23 replies to this topic

[RD Milhollin]

I remember this development being announced several years ago but assumed the real estate bust and clinging recession had squashed the plans. But it looks like the developers have deep pockets, patience, and perseverance. The first interstate connection into the huge project area could be completed by the end of the year.

http://blogs.star-te...he-year-an.html

The 7200 acre property was once a cattle ranch owned by philanthropists F. Howard and Mary Walsh, who among other things "gave" Fort Worth the annual Christmas pageant "The Littlest Wiseman". The planned development has a pretty extensive website with lots of illustrations:

http://www.walshranch.com/index.html

One thing that I would be interested in seeing is accommodations being made now for future rail transit corridors through the Westside and the Walsh Ranch property all the way out to Weatherford. We might not need it now, but if the transit planners wait until we do, the price of clearing out land for this infrastructure is going to be massively expensive.

[ramjet]

Very interesting. I can't tell from the map on the blog, but is the Walsh ranch development in the city limits of Fort Worth?

[renamerusk]

Very interesting. I can't tell from the map on the blog, but is the Walsh ranch development in the city limits of Fort Worth?

Even though it will be technically within the city limits of Fort Worth, it will be yet again another development akin to Alliance where 50-70k residents will have very little in common with core Fort Worth. There will be complaints about the lack of water/streets/fire/police services, just you wait and see.

One hopes that if the city has learned anything from the Alliance/Far North Fort Worth Experiment, that it will require a developer's surcharge to pay in advance for their public utility and safety needs. I hope that massive developments such as these will be discouraged in the future; and if not, that they be autonomous, stand alone communities.

[John T Roberts]

I believe that Walsh Ranch was brought into the city by Limited Purpose Annexation. For a certain period of time, the city does not have to provide all of the services required by annexation, then after that time, or when development occurs, they are fully brought into the city. I'm not real sure how all those legal items work.

[RD Milhollin]

More information from the Business Press about the massive Walsh Ranch development starting up west of Fort Worth. Quick facts from the article: 7,275 acres, 50,000 residents, 9 miles west of downtown. More:

http://www.fwbusines...ArticleID=23403

[elpingüino]

The Star-Telegram had a fairly in-depth piece yesterday about Walsh Ranch, the related infrastructure challenges, and the lessons learned (or not) from the growth on FW's far north side. I hadn't heard that it would be the largest master-planned community in the United States.

 

Fort Worth needs to prepare for rapid growth, officials say

[Dylan]

A few things I notice from the master plan on Walsh Ranch's website:

 

- Darn gas pad sites are scattered all over this property.

- No high school is planned; only elementary and middle schools.

- There is a proposed transit center along the rail line.

 

As RD Milhollin suggested, it might be a good idea to start planning a commuter line now considering the enormous size of this development and how many decades the TEX Rail process is taking (one decade and counting).

[johnfwd]

Update on the Walsh Ranch development plans in this A. Lee Graham article in the Business Press.  The Walsh family chose Dallas developer RPG, among bidders from around the country.

 

http://fwbusinesspre...Fort-Worth.aspx

[renamerusk]

More information from the Business Press about the massive Walsh Ranch development starting up west of Fort Worth. Quick facts from the article: 7,275 acres, 50,000 residents, 9 miles west of downtown.

 

Walsh Ranch should incorporate itself as it own town and not be a part of the City of Fort Worth. 

 

IMO, this is why developers like Dream Vision will continue to line up and choose Fort Worth because the city will annex enormous tracts of rural land and call it growth; add expensive far flung new infrastructure while infrastructure for the core city, like transit, street maintenance,  and parks, is delayed. 

 

I believe that developments like these are not good in the longer run for FW.

[mmmdan]

And, as we've seen in the recent article about the development to the north, even with the development fee, these far flung developments don't bring in enough tax dollars to cover the basic city services that are required.

[JBB]

IMO, this is why developers like Dream Vision

Lol. You made a funny.

[Doohickie]

- No high school is planned; only elementary and middle schools.

There's already a high school in the works for that area ("West Crowley HS"); apparently it's just not in the boundaries of the development.

[renamerusk]

 

- No high school is planned; only elementary and middle schools.

There's already a high school in the works for that area ("West Crowley HS"); apparently it's just not in the boundaries of the development.

 

 

West Crowley?

[Doohickie]

Yeah. Crowley High School, North Crowley High School, West Crowley High School.

[hannerhan]

Crowley ISD is nowhere near Walsh Ranch.  The reason there is no high school planned is because the vast majority of Walsh Ranch homes will be in Aledo ISD, and Aledo will only have one high school (similar to the decision Southlake Carroll made back in the 90's).

[Jeriat]

Yeah. Crowley High School, North Crowley High School, West Crowley High School.

 

I'd think a West Crowley H.S. would be east and a little  south of Benbrook. 


This Walsh Ranch could become another Cypress (Northwest Houston), where it's not an official town, but still has its own school district. Not any time in the near future, of course,  but eventually. 

[Doohickie]

Crowley ISD is nowhere near Walsh Ranch.

Nevermind. I'm confusing my developments. I crossed Walsh with Walton Group, the developer of the land along the CTTP.

[renamerusk]

Crowley ISD is nowhere near Walsh Ranch.  The reason there is no high school planned is because the vast majority of Walsh Ranch homes will be in Aledo ISD, and Aledo will only have one high school (similar to the decision Southlake Carroll made back in the 90's).

 

Really, Aledo!

 

There should be a petition started to halt the Fort Worth Council from proceeding with this annexation.

[RD Milhollin]

More Auto-Sprawl coming to the Far Westside. The same developers who brought you Parkwood Hills are looking to beat the Walsh Ranch developers in getting the first large-scale planned development for the rolling ranch lands west of I-820 Wright and north of I-20. Morningstar, named for the ranch that was there before, and once owned by Fracksters Wilks Brothers is in Aledo ISD, Parker County, and in the City of Fort Worth. 

 

http://www.star-tele...le44984577.html

[elpingüino]

Here's an update from Channel 5. Apparently the developers decided to get rid of the "Ranch" and it will just be "Walsh" now.

[johnfwd]

Here's an update from Channel 5. Apparently the developers decided to get rid of the "Ranch" and it will just be "Walsh" now

Coincidentally I posted a new thread in Commercial on this Walsh development project.

[renamerusk]

"Walsh will be the largest project of its kind ever built in North Texas," said Jake Wagner, co-top executive of the Republic Property group, which is developing the massive project. "Our vision is to create the next great neighborhood in Fort Worth."

 

"I think the real trick we're going to have is keep Fort Worth large but with that small-town atmosphere," Zim Zimmerman - Fort Worth Councilman.

 

Largest sure; but there after, nothing of the kind.

[JBB]

The Walsh Ranch proposal has been around for nearly a decade and a half.  The "trick", it seems, is actually making it happen.

[RD Milhollin]

Oh, I get the feeling it is happening, just something of the scale they have on paper takes time to realize.