60 replies to this topic

[John T Roberts]

Several people have been asking about the status of the Transport Life Building. Over the last few months, asbestos removal has been taking place. That is probably why demolition looks so slow. The developer is now planning to go before the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commisssion on July 12th. For the full agenda, go to our Fort Worth Forum Calendar. It is posted there.

The owner is going for a designation at the City's highest landmark level.

Here are the details for the Transport Life Building from the H&CLC Agenda:

APPROVED DENIED
HD04-04 714 Main St.; Zoned:
Applicant/Owner Steve Nicholas

Requests a Designation as Highly Significant Endangered ________ _______

COA04-66 714 Main St
Applicant/Owner Steve Nicholas
Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to
a) Create a 15’ x 9’ entrance on south façade
b ) Recreate an original entrance on east façade
c) Use existing door for fire stair exit
d) Add a 8’ x 9’ metal roll up door on west façade
e) Remove smoke stack
f) Replace windows:
east & south façade: w/ 4’ x 6’, 1/1 metal windows
north façade: 4’ x 6’, 3/3 metal
g) Add a 3’ x 6’ metal, 3/3 window on north façade ________ _______
APPROVED DENIED


TAX04-28 714 Main St.
Applicant/Owner Steve Nicholas

Historic Site Exemption ________ _______

[mosteijn]

b ) Recreate an original entrance on east façade

Huh, sounds like they actually want to restore the base to how it originally looked, at least, to an extent. There's retail still planned on the ground floor, right?

[John T Roberts]

Huh, sounds like they actually want to restore the base to how it originally looked, at least, to an extent.

Jonny, the base on this building is rather tricky. The base that was constructed with the building in 1921 was removed in the 1960's and replaced with a mosaic tile base. At that time, the mezzanine inside the banking lobby was filled in for an entire floor. Then in 1988 when Transport Life moved in, they did a "modern interpretation" of the original base. It was not an exact replica of the base, but it did re-create arched openings above the window bays on the base. There was a smaller, arched entry on Main, and they did not replicate it. It now looks as if they are going to restore (to an extent) the base back to the way it was originally built.

As far as I know, the base will have retail. I would suggest someone to either go to the Landmarks Commission Meeting or view it on replay on Charter Cable Channel 7 when it replays during July and early August.

[John T Roberts]

Here is a quick overview of the project:

Two new shafts will be cut through the building for car lifts. These car lifts will run from the basement to the 8th floor.
One new shaft will be cut through the building for a new stair.
Basement: parking, mechanical, lease space
Street level: parking, main lobby, "entry" for lease space
Level 2 - lease space (probably a restaurant)
Level 3 - parking
Level 4 - storage area for residents
Levels 5-8 - parking
Level 9 - executive offices
Levels 10-23 - typical resident floors
Level 24 - "penthouse" floor to be finished-out later
The roof will be stripped and replaced with a paver system to create a roof terrace for resident's use.

The typical resident floors have 5 apartments each:
- Unit A: 2 bedroom, 1359 SF
- Unit B: 2 bedroom, 1677 SF
- Unit C: 2 bedroom, 1543 SF
- Unit D: 1 bedroom, 926 SF
- Unit E: 1 bedroom, 590 SF
The plans call for 70 units (5 per floor x 14 floors). The 24th level will have additional units, but these are not currently designed.

[mosteijn]

Sounds good to me I just hope they don't do anything to the facade by converting the 8 bottom levels to parking.

[Thurman52]

The FW Business Press has a story on the building this week.

FW Business Press Article - Transport Life

[John T Roberts]

Yes, and the Landmarks Commission approved all items on their agenda relating to the project.

[John T Roberts]

Jonny, I watched the replay of the Landmarks Commission meeting last night on Cable Channel 7 and the plan is to reconstruct an arched entrance in the center of the Main Street facade. This was originally on the building, but removed in the 1950's when the mosaic tile was placed on the base. However, one major alteration that will be added to the base are the overhead doors for the car lifts on the 7th Street side. There is a discrepancy between the text of the H&CLC agenda and the drawings presented at the meeting. The drawings showed two overhead door openings on 7th Street. The plan for restoration of the tower section is to remove all of the windows and replace with new ones. The existing windows on the east and south facades are 4' x 6' 1/1 wood windows. The developer was granted permission to replace all of them with aluminum windows that look like the original ones. The existing windows on the west and north sides are 4' x 6' 3/3 metal windows. The developer was granted permission to replace all of those windows with aluminum windows that match as well. The 1/1 and 3/3 numbers represent the number of individual panes of glass within the windows themselves. A 3/3 window has three panes of glass in the top half and 3 panes of glass in the lower half. The owner also wanted to add a row of windows on the north side of the building to give the apartment dwellers better views down Main Street. This was approved by the H&CLC, but will have to go for variances in order to be done. One of the small alterations to the facade that was approved was the removal of the smoke stack. It currently serves no purpose and is not structurally sound. According to the engineers, the only way to repair it will be to partially demolish it and then rebuild it. Removing it all together is a cheaper alternative that was approved.

Finally, the commission voted to designate the building as Highly Significant and Endangered.

From the Business Press Article, it appeared that the owners are planning to do some type of decorative lighting for the building.

[mosteijn]

I'm still a little confused on something; the article makes it sound like the restaurant will be on the 2nd floor, and doesn't specifically mention ground floor retail fronting either Main or 7th, which I thought was in the original plan. But I will be glad if it's on the 2nd floor, an upscale restaurant does basically nothing for street activity, especially if it's intended to benefit the residents of the building it's in

[John T Roberts]

The presentation was rather confusing, but at least we know the developers are serious about converting the builidng into apartments. I was impressed by the window replacement selections. Also, I was pleased to hear they plan to do some decorative lighting on the building at night. This is something downtown needs.

[mosteijn]

Also, I was pleased to hear they plan to do some decorative lighting on the building at night. This is something downtown needs.

I completely agree. Now if only the Commerce Building...

[John T Roberts]

The last time that I visited with the people from the Commerce Building, they stated they had no plans to install any new decorative lighting on the building.

[John T Roberts]

How would you like to have a view like this?













These pictures were taken from the roof of the Transport Life Building (now called 714 Main) and they were donated by a forum member.

When it first opened in 1921, the building was named the Farmers and Mechanics Bank Building. They were purchased in 1927 by the Fort Worth National Bank. Fort Worth National Bank occupied this building until 1954. After that point, it was named the Continental Life Building. Around that time Continental Life installed two rooftop neon signs just above the cornice on the south and east sides. In the 1960's Continental Oil Co. (Conoco) installed a revolving rooftop sign on top of the penthouse. Like many other 1920's skyscrapers, the Transport Life Building at 714 Main, had its base altered and the banking lobby divided into two floors in the late 1950's/early 1960's. Like many others, including the next door Baker Building, portions of the original lobby remain. Here are a couple of pictures from the interior of the first floor.

[mosteijn]

How would you like to have a view like this?

WOW! Just imagine that view in 10-15 years, post TRV...

I must know this mysterious forum member, I have begun to envy his/her ability to get on historic rooftops and take all the good views away

[JBB]

Fantastic views, especially the one looking north.

[John T Roberts]

Jonny, it is actually not that hard to go up to these places. It does help if you are in the architectural, design, or construction business. Four years ago, I was invited to take a complete tour of the Sinclair Building by the head of the Maintenance Department. I received permission from the building owner to take and publish the pictures on the web site. I stood on the roof of the very corner of the building shown in those pictures and took one of the Blackstone Hotel. That photo is still on the site.

[mosteijn]

It does help if you are in the architectural, design, or construction business.

Well darn. Do you think they'd let me in the AIA? Who cares if you have to be a legal adult, that's discrimination in the first place .

Serious question: Is there some type of junior AIA or internship program out there I can join? It would sure look good on my application to Rice (well, I hope Rice.)

[EricTCU]

Serious question: Is there some type of junior AIA or internship program out there I can join? It would sure look good on my application to Rice (well, I hope Rice.)

Rice. Ha! Waste four years of your life! I mean, they don't call Rice "the TCU of Houston" for nothing!!

[John T Roberts]

Serious question: Is there some type of junior AIA or internship program out there I can join?

Jonny, it is a little early for you to join the AIA. However, they do have an Associate Membership for people in the profession, but not registered. That is something you might consider once you have graduated from college or possibly while you are in school, but employed by an architect. I'm not sure how old you have to be to become an Associate Member.

October is Architecture Month here in Fort Worth and I have posted all of the events in our calendar. You might want to visit the Community Arts Center and several of the other events that are free. If you like to ride bikes, then you and/or your parents might be interested in doing my Tour de Architecture. It is only $15 and you will get the John Roberts Fort Worth Tour of the city. Several of my architect friends will be riding and assisting me, including Ames Fender, the grandson of Wyatt C. Hedrick. He has some wonderful insight into his grandfather's buildings.

[lobster]

I walk by it almost every day and back in August Ø4 there people would muster around the entrance, an occasional hard-hatted person would be spotted, but since then the doors have always been chained and I've never seen any activity .. All the activity and construction on that block seems to be all Baker at the moment

[Clere]

I looked at the link to Intradel, and they had a cool aerial pic of the TLB. If you notice to the right of it is some generic looking building, possibly a parking garage.


Why couldn't they buy that property and use it as parking for the tenants of this building? That way, no historic architecture is compromised and there's more room for residences.

Old Intradel Site:
http://www.intradel....reet/index.html

[mosteijn]

The intradel site looks like it was updated fairly recently, but I thought they backed out of the development a while ago...are they still in?

[Urbndwlr]

Any update here?

At a minimum, I would expect that a developer would be able to use the below-grade floor as reserved parking, and arrange for cheaper contract spaces next door in the concrete garage. Isn't it ironic that the development of a high-rise urban condo/apt building in the heart of Downtown would be held up by lack of parking in the building?

That corner would probably be GREAT for retail.

[vjackson]

I've mentioned this before but once again....why do things take so long in FW?? I can't believe this building is progressing so slowly. What's the hold up??? If TLP were here in Dallas, it would be occupied by now.