Posted 08 March 2011 - 12:13 PM
#4
Posted 08 March 2011 - 02:05 PM
#5
Posted 08 March 2011 - 03:26 PM
#6
Posted 08 March 2011 - 03:29 PM
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#7
Posted 08 March 2011 - 04:47 PM
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#8
Posted 09 March 2011 - 10:41 AM
#9
Posted 09 March 2011 - 07:10 PM
I noticed in your photograph that they have already removed the rooftop HVAC units.
Not really sure when that happened, I'd noticed the last few days black canvas draped over the awning on 5th, thought they were remodeling, getting ready for some new tenants then glanced down yesterday and saw holes in the roof and bricks all over the place.
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#11
Posted 10 March 2011 - 07:52 AM
Parking lot... Nailed it! http://www.star-tele...ing-former.html
Yes, I thought you had your tongue firmly in cheek, but you were proven correct. Maybe a couple of dozen parking spaces at most?
#12
Posted 10 March 2011 - 07:57 AM
My wife says her Aunt (82) used to take a train to that station when she worked downtown. (Train Station? Trolley?)
Here is a shot from 8am March 10th, 2011 as they are tearing the building down.
#13
Posted 10 March 2011 - 10:16 AM
#14
Posted 10 March 2011 - 10:52 AM
But either way, there has been no company/entity/person/family that has been better to Fort Worth. XTO would have to open 6 blocks of hazardous waste disposal downtown before I would not think they are the best company ever. If Fort Worth is 8 on the 1-10 scale, it would be 4 without XTO. The money and time they have put into the most treasured buildings in Fort Worth has been phenomenal. And not in the interest of profits. Just doing the right thing. I have no numbers to back this up of course, but I would guess that putting 50 million dollars into a 1930 skyscraper in Downtown Fort Worth increases its value by 20 million dollars. Then add up the economic effect of all their office workers downtown, additional property taxes, sales taxes etc... and this is a different City completely.
Parking lots. Not very sexy but necessary. And a lot of people, especially from small towns, have no use for a parking garage. I don't like them myself. We surely need big garages to hold all the cars but surface lots and street parking are also important. The parking lot XTO built just South of there where the Landmark Tower building was is a very nice parking lot. Pretty fencing, trees etc... I would like to think they build a nice building on that land in the next few years.
Will be a bit sad to see that old building go for sure. But I do think it needs to happen.
#15
Posted 10 March 2011 - 03:08 PM
Parking lots. Not very sexy but necessary.
Only as long as we treat our downtowns as office parks and tourist attractions rather than real places, and neglect to build workable alternatives. Parking lots are gashes in the fabric of the city - enough of them, and the place falls apart. Downtown Fort Worth already has an excess of them, and only has a quasi-functioning urban fabric within a very small area. Downtown's appeal isn't that of the suburbs - trying to compete with them by stuffing as much surface parking downtown as possible is a straight-up fool's game.
All these new parking lots downtown from the last few years are going to look really intelligent in the era of $4.00+/gallon gas.
--
Kara B.
#16
Posted 10 March 2011 - 03:57 PM
I can agree more that we don't need any more cars but until we both get smarter transportation (light rail) and convince people to use it (the bigger obstacle) people are going to be driving to Fort Worth.
The parking could be used exclusively for XTO employees as it is next to their large office building. Good for them. I would like to tell them thanks for all they have done for our City and thanks for having their employees downtown. Those same employees are buying our houses, paying our rents and eating at Reata. If we could pull a "It's a Wonderful Life" and see what Fort Worth would be like if XTO didn't come to town, we would not recognize the City. And if we think the City is in a budget crisis now (it is) we should be able to see what it would look like without XTO.
I am grateful. I am not a fan of parking lots but I will be happy to go over there and scrub the pavement for them.
#17
Posted 10 March 2011 - 06:51 PM
The real point here is apparently being missed. You didn't pay a million bucks for that corner. Within certain guidelines of Downtown they get to do with that land as they please. If I had to guess, they did not pay that kind of money for that building at the top of the real estate market to build a surface parking lot. XTO has already done more than enough for our City. If they want to turn that property into a parking lot, or a cucumber garden or a 9 story building they should.
I can agree we don't need any more cars but until we both get smarter transportation (light rail) and convince people to use it (the bigger obstacle) people are going to be driving to Fort Worth.
The parking could be used exclusively for XTO employees as it is next to their large office building. Good for them. I would like to tell them thanks for all they have done for our City and thanks for having their employees downtown. Those same employees are buying our houses, paying our rents and eating at Reata. If we could pull a "It's a Wonderful Life" and see what Fort Worth would be like if XTO didn't come to town, we would not recognize the City. And if we think the City is in a budget crisis now (it is) we should be able to see what it would look like without XTO.
I am grateful. I am not a fan of parking lots but I will be happy to go over there and scrub the pavement for them.
Amen brother! XTO's corporate Fort Worth citizenship has been nothing short of stellar! The buildings they have renovated downtown are stunning. And as a Fort Worth native and big fan, a big "thank you" to you folks. I'm still hoping for the day when Exxon/Mobil, their new foster parent, realizes that downtown Fort Worth might be a better vanity address than the sterile office park a bit east that enslaves them now...
#18
Posted 10 March 2011 - 08:55 PM
In the past XTO has put together pieces of land that are scattered over the CBD. Typically, the parcels of land appear to be too small for a major building (+500,000 sf); and too, the parcels of land are next to a building of historic importance (W.T. Waggoner, Petroleum Building, etc.). XTO just recently purchased the Star Telegram Building.
A look at the pictures provided by Brian L. and David L. of the Pour House site brings this question from me. What size of a building, if any, could eventually be constructed on the footprint of the soon to be demolished Pour House? I for one can not understand why so many fragmented parcels of land if one is planning a major building in the future.
"Keep Fort Worth folksy".
#19
Posted 10 March 2011 - 09:58 PM
I can't remember if we were ever told what they paid for the old building. (Land). If I had to guess, it seems like a good place for a 3 story building, all retail based on its location. I think I will get down there in the morning for some parting shots of the place. If they bring out one of those big dinosaur building machines I may do another time lapse...
Like this one I did of the old Star Telegram Annex
#20
Posted 11 March 2011 - 07:55 AM
I'm sure the forum architects have the skinny on that subject.
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#21
Posted 11 March 2011 - 10:04 AM
The real point here is apparently being missed. You didn't pay a million bucks for that corner. Within certain guidelines of Downtown they get to do with that land as they please. If I had to guess, they did not pay that kind of money for that building at the top of the real estate market to build a surface parking lot. XTO has already done more than enough for our City. If they want to turn that property into a parking lot, or a cucumber garden or a 9 story building they should.
+1
#22
Posted 11 March 2011 - 12:52 PM
XTO just recently purchased the Star Telegram Building.
A slight correction. The Star Telegram Building was purchased by Bob Simpson, not in any official capacity for XTO. Mr. Simpson is currently under a consulting contract with ExxonMobil and is no longer an officer or director of XTO or XOM
#23
Posted 11 March 2011 - 08:49 PM
A look at the pictures provided by Brian L. and David L. of the Pour House site brings this question from me. What size of a building, if any, could eventually be constructed on the footprint of the soon to be demolished Pour House?
Is this lot any smaller than the one on which the Caceria Building sits?
#24
Posted 11 March 2011 - 09:50 PM
As for what could be built here, I have heard that several designs have been proposed for XTO's Properties. I have never seen any plans, but here are some possibilities. They could expand the existing parking garage that used to be Houston Street Mall. Although difficult on such a small property, a garage with a loop and no ramps could connect to the existing ramp landing on the north end of the building. A low to mid-rise office building could be constructed on the site. Another option would be to demolish the Houston Street Mall and then build an "L" shaped office building on the site. Taking up 3/4 of the block would allow for a taller building to be constructed.
#25
Posted 12 March 2011 - 01:05 PM
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#26
Posted 12 March 2011 - 07:17 PM
I trust that XTO will salvage this sign. I would love to have it.
This shot has the huge truck about to pull away with building scraps.
#27
Posted 18 March 2011 - 05:51 PM
Note the windows looking East! Not much of a view for these past years. But makes me wonder what kind of a view they have always had from there. I know nothing about the history of this building really.
#28
Posted 03 April 2011 - 08:14 PM
#29
Posted 23 October 2011 - 01:16 PM
#30
Posted 23 October 2011 - 04:19 PM
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#31
Posted 23 October 2011 - 08:19 PM
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