9 replies to this topic

[John T Roberts]

Over the last year or so, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has been constructing apartments on the hilltop just north of the intersection of James Ave. and Seminary Drive.  This is immediately west of Rosemont Park.  Part of the plan was to not only add new buildings, but to demolish the oldest apartments in the complex.  Over the last several weeks, these apartments have been demolished and now they are down to the last handful.  Only one building is still standing almost fully intact.  These apartments were along the north side of Seminary Drive between the Santa Fe Railway and James.  Here is your last look at the remaining building, constructed between 1956 and 1963.  These were definitely Mid-Century Modern.

 

[Doohickie]

Do you see them as having any architectural significance?  (I wouldn't think twice about leveling them, but I'm not as versed in architectural preservation as you are.)

[RD Milhollin]

I remember as a kid I thought of those apartments as being ultra-modern. They look dated and old now for some reason. I also liked the pedestrian tunnels under the streets there, though I nearly killed some seminarians once or twice while racing on bikes through them...

[Doohickie]

Tunnels?

[RD Milhollin]

Well, OK, tunnel. There are two approaches on the north side of Seminary and on a bike it is a dangerous turn if you make it going downhill. For some reason after 40 years it seemed like two tunnels. It shows up clearly on the Google Map if you zoom in on William Flemming and W. Seminary Dr.

[Doohickie]

Too bad it doesn't connect to Bolt or 8th; it'd be a convenient cut through under Seminary.

[John T Roberts]

Growing up in the area, I also rode my bicycle through the tunnel under Seminary. 

 

On a more serious note, Susan Allen Kline, who is a local historian and preservationist, posted some information on her Facebook page.  She found an article from Fort Worth Magazine from August of 1957.  Construction had already started and the original 12 buildings were along Seminary Drive with 8 apartments in each building.  Five more buildings were built in 1960, and then the complex slowly expanded over the years, with the last older buildings being built in the early 1990's.  It appears there was about a 20 year break between these and the replacement units now being constructed.  The master plan for the project called for 500 units.  I'm wondering if when all of the new buildings are built, they will have the 500 units?  I do have one other side note about the site.  The northeast corner is/was supposed to be a pad for a gas drilling site. 

 

Doohickie, you ask if I consider them historic.  The answer is yes, because they were a one of a kind building here in the city. 

[Doohickie]

The drilling was done; I can remember having encounters with the big water trucks on my bicycle when it was happening. I usually pop out of the Seminary one block south of Seminary Drive, then ride north on James (which turns into 8th at the light), then jogging over to Ryan after the park. The trucks would be coming south on 8th away from the drilling pad, and more than once they blew through the red light.

[JBB]

I had a friend that lived in one of those buildings years ago and they were pretty dumpy then.  That was probably around 1997 or 1998. 

[Stadtplan]

Fort Worth offers $11 million to buy Southwestern Seminary dorms for homeless families

https://amp.star-tel...e272637518.html