165 replies to this topic

[Now in Denton]

Even considering all of the above, I still believe this would be a good investment. Values will likely go up with the area's improvement.

True it may go way up. I guess the time is now to buy if your willing to over look constuction for the next few years. And the only "Green" in the area are street signs.

[Redshirt]

As for the downtown view, it actually is a little better than the pictures show. You don't see a lot of the taller buildings on the north end of downtown because they are blocked by the SBC Building and Carter+Burgess Plaza. Once the Omni is built, an even bigger building will block the view.

Good. I hope the view is better than it looks on tv. Fox4 did a story on the building last night. I happened to catch it while I was getting takeout at a restuarant. An older lady at the bar even commented how unattractive DTFW looked when the view was shown from the building. If the Omni turns out to be as attractive as it looks in the renderings, it won't be a bad thing if it blocks that view of dt. The building looked awesome.

I found the link to that FOX4 news piece that aired on July 27th. They also mention a little something about the T&P Warehouse and post office building but they sound like out-of-date ideas. Here's the link:

Fox 4 News video

[Fort Worthology]

Personally, I'd prefer that the Post Office remain a Post Office. The downtown post office in the Federal Building is awful.

[Redshirt]

Personally, I'd prefer that the Post Office remain a Post Office. The downtown post office in the Federal Building is awful.

Oh I don't know. So many have been asking for a store in the downtown area so I borrowed John Roberts' photo of the Post Office to create my own vision...of hell. How about this?

[Now in Denton]

Personally, I'd prefer that the Post Office remain a Post Office. The downtown post office in the Federal Building is awful.

Please don't say you mean the building? Do you? Are you saying that because its a kind of building Hitler would keep? I for one hope it's the new City Hall. But it's just talk for now. Its would show Fort Worth Government with a capital "G".

And as far as Walmart. Sadly Congresswomen Granger said Walmart is looking to build at the TRV. Just lovely news isn't it?...........

[Bradleto]

My wife and I took the tour on Sunday, both of the original T&P building and the new structure. We both liked the original structure a bit better, but both were pretty nice.

One good thing about the buildings is that the windows for the units face north and south, into downtown or back to the south and I30, and that means the sun isn't beating directly on the windows as it would be under other circumstances, so you get good light but less glare and heat.

We could live in one of these units though by the time we are out of the house-owning business, I assume there will be many more choices downtown. Brad

[Willy1]

Personally, I'd prefer that the Post Office remain a Post Office. The downtown post office in the Federal Building is awful.

Oh I don't know. So many have been asking for a store in the downtown area so I borrowed John Roberts' photo of the Post Office to create my own vision...of hell. How about this?

Walmart looks good, but something is missing. I think, I'd bore a big hole right through the center of the building so people could park in back - closer to the Joann Fabric store out back.

I think the new addition to the T&P is ugly. I love that building but the apartments they've built next to it look cheap, especially from I30.

[vjackson]

I think the new addition to the T&P is ugly. I love that building but the apartments they've built next to it look cheap, especially from I30.

The developers (Wood Partners) who redeveloped the T&P have done some really good highrise projects in other cities. Locally they're getting ready to built condos and apartments in the Dallas design district. The T&P looks great, they did an excellent job, but that apartment building is just awful. It looks like they didn't even try to make it aesthetically appealing. I will never understand why developers will do such great things in others cities, and come to FW and throw up crap.

[AdamB]

While the building is somewhat bland to say the least, you have to consider its current surroundings. I think the building while not being impressive by any means, will look MUCH MUCH better once Lancaster is completed and more dense development goies in along with trees, landscaping, etc.

[safly]

I think the new addition to the T&P is ugly. I love that building but the apartments they've built next to it look cheap, especially from I30.

The developers (Wood Partners) who redeveloped the T&P have done some really good highrise projects in other cities. Locally they're getting ready to built condos and apartments in the Dallas design district. The T&P looks great, they did an excellent job, but that apartment building is just awful. It looks like they didn't even try to make it aesthetically appealing. I will never understand why developers will do such great things in others cities, and come to FW and throw up crap.

EXACTLY!

I especially like what they designed out in HOTlanta.

[Redshirt]

I would have to agree that there's nothing to write home about with the add-on apartments at the T&P but I think it wouldn't look half as bad if it wasn't attached to the T&P building. What they've done is essentially like having a Chippendale dining table with metal folding chairs, it's a blatant mismatch and on the verge of aesthetic blasphemy.

[EricTCU]

Strong words! But so true. Obviously adding more units on the side was a business decision, not an architectural decision right?

Speaking of Chippendale...



Oh, I miss that guy.

[EricTCU]

This design may better draw in the "urban crowd". Of course if you drive through the hole, there is a Mervyn's and a Hobby Lobby in the back. You will notice I have included the newly improved Lancaster parking lot expansion project in my rendering.

[vjackson]

Your design is certainly looking more and more like Montgomery Plaza. And with the tenant mix there, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you will see an inflatable giant purple gorilla on top of a roof.

[vjackson]

I got to tour the the building Saturday and was really impressed with the conversion. The units were really nice and the prices are just unbelievable when compared to similar projects in other cities. I had said I could never live in the building because of the less than flattering view of the FW skyline from the T&P. ( I Know I'm a skyline freak and sorry, but I find the FW skyline just horribly unattractive and I just couldn't look at it everyday.) But what suprised me was how wonderful the sourthern view is from the building. The Southside looks beautifully urban from the 8th floor. It made the building much more attractive to me. If I lived in FW, the T&P would be my first choice for a home.

[vjackson]

I got to tour the the building Saturday and was really impressed with the conversion. The units were really nice and the prices are just unbelievable when compared to similar projects in other cities. I had said I could never live in the building because of the less than flattering view of the FW skyline from the T&P. ( I Know I'm a skyline freak and sorry, but I find the FW skyline just horribly unattractive and I just couldn't look at it everyday.) But what suprised me was how wonderful the sourthern view is from the building. The Southside looks beautifully urban from the 8th floor. It made the building much more attractive to me. If I lived in FW, the T&P would be my first choice for a home.

[Fort Worthology]

I really LOVED the T&P after seeing it on the tour. Steph and I are making some early plans to work at buying a place there - we have decided that's where we want to be.

I thought the units were just fantastic, and I also loved the south side view. While I don't dislike the downtown side, I would be thrilled to take the lovely Fort Worth South view and save some money! The south side looks very lovely, green, and urban from up in the T&P. I was also impressed by how quiet the units on the south side were, even with I-30 and the railways below. I never heard any real noise from either of them.

Oh, and I thought the terrazzo floors were great!

Here are a few pics I snapped on the tour:

[Fort Worthology]

[vjackson]

Nice pictures AG. I'm glad someone else noticed how awesome the southern view is. I wasn't that crazy about the flooring, but that's easily changable. You and Steph can't go wrong with a T&P unit. How do you think the T&P compares to the Neil P??? Just curious.

[Fort Worthology]

Nice pictures AG. I'm glad someone else noticed how awesome the southern view is. I wasn't that crazy about the flooring, but that's easily changable. You and Steph can't go wrong with a T&P unit. How do you think the T&P compares to the Neil P??? Just curious.

Well, you know, I've been through the Neil P. three times now. I think it's a classy and high-quality development. You can tell they're doing it up right. I just prefer the T&P, because I'm a fan of the high exposed ceilings, ducts, and pipes, and the bare flooring of lofts. I think the Neil P. has been beautifully done, but I prefer the "rawness" of the T&P.

I also tend to think that the Neil P.'s units are a little on the too-expensive side - they are definitely out of my planned price range, but I realize that they're after a much more posh image. The T&P's units are, I think, an *outstanding* value, particularly the south side units.

Like I said, I don't *hate* the downtown view. It is rather unimpressive right now from there, I'll admit - the Omni will help a lot when it's built, and it will hopefully get better over time, but right now there are too many parking lots and ugly buildings like the SBC and all the crappy '60s/'70s concrete boxes like the Texas Workforce Commission, City Hall, and the like. So, I would gladly save the money buying a south side unit and get a very pretty view anyway. The Fort Worth South view is only going to improve, too. Besides, I think the south side is cool because you've got a view down on the railway. Trains are cool, and you can watch the freight trains and the TRE going about their business. There was a TRE train leaving as I was looking out the window (it's in one of the pics), and I think it'd be fun to have them running around below you. If you're going to live in a train station, you might as well be able to watch the trains, right?

For comparison by the forum-ers, here are all the pics I got of the views from the T&P, looking out each end.






What sucks about this view (besides all the parking lots and ugly little '60s/'70s boxes nearby) is that the two most dominating buildings (to my eyes) are the SBC Building and Carter + Burgess Plaza, which I consider to be the two ugliest tall structures in all of downtown.


The Water Gardens will be a nice spot near the T&P once they get up and running again.


Looking out over Fort Worth South from here, you realize how nice it really is. There are a lot of cute buildings, and the whole area looks very nice, IMHO.




The Post Office, as always, is a lovely neighbor, and Steph goes there so much that it would be wonderful to live right next door.



The T&P almost feels as much a part of Fort Worth South as it does downtown, IMHO. It's a nice bridge between the two.

[AndyN]

You know, I almost take back all my reservations about the free tax money giveaway for the Omni Hotel & condos since it will be effectively blotting out the SBC Building from the skyline (from the south, anyway). No if we can add a few more tall buildings from the other exposed sides, our SBC box problem will be obscured.

Thanks for the pics, KB.

[hooked]

Looks like the T & P Terminal will likely get a stop on the Cotton Belt Commuter line. This project is looking more and more like a good investment opportunity, IMO.


STAR-TELEGRAM

At least 11 stations would be built in Fort Worth and Grapevine and at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport if the Cotton Belt commuter rail proposal unveiled Monday becomes a reality.

POSSIBLE STATIONS

A. Altamesa Blvd./Dirks Road
B. I-20/Granbury Road
C. Berry Street near TCU
D. Medical district
E. T&P Terminal
F. Fort Worth ITC
G. Stockyards/ 23rd Street
H. Beach Street
I. Grapevine Main Street
J. D/FW Airport north
K. D/FW Airport terminals A-B

[vjackson]

Once again, great pictures Atomic. There are about six major buildings that I can't stand to look at to the north and once you add in the parking lots, lack of greenery, and all of the smaller box-like buildings, I might not live long enough to see it all change. And the western view with the post office and T&P warehouse isn't that bad until Burnett Plaza (the ugliest "skyscraper" in the metroplex, IMO )comes into view.
Gimme the S.Side.

[stormalong]

I think it's wonderful that the T&P is finding so much favor with the forum members. My wife and I bought our unit back in August and I had the worse case of "buyer's remorse" I've ever had. However, Wood Partners has really done a great job of putting the finishing touches on the place and with the pool finally going in we now have absolutely no regrets about making the plunge. Our unit happens to face north into downtown and we wouldn't trade the view for anything. We think the view is especially cool at night. Watching the Omni construction progress has been a special treat.

I might add that we had a wonderful time this weekend taking the TRE/DART to the Texas State Fair and back. You just can't beat the doorstep to fairground entrance to doorstep service that we experienced. We're so excited about the possibility of having the Cotton Belt that we can hardly stand it.

[Fort Worthology]

Stormalong - glad you're liking the T&P! With luck (and assuming we have a good down payment saved), sometime in the next several months Stephanie and I will be moving in there as well.

I've figured it, and what we'd be paying at the T&P to own isn't all that different that what I'm paying at the Electric Building to rent, when all is said and done, so why not be making those payments to actually own something?

[stormalong]

Stormalong - glad you're liking the T&P! With luck (and assuming we have a good down payment saved), sometime in the next several months Stephanie and I will be moving in there as well.

That would be awesome AG. Best of luck on that. Be sure to ask about the second floor units. The north facing ones are pretty nice--they're larger and have the original windows. Main disadvantage is that the one on the west end of the building is already sold. The east end unit is more difficult to get to because of the ballroom in the middle. None of these were available when my wife and I were looking at the development back in the spring.

[cberen1]

Any word on how occupancy is going in the T&P?

[Fort Worthology]

Any word on how occupancy is going in the T&P?

I have heard rumors that a price increase is on the way, so apparently things are going very well for the T&P folks.

[jmilam]

Any word on how occupancy is going in the T&P?

I have heard rumors that a price increase is on the way, so apparently things are going very well for the T&P folks.

We took a tour this weekend and I think they have sold around 84+- of the 132? in the T & P Highrise. They said they would not start selling the Lowrise until they are 90% sold on the main building I believe.

[Fort Worthology]

A few pics from the home tour inside the new midrise:

[DrkLts]

jawdropping pics! very very nice looking

[vjackson]

Le Bijou looked awesome, but the T&P is still my fave FW development. Awesome pics AG!!

[walton91]

Hope this isn't old news or posted somewhere else....

Walking thru the T&P today there is a sign posted on a window of the old diner that an application to serve alcohol has been made by the T&P Tavern and Grill. Does anyone know anything about this or a timeline for opening?

[John T Roberts]

I did not know anything about it, but wondered about it, because the last few times I had been on Lancaster at night, the lights were on in the diner space. By the way, the old diner looks almost the same way it did when it first opened. This is great news and really completes the ground floor of the historic terminal.

[John T Roberts]

It looks as if the owners are planning some dramatic lighting effects on the corner domes and the top of the parapet. The following is an excerpt from this months Downtown Design Review Board Agenda.

221 W. Lancaster Avenue; T&P Building Lighting
Owner/Applicant: T&P Lofts Homeowners Association/Pamela Jaussi

Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to install:
1. Twelve (12) halide flood fixtures in groups of three on the protruding points to be directed at the domes; and
2. 300-feet (150 per side) of aluminum channel lighting with lamps on 6-inch spacing to be mounted on top of parapet wall.

[John T Roberts]

The Downtown Design Review Board approved the lighting on the domes today, but they denied without prejudice the lighting along the parapets. Denial without prejudice means they can come back before the board in less than one year with a revised proposal.

[Fort Worthology]

John, do you know why the parapet lighting was denied?

[walton91]

I posted this in another thread but thought I would add it here. The diner is now open, sort of. The inside diner is not open yet but the patio & kiosk are open and serving.

[njjeppson]

The T&P Tavern opening is exciting! It will be interesting to see how the inside diner is restored.

[SurplusPopulation]

They've added lights at the top. I've noticed it the last few mornings on my way to work. Any photographer's feel like getting out there for the rest of us?

[Brian Luenser]

Was out at 5am this Saturday morning hoping for Full moon pics over Fort Worth. By the time I got out far enough it was too cloudy. But was not a total bust. Have been wanting to catch the new lighting at the top of the T&P Building. I like it. I took a few pics of the Public Art Lighting but guess I should post that elsewhere on the Lancaster Ave. Thread.

Yes, the streaks are a car going by.


20 minutes later with a bit more light on the grand building

[cberen1]

Not sure if this is the best prior thread, but it looked appropriate.

 

Is there some work going on on the exterior of the building?  This morning it looked like some cleaning of the buff brick had been done on the Southwest corner (facing West) of the building.  It might have been a trick of the morning light, but I thought I'd ask.

[Martha]

Infrequent poster here, but I like to read the board. We just got approved to lease the 3 bedroom condo that is in the midrise. Anyone reading this thread that lives in the T&P? Any word of wisdom?

 

Last time I posted here was before we moved to the Forest Park tower. We ended up moving here. It has been a great place for my family, but alas they are going condo and not renewing leases. The payment would end up being a lot more than our rent after adding in the HOA.  So we looked to a new place to lease or buy. My husband is gung-ho about the T&P. I am going along for the ride. We have 2 kids, one in high school and one in 4th grade. The fact that T&P is in the Paschal attendance zone was a big plus for us. 

Thanks!

Martha

[cberen1]

Infrequent poster here, but I like to read the board. We just got approved to lease the 3 bedroom condo that is in the midrise. Anyone reading this thread that lives in the T&P? Any word of wisdom?

 

Last time I posted here was before we moved to the Forest Park tower. We ended up moving here. It has been a great place for my family, but alas they are going condo and not renewing leases. The payment would end up being a lot more than our rent after adding in the HOA.  So we looked to a new place to lease or buy. My husband is gung-ho about the T&P. I am going along for the ride. We have 2 kids, one in high school and one in 4th grade. The fact that T&P is in the Paschal attendance zone was a big plus for us. 

Thanks!

Martha

What elementary school would your fourth grader attend?

[JBB]

Anyone reading this thread that lives in the T&P? Any word of wisdom?

 

 

 

There was a member on here (Ron Payne) that lived in the building and posted frequently.  The last time I remember him posting he said that he was moving out of the building and back into his house that he had been trying to sell.  You might try sending him a message through the board.

[Martha]

My 4th grader goes to Alice Carlson, which is a FWISD special interest program. She can go there from anywhere in Fort Worth ISD. T&P is in the DeZavala attendance zone, though. Middle school will be another issue, if we end up staying there. The T&P is in the Dagget Middle School zone.

 

Thanks, JBB, I'll try messaging Ron Payne.

 

I am kind of excited about living downtown! But moving, argh...

[Doohickie]

Dang.  De Zevala is what... 3-4 miles away?  Seems pretty far for an elementary.

[cberen1]

Alice Carlson is probably not much more than 3 - 4 miles, and it's a fast drive from downtown.

[elpingüino]

A $1.75 million remodeling project would open the traditional T&P entrance, making access to the rail platform more direct and eventually creating a pedestrian route between downtown and the Near Southside.

A Downtown Fort Worth Inc. forum for public input is scheduled for tonight and another tomorrow.

Luke Ranker reports, How the iconic T&P Station could be a gateway to downtown Fort Worth again

[renamerusk]

Yeah, T&P ought to retake its place as the proper gateway to DTFW. As an oldtimer who remembers taking a passenger train from T&P as a child, T&P is a given for me.