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Downtown Design Guidelines


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#1 Austin55

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Posted 24 February 2016 - 11:24 PM

DFWI has posted a draft of the 2016 design guidelines. It's mostly boring but has some interesting notes. In particular, buildings on the highlighted streets must be 3 stories. 

 

HEIGHTLIMITS_zpsa3rua6fv.jpg

 

You can see the draft on DFWI



#2 johnfwd

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Posted 25 February 2016 - 08:13 AM

DFWI has posted a draft of the 2016 design guidelines. It's mostly boring but has some interesting notes. In particular, buildings on the highlighted streets must be 3 stories. 

 

HEIGHTLIMITS_zpsa3rua6fv.jpg

 

You can see the draft on DFWI

Read the Urban Design guidelines...building heights a "minimum" of 3 stories along the streets you have skillfully outlined here.

 

I would have preferred a kind of "declining scale" from center to periphery.  That is, declining minimum height standards from 12 floors near center of DT to 3 floors on periphery.  I've always fancily envisioned a downtown skyline as looking like a symmetrical pyramid...if not by design, then by market-driven development based on land scarcity, density, and other factors.  In other words, taller buildings in the center declining to smaller buildings toward the periphery.  Of course downtown skylines of many megalopolises today (e.g. Tokyo) look more like a massive gapped-tooth mouth rather than a symmetrical pyramid shape.



#3 Mr_Brightside526

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Posted 25 February 2016 - 04:14 PM

I wonder if that will change this design for the new bank on the northwest corner of 7th & Summit?



#4 Austin55

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Posted 25 February 2016 - 04:17 PM

I wonder if that will change this design for the new bank on the northwest corner of 7th & Summit?

 

If I'm not mistaken that's already gone through the DDRB, but I'm not sure whether or not it was approved. 



#5 johnfwd

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Posted 23 March 2016 - 06:20 AM

Here's an update (FW Business website) on the proposed expansion of the downtown district regarding building design standards.

 

http://www.fortworth...d185eeacda.html



#6 renamerusk

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Posted 15 September 2017 - 10:18 PM

Hers's another rendering. The building is 3 floors taller in this one than the last, and has some extra height on the top floor. It is 25 floors in this render. Also shown is a small night time view with the glass section at the top being illuminated. 

ZBnimom.jpg

 

Whats wrong with this picture?  Hint - It time to revisit DDRB signage policy.



#7 John T Roberts

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Posted 16 September 2017 - 05:08 PM

They could build this hotel without the top of building signage.  I still think that maybe the signs should be granted or denied on a case by case basis.  In this proposal, I see two top of building signs.  Another big question is, "Are there two more?"  I could easily see that the Residence Inn would want one on the east side that matched the west, so that it could be seen from I-35W.  I could also see they would want one on the north side, so that when you go southbound on Houston Street, you can see it, as well.  If you remember, I pointed out that Century Life had rooftop signs on all four sides of their soon to be demolished building, and it is only five stories.



#8 renamerusk

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Posted 04 November 2017 - 04:46 PM

Signage as a "Gateway Drug" :eek:

 

 

http://www.fortworth...602b0fe1c5.html



#9 Doohickie

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 10:55 AM

Can someone post a picture of a city with too much (in your opinion) top of building signage?  I'm really not seeing an issue here.


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#10 JBB

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 11:17 AM

I agree.  Of the few top of building sign proposals that have come up recently, I've yet to see one that looked garish or tacky.  I occasionally hear that it would make FW look like Dallas and one poster even said that Dallas resembled Las Vegas.  Outside of the Omni (a little flashy, but some of the lighting schemes they've done are really cool) and Reunion Tower (almost subtle), rooftop signage in Dallas is pretty unmemorable.  It sounds like, in FW, it's a case of "we've never done it, so we shouldn't change" and that is a pretty lame excuse.  

 

I was bothered by the idea that the Design Review Board turned down a sign proposal for Texas de Brazil because they didn't feel it was good for their business.  I'm interested in hearing from John on this topic since he seems more plugged into their work than the many of us.  Is determining what's best for a private business really in the scope of influence of a government board or commission?



#11 John T Roberts

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 11:36 AM

I really can't comment on the Texas de Brazil case because I have not seen any information on it.  I also did not attend the meeting.  The only thing that I know is from the article posted in the Fort Worth Business Press.  Usually, the only information that I receive from them are the agendas and new building cases.



#12 Austin55

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 12:50 PM

I agree.  Of the few top of building sign proposals that have come up recently, I've yet to see one that looked garish or tacky.  I occasionally here that it would make FW look like Dallas and one poster even said that Dallas resembled Las Vegas.  Outside of the Omni (a little flashy, but some of the lighting schemes they've done are really cool) and Reunion Tower (almost subtle), rooftop signage in Dallas is pretty unmemorable.  It sounds like, in FW, it's a case of "we've never done it, so we shouldn't change" and that is a pretty lame excuse.  

 

I haaate the signs on the new Mckinney & Olive tower. They are subtle, but just haphazardly placed, and take away from the building's signature element. 



#13 renamerusk

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 01:30 PM

 ..... Is determining what's best for a private business really in the scope of influence of a government board or commission?

 

Yes, I agree with your questioning. 

 

WeWork affirmatively states that the signage is essential to their business plan.  It is also why City Center was able to lease space to them when very likely, Sundance Square refused to do so. I am thinking that is SS is allowed to put a "fly in the ointment, it will be the "gateway drug" that regulates the terms of who can do business Downtown.  The precedent is not signage, its over reach by SS.  I wonder what and how many businesses have decided to skip Fort Worth because of this kind of chicanery.

 

SS wants to have its cake and to eat it too. 



#14 Jeriat

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Posted 05 November 2017 - 08:36 PM

I don't mind logos on towers at all. In fact, I'd prefer that SOME of them have one. I think it just depends on the building's style.


7fwPZnE.png

 

8643298391_d47584a085_b.jpg


#15 John T Roberts

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Posted 06 November 2017 - 08:53 AM

I received a little more information on the Downtown Design Review Board Meeting today.  That information was only on the voting on each case.  It didn't tell me a lot, but one of the cases we didn't discuss, was the signage package for the new Hilton Garden Inn on Jones.  The Board did not approve the waiver for the top of building signage to be more than one line of text.  They did approve the top of building signage for one line of text on this building only.  They also allowed a larger area of signs for the base of the building and they asked the architects to use the hotel's logo as an architectural design feature.



#16 pelligrini

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Posted 06 November 2017 - 10:42 AM

Can someone post a picture of a city with too much (in your opinion) top of building signage?  I'm really not seeing an issue here.

 

 

I agree.  Of the few top of building sign proposals that have come up recently, I've yet to see one that looked garish or tacky.  I occasionally here that it would make FW look like Dallas and one poster even said that Dallas resembled Las Vegas.  Outside of the Omni (a little flashy, but some of the lighting schemes they've done are really cool) and Reunion Tower (almost subtle), rooftop signage in Dallas is pretty unmemorable.  It sounds like, in FW, it's a case of "we've never done it, so we shouldn't change" and that is a pretty lame excuse.  

 

I was at the Bomb Factory last night in Deep Elm for Jesus and Mary Chain, and I took some good looks at the East side of downtown Dallas. I wish I would have grabbed a photo, but I was thinking about some recent top of building signage discussions in other threads. I don't remember the brands and names now but I really thought the great big red letters sure were fugly, as well as most of the other lit up signage. 


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#17 renamerusk

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Posted 17 December 2017 - 02:07 PM

..... The Frost Tower is 12 feet shorter than the roof of the old Landmark Tower/Continental National Bank.....As for the lighting, we will have to wait to see how that appears.  If approved, the Frost logo will affect the building's appearance on the skyline at night.  It will also be interesting to see if the logo will be allowed on the east and west sides of the top of the building.  It is against the Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines to install a corporate logo above the 10th floor (120 feet) on a building.

 

What is truly interesting will be to observe how Fort Worth handles this important crossroad.  Those who are interested in bringing new development and clients to Downtown will be watching for a signal as to whether the old guard retains its veto power over simply allowing a logo to be included on a project on  Downtown developments or whether Fort Worth genuinely desires a diversity of developers to carry the revitalization of Downtown who will likely have clients who view their brand as an intrical part of their business model.



#18 renamerusk

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Posted 16 September 2019 - 02:40 PM

Building Colors. 

 

How do you feel about the exterior color of buildings?

 

I do like colorization as a contrast to the neutral tinted glass and steel so ubiquitous in today's modern skylines.  I like the green of the Tower Condos, the red of the Sundance West Tower with its green cap; and as earlier commented by me, I think the charcoal color of the AC Hotel will be sprinkle more color to the Fort Worth Skyline.



#19 johnfwd

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Posted 18 September 2019 - 06:05 AM

A more sprinkling of color is needed for the south end of downtown.  Drab is the word for the complexion of the cluster of buildings around AT&T and the federal building. 






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