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So this building is empty...

Downtown Hilton Annex Empty Building

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#1 Jeriat

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 10:14 AM

Or at least, I think it is. Not sure of the name, btw. 

 

388393_10200268508588821_1484381618_n.jp

 

Never really payed much attention to it (mainly because that strip of Commerce is probably the most uninviting part of downtown) but I was walking around the other day and just passed this place by. It's in bad shape. On the 8th Street side, the glass is broken in and I don't know if it's all that recent. Seems neglected. 

What's up with this building? Anyone know? 


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#2 Fort Worthology

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 10:19 AM

The old Hilton annex.  They stopped using it, put it up for sale, and at one point years ago there was a project announced to turn it into office space, but (obviously) nothing came of it.

 

Easily one of the worst buildings downtown, IMHO.


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#3 Jeriat

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 10:25 AM

The old Hilton annex.  They stopped using it, put it up for sale, and at one point years ago there was a project announced to turn it into office space, but (obviously) nothing came of it.

 

Easily one of the worst buildings downtown, IMHO.


I'll say. 

 

I thought it was used for The Hilton in some way. Not a very urban-friendly building. It's one thing to have a windowless wall, but why put it on the side facing the street?

As soon as I saw this place again, I INSTANTLY asked: Re-develop or Demolish & Replace?  

 


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#4 cberen1

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 02:00 PM

I've looked at it.  I think redevelopment would be challenging, but possible.  If you redeveloped it it would forever be less than ideal space.  That place needs a wrecking ball.



#5 Austin55

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 03:15 PM

I'd be willing to bet the inside is pretty grody. But based on how it looks on the outside, I'd imagine the doors are probably steel bars and the beds are aluminum slabs. It looks like a jail.

 

That entire stretch of Commerce is dead really, it's lined almost entirely by garages and 777's "bad side", and further down is on the convention centers backside aswell. 



#6 Dismuke

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 08:25 PM

Let's thank goodness that when Sheraton (as the hotel was then branded) built the thing they didn't decide to reskin the historic main hotel building across the street to match.


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#7 dangr.dave

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 09:14 PM

I'd be willing to bet the inside is pretty grody.

 

I think it was pretty nasty when it was still in use; I cannot imagine that it has gotten any better in the last several years since being abandoned.  I remember seeing one of the rooms when it was still in use and I seem to recall mold and moisture in the place.

 

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Hilton Annex, Fort Worth by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

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Commerce in the morning by dangr.dave, on Flickr



#8 Austin55

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Posted 28 March 2013 - 10:33 PM

It just looks like it's filled with Asbestos. 



#9 Jeriat

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Posted 29 March 2013 - 12:01 AM

For all my gripes about Burnett, at least it doesn't have an entire side with no windows facing the street.

 

 I have to say, THIS should be gone. Like NOW. 


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#10 Fort Worthology

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Posted 29 March 2013 - 07:32 AM

I seem to recall a discussion here about the building that included one of our members recalling his experience working there when it was still a hotel. He said it was basically awful even when it was active - nasty and poorly designed.

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#11 cberen1

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Posted 29 March 2013 - 08:08 AM

Any idea what the floor to ceiling heights are?



#12 elpingüino

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 10:25 AM

Here's the thread from 2008 that Kevin is referring to. Apparently the plan was to convert the annex tower to office condos.



#13 Dismuke

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 11:19 AM

Well, if it is to be put back in use, the ideal thing would be to find a use that is befitting of the building's aesthetics.   For example, it could be used as a halfway house or a minimum security jail.  Or it could be a homeless shelter or perhaps a skid row type hotel.  Any of those uses would be perfectly in line with the building's appearance.

 

Too bad that TCC didn't buy the thing before they took that gash out of the bluff and built that nasty Bing Thom monstrosity.  If they had, they could have had a building just as ugly for a whole lot less money - and downtown would have only had the one eyesore instead of two.


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#14 Brian Luenser

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 01:37 PM

Doesn't look that bad to me. Maybe even nice.   Somebody putting some bucks into could bring it to a B.   I have been looking at this place for 7 years out of my condo on 34 facing East.  Mostly the swimming pool on top.  WARNING: there is not a lifeguard on duty.  Not to mention the fact that their may be frogs the size of big puppies swimming in it.  

 

I have been pretty fascinated by that much space going unused.  In a great location.  


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#15 RD Milhollin

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 02:17 PM

I agree that the building is pretty ugly, but I also think it shouldn't take that much in renovations to convert it into a perfectly usable set of offices and/or housing. The windows do face south, so they got that part right when it was built. Not sure about the grillwork on the lower stories; is there parking behind there? if no, can the grillwork be removed? If yes, the current configuration (including pool-on-the-roof) would seem to be ideal for residential condos. Some small balconies for residential units would be a nice touch. There is already provision for street-level retail, so that is good; residents would need basic amenities like dry cleaning, a taco place, and a bar... The bare west-facing wall seems a great place for some street-art. Fort Worth is going to be severely lacking in tromp l'oeil art once the old Civil Courthouse is demolished.



#16 Austin55

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 02:29 PM

^ the grilles are almost single handed what make it ugly IMO. They look like, well, a grill that has'nt been cleaned in long enough and has been covered in baked on grease. Replacing those with something could indeed make a huge difference.

It would be neat to see a giant mural on that wall. Just some sort of color. It appears to be an elevator shaft so I guess drilling out some windows are pretty much impossible.

 

I'm very curious as to it's interior state, that probably makes all the difference in what it's future holds.



#17 Dismuke

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 04:28 PM

I'm very curious as to it's interior state, that probably makes all the difference in what it's future holds.

 

Do you really think so?  I thought that when they redid buildings of this type and vintage they usually just gutted out the interior walls and took each floor down to a shell.  If so, wouldn't the only thing that would really make much of a difference be the ceiling height?   I am guessing if they get it down to a shell they would want to update the plumbing and electrical systems no matter what condition they were in.


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#18 Jeriat

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 05:10 PM

I'd actually love to walk in there and see for myself,  but it seems like a hideout for a serial killer. 

I do think the worst part of that building is the wall, but yeah, there could be some art work there. Maybe even a giant sculpture...

 

Also, "office condos"? Never heard that before. 


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#19 JBB

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 06:43 PM

Office condos are more of a suburban phenomenon. The best description I would give is 1 story McMansions for office space. Sometimes they're subdivided. My dentist's office in North Richland Hills is in an office condo.

#20 dangr.dave

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 09:19 PM

residents would need basic amenities like dry cleaning, a taco place, and a bar...

 

Lest we forget about Embargo in Winfield Place, right across the street.  It has street tacos and Cuban sandwiches during the day and a bar with free Salsa lessons in the evenings.  No need for dry cleaning, though, since I would expect the residents to all start wearing guayaberas.

 

8031600066_9972411142.jpg
Embargo by dangr.dave, on Flickr



#21 Jeriat

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Posted 30 March 2013 - 11:57 PM

residents would need basic amenities like dry cleaning, a taco place, and a bar...

 

Lest we forget about Embargo in Winfield Place, right across the street.  It has street tacos and Cuban sandwiches during the day and a bar with free Salsa lessons in the evenings.  No need for dry cleaning, though, since I would expect the residents to all start wearing guayaberas.

 

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Embargo by dangr.dave, on Flickr

 

Took a photo while I was there:

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Can't believe I never noticed that before. 


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#22 Doohickie

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Posted 01 April 2013 - 08:44 AM

Can't believe I never noticed that before. 

 

Me neither!


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#23 Fort Worthology

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Posted 01 April 2013 - 08:57 AM

Embargo seems like a pretty cool spot.  I've only been once, but I know my friends at Blackbox (who have booked a lot of my band's shows) are doing booking for music there now and are getting some interesting stuff going there.


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#24 dangr.dave

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Posted 11 December 2014 - 05:39 AM

Just a note: XTO apparently was leasing part of the building (and the parking lot connected to it) and has now purchased the building.  They did not renew Embargo's lease, so Embargo has shuttered its doors and XTO now owns another piece of real estate in its sprawling empire.  Sad to have lost that unique place in downtown.



#25 Austin55

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Posted 11 December 2014 - 05:49 AM

I'm really upset about embargo. 

 

Interesting about XTO, guess that's another lot that will be as such for a few more years.

 

Another fun thing about this building is this is where they park the bike bars during the day. 



#26 Austin55

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 11:00 AM

I never realized that a 600 space garage was proposed for this site a few years ago... it was cancelled around 2007, but here's what it would have looked like.

 

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http://www.hahnfeld....w=item&Itemid=8

 

I wonder if XTO is interested in reviving such a project. It seems there can never be enough parking... The next door Hilton Annex could use some of it as well if it is renovated to other uses. 



#27 renamerusk

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 03:46 PM

As garages go, this is not bad looking.



#28 Jeriat

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Posted 18 December 2014 - 11:24 PM

As garages go, this is not bad looking.

 

The fact that it doesn't look like a garage makes it BEYOND "not bad looking"...


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#29 dangr.dave

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Posted 19 December 2014 - 08:55 AM

Actually, I ran into Carlos de la Torre the other day and was talking with him about Embargo.  He said that actually Purple Energy (also Purple Land Management), not XTO, owns the building ( Andrew de la Torre is, according to Carlos, parterning with a friend and hoping to open something in the old Zambrano's space on Houston Street.



#30 dangr.dave

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 09:11 AM

Update!

 

I just got coffee and ran into Andrew de la Torre at the old Zambrano's space on Houston Street.  He showed me around the new restaurant that will open in about two (2) weeks.  The restaurant will be called "La Perla Negra" and will have the best fare that Embargo had, plus a ceviche bar.  For those that park in the garage next to the Houston Place Lofts, there will be a take-out window in the back of the restaurant that serves breakfast (to include coffees). So, for those of you who miss Embargo, be sure and check out La Perla Negra.  I know I'll be there at lunch when they open to get one of those Cuban sandwiches that I've missed, lo these many cold months.



#31 mmiller2002

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 11:27 AM

Update!

 

I just got coffee and ran into Andrew de la Torre at the old Zambrano's space on Houston Street.  ...  I know I'll be there at lunch when they open to get one of those Cuban sandwiches that I've missed, lo these many cold months.

Great Cubans = Cuco's in Haltom City.

 

When did Zambrano's close?



#32 youngalum

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 03:33 PM

Weird name







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Downtown, Hilton Annex, Empty Building

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