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The SMARTEST Decision for Downtown Ever Made.

Downtown Development History

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Poll: Smart Moves (25 member(s) have cast votes)

What was the best decision made for downtown?

  1. Moving I-30, reopening Lancaster Ave. (2 votes [8.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 8.00%

  2. Renovating The Tower (1 votes [4.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 4.00%

  3. Sundance Square (13 votes [52.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 52.00%

  4. Keeping the Courthouse / Getting rid of the old Civil Courts Bldg. (0 votes [0.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 0.00%

  5. Building the ITC (1 votes [4.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 4.00%

  6. Replacing the Arnold Projects (2 votes [8.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 8.00%

  7. Trinity River Vision (2 votes [8.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 8.00%

  8. NOT building a higway around the northside, creating a loop around downtown. (4 votes [16.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 16.00%

  9. Something I didn't think of (State your answer) (0 votes [0.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 0.00%

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#1 Jeriat

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 12:00 AM

We've lost some classic buildings and other gems in this town, mainly in downtown. But there have also been some good moves, past, present, and even future. 
 
Out of all, which one was the absolute best decision made for downtown? Here are the candidates:
 
 
- Lancaster Revival
 
Moving a section of I-30 to the south reopened what is probably the most vital east-west corridor of not only downtown, but the entire central core of Fort Worth, linking 3 landmark buildings with the rest of downtown and making the southern edge of downtown much more valuable again.
 
oE4nb3o.jpg
 
 
 
- B.O.B. is Dead. Long live "The Tower"
 
After the March 2000 tornado, one of the buildings that took the most damage was one of our tallest skyscrapers. Formerly the Bank One Building (I'm sure the older crowd remembers National Bank), this tower took a direct hit, blowing out nearly all of the windows and making people wonder what the fate of the 1970's skyscraper would be just a few months later. Thankfully, it was saved and converted into our city's tallest residential building. The bonus of this decision was making a very bland, typical skyscraper into one of our best looking buildings. 
 
towerfromblackstone_small.jpg
 
 
 

 
- Square Bass
 
Between WWII era and the mid/late 90's, downtown was NOT a place you would want to be after 5pm. And sometime, not at all. Then the Bass family came along. They are the major reason why the heart of downtown was revitalized, becoming what is one of the best downtown areas in the United States. After years and years of neglect, careful planning and smart investments/building brought us Sundance Square. From the early 90's on, we saw restoration, plenty of new buildings that look old, a grand plaza that saw ESPN twice, a great urban mural depicting Fort Worth's wild west roots, and plenty of "Schwarz".
 
And yet, there's still much more to the plan that hasn't even begun yet... 
 
fort_worth_master_plan_02.jpg
 
 
 
 
 
- One shall stand, one shall fall  
 
This is a "two-parter" in a way. There were plans (though I'm not too sure how serious they were) to get rid of our Courthouse and replace it with a new courthouse to "complement" the now demolished (thank God) old Civil Courts Building. It was a good thing the city decided not to make that happen, if they even really considered such a thing, and kept our city's main landmark in tact. 

... the other side of this? Again, THE OLD CIVIL COURTS BUILDING IS GONE! That soul-sucking box that had to be painted to match the Courthouse is no longer standing and blocking the western side of a far superior building. Another good thing is that the Civil Courts only halfway decent feature, the angels, were saved and are now placed on the new Civil Courts Building. 
 
Court-House-2013-01LR.jpg
 
 
 
 
 
- Intermodal  
 
The ITC... I think it speaks for itself on why it was a smart decision. 
 
 
itc-2_small.jpg
 
 
 
 
- Campus over Complex 
 
Though it may be harsh, you have to admit that getting rid of the Ripley Arnold Housing Project was a major plus for downtown. It was part of the reason why you wouldn't want to be in downtown after 5pm. Originally, it was Radio Shack's campus for their headquarters, but it then became TCC's Trinity West campus. Pretty decent trade... 
 
ripleyarnold.jpg
 
 
 
 
- 200' X 200'.... or something like that
 
Like Portland, Fort Worth has small city blocks. In a small way, it takes away the feeling that you're in a huge urban jungle and doesn't make you feel like the next building is a football field away. I'm not sure if this is what it meant to be when the city was originally planned back in the 1800's, but it was a good choice not to have a million "mega blocks" in downtown.
 
 
 
 
- A Panther's Vision for Uptown an Island
 
Basically an expansion of downtown, the long planned TRV is becoming a reality. Formerly called "Trinity Uptown", the area of future mixed used development and home to a lovable rebuilt minor league ballpark for the Cats was renamed Panther Island. After all, it will be an island. The flood plan grew into a plan to include more office and residential buildings. More recreational parks and canals. More opportunities to create something unique and awe inspiring. With the 3 new bridges being built, we are well on our way to seeing this become a reality. 
 
 
trinity-uptown-fort-worth-texas.jpg


Free Range

We don't have another highway rounding the north side of downtown, making it much easier to expand and it makes for better connectivity to the north side. One of the many things about Fort Worth that I'm glad we DIDN'T take from Houston and Dallas.


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#2 Austin55

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 12:58 AM

TRV is to early to tell. And not really part of downtown. 

 

Moving I-30... hasn't really panned out either. Lancaster Ave. is itself a nice street but not much has happened on it yet, still. So I can't really vote for that. I think it could have been handled better to, shorting the flyover ramps around the Public Market. Perhaps, the whole thing could have been buried, big dig or Klyde Warren style. Bu it did have a big influence on something else... 

 

I'm not to familiar with the old Ripley Arnold complex but TCC is quite nice, however it's downtown impact is perhaps negligible. What it's done is bring in a lot of commuters (including me...) and it's location outside the core, between two jails and having to cross two large streets (Belknap and Weathorford) makes accessing the core rather difficult. 

 

ITC- Yay, Amtrak and TRE and a lot of buses. Meh. Had this included light rail, streetcars or development along nearby blocks, I'd consider it as one. 

 

Renovating the Tower- Certainly a beautiful turn to the skyline, and great at street level. Made many realize that downtown is a place to live. The restaurants and retail are good for anyone in the area. Bassicly a flawless decision. The best? Perhaps not, but certainly a very good one. Also gave downtown's best ambassador, Mr. Luenser, a home. 

 

Not tearing down the courthouse is a pretty damn good idea. I wonder how serious the plans were though? I could say "Eh let's not drop a nuke in downtown, that'd be the best idea ever!" It's a subject I don't know much about. But a very good decision indeed. 

 

Sundance- The only problem is that Sundance is'nt one decision per say, but many. But overall, the best thing to happen to DTFW I'd say. Sundance as a whole has given us a world class performing arts hall, world class urban plaza, a huge variety of restaurants, several thousand sq. feet of office space, saved and restored a number of historic buildings, and given many more a place to live. And like you said, it's not done.  Going back to my I-30 answer, this may have been one of the most important moments in DTFW history,

 

 

 

Now to ‘83.  The U.S. Department of Transportation planned to expand an overhead freeway on the south end of downtown Fort Worth, which would have placed a Philip Johnson-designed water garden in shade for most of the day.  A group of prominent citizens, under the leadership of Robert M. Bass, organized to fight these plans on environmental and preservation grounds.  Intent on hiring the best preservation lawyer in the country, Mr. Bass found Mr. Bonderman, who agreed to take the case.  And so CITIZEN ADVOCATES FOR RESPONSIBLE EXPANSION, INC. (I-CARE) et al., Plaintiffs, v. Elizabeth DOLE, et al., Defendants, was launched.  Enter Schwarz, who testified on the neighborhood-destroying impact of overhead freeways.

 

http://dmsasparchmen...-in-fort-worth/

 

 

If I could submi my own, I seem to remember reading about a plan that would have had Belknap and Henderson turned into elevated, multi lane highways, creating a complete circle around downtown FW into an island. Many U.S. cities ended up with this fate (Dallas, for one) thankfully we are only bordered by highways on 2 sides and a river on the other 2. 

 

 

 

 

The sad thing is, you could make a list just as long about FW's worst decision. Tearing down the Medical Arts Building and building Burnett. Tearing down the Aviation building for 777. Removing the Tandy Subway. Tearing down the entirety of Hell's Half acre.  Some would say building TCC's nursing school. Building Pier 1 HQ so far out. A lot of things. 



#3 johnfwd

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 07:00 AM

I voted for TRV and, yes, right now it isn't part of downtown.  However, if Trinity Uptown becomes fully developed commercially and residentially (and hopefully having a high rise or two), along with transportation infrastructure links like the planned bridges, it will eventually merge with and become part of downtown.

 

Sundance Square is a close second because it provided a cultural spark to the spirit of downtown.



#4 Jeriat

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 07:36 AM

TRV is to early to tell. And not really part of downtown. 
 
Moving I-30... hasn't really panned out either. Lancaster Ave. is itself a nice street but not much has happened on it yet, still. So I can't really vote for that. I think it could have been handled better to, shorting the flyover ramps around the Public Market. Perhaps, the whole thing could have been buried, big dig or Klyde Warren style. Bu it did have a big influence on something else... 
 
I'm not to familiar with the old Ripley Arnold complex but TCC is quite nice, however it's downtown impact is perhaps negligible. What it's done is bring in a lot of commuters (including me...) and it's location outside the core, between two jails and having to cross two large streets (Belknap and Weathorford) makes accessing the core rather difficult. 
 
ITC- Yay, Amtrak and TRE and a lot of buses. Meh. Had this included light rail, streetcars or development along nearby blocks, I'd consider it as one. 
 
Renovating the Tower- Certainly a beautiful turn to the skyline, and great at street level. Made many realize that downtown is a place to live. The restaurants and retail are good for anyone in the area. Bassicly a flawless decision. The best? Perhaps not, but certainly a very good one. Also gave downtown's best ambassador, Mr. Luenser, a home. 
 
Not tearing down the courthouse is a pretty damn good idea. I wonder how serious the plans were though? I could say "Eh let's not drop a nuke in downtown, that'd be the best idea ever!" It's a subject I don't know much about. But a very good decision indeed. 
 
Sundance- The only problem is that Sundance is'nt one decision per say, but many. But overall, the best thing to happen to DTFW I'd say. Sundance as a whole has given us a world class performing arts hall, world class urban plaza, a huge variety of restaurants, several thousand sq. feet of office space, saved and restored a number of historic buildings, and given many more a place to live. And like you said, it's not done.  Going back to my I-30 answer, this may have been one of the most important moments in DTFW history,
 

 
 Now to 83.  The U.S. Department of Transportation planned to expand an overhead freeway on the south end of downtown Fort Worth, which would have placed a Philip Johnson-designed water garden in shade for most of the day.  A group of prominent citizens, under the leadership of Robert M. Bass, organized to fight these plans on environmental and preservation grounds.  Intent on hiring the best preservation lawyer in the country, Mr. Bass found Mr. Bonderman, who agreed to take the case.  And so CITIZEN ADVOCATES FOR RESPONSIBLE EXPANSION, INC. (I-CARE) et al., Plaintiffs, v. Elizabeth DOLE, et al., Defendants, was launched.  Enter Schwarz, who testified on the neighborhood-destroying impact of overhead freeways.

 
http://dmsasparchmen...-in-fort-worth/
 
 
If I could submi my own, I seem to remember reading about a plan that would have had Belknap and Henderson turned into elevated, multi lane highways, creating a complete circle around downtown FW into an island. Many U.S. cities ended up with this fate (Dallas, for one) thankfully we are only bordered by highways on 2 sides and a river on the other 2. 
 
 
 
 
The sad thing is, you could make a list just as long about FW's worst decision. Tearing down the Medical Arts Building and building Burnett. Tearing down the Aviation building for 777. Removing the Tandy Subway. Tearing down the entirety of Hell's Half acre.  Some would say building TCC's nursing school. Building Pier 1 HQ so far out. A lot of things. 

All good points, but keep in mind, this is just about which decision was best, not about which plans came into FULL ffruition

Like for Lancaster... If that portion of the highway had NOT of been moved, there would be absolutely no chance of that edge of downtown developing. We may have even lost one of the 3 buildings by now.

 

 

(EDIT: I accidently erased the poll, but remembered one very vital thing that needed to be addressed. Sorry about that.)


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#5 Russ Graham

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 10:55 AM

I voted Sundance Square - but I agree with you that there have been a lot of good decisions made that have moved downtown in the right direction.   A pretty good list in all.



#6 Dylan

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Posted 22 July 2014 - 08:08 PM

As far as I'm concerned, Panther island should never be considered part of downtown. There is a river and elevation change seperating the two.

 

Let them keep their seperate identities.

 

---------

 

EDIT: No surprise that Sundance Square is leading the poll. That's what I voted for.


-Dylan


#7 JBB

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Posted 23 July 2014 - 12:04 PM

I voted for Sundance, but I believe the renovation of The Tower was just as important in keeping the resurgence of DT FW moving forward during times when the economy wasn't so hot. TRV could be very big someday, but I would have a hard time voting for it now when there's still a chance it doesn't happen.

#8 Jeriat

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Posted 23 July 2014 - 08:24 PM

I guess putting Sundance on here was pretty much an unfair thing to do. lol. 

But I know what I put down weren't the only good decisions for downtown made. Anyone have any other entries? 


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#9 JBB

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Posted 23 July 2014 - 08:51 PM

XTO's ongoing renovation of historic properties.

This will sound crazy because it was an incident and not a decision, but the tornado certainly had an enormous impact on development in the downtown and the west side.

#10 Austin55

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Posted 23 July 2014 - 10:51 PM

^ Is it really still on going though? I thought it was just Simpson behind it and now he's just doing it on his own (ST building)



#11 mmmdan

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Posted 24 July 2014 - 06:37 AM

I had to vote for Sundance Square as well.  It seems to me that it was a really big catalyst for everything else to follow.

 

Found this blog from DMS Architects where they discuss what downtown had become and what the vision for it was.

http://dmsasparchmen...-place-to-walk/

 

While some people think there is too much Swartz downtown, it sounds to me like they really understand what makes a city tick.

 

The heart of a city is really the people.  Everything else is secondary.

 

I want to say that one of the original poll options was the 200' block.  While that block size was created quite organically originally (because everyone used to have to walk), I think that the fact that Fort Worth didn't change that significantly over the years has definitely helped with the revitalization.  As was mentioned in the Worthington replacement thread, people don't like walking next to big blank walls.



#12 renamerusk

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Posted 24 July 2014 - 10:12 AM

Given the opportunity, I would vote for the whole lot, except for one.

 

Great discussion, Jeriat.



#13 johnfwd

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Posted 24 July 2014 - 02:52 PM

Two of the above choices rank fairly low, but time will tell.  One we've discussed at length--TRV--depends partly on future economic conditions and partly on political will to follow through.  The other choice, moving I-30 to cast the spotlight on Lancaster, needs to get moving.  The Lancaster corridor remains abysmal, despite the median lighting.



#14 Fort Worthology

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Posted 25 July 2014 - 08:04 AM

I voted for not building more highways around downtown - if DTFW had been as choked by highways as many cities, even Sundance Square might not have been the success it has been thus far.  (I-30 and I-35 are plenty harmful as they are.)

 

At a low level though, I'd vote for the small block sizes.


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#15 Jeriat

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 07:58 AM

The poll was missing a topic. Don't know how that happened, but you all got the message. My favorite thing about downtown is just the level of opportunity and space we have. It's almost like a blank canvas....

I'll post a poll for the WORST decisions later today.


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#16 Nitixope

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 08:21 AM

Why couldn't they have tunneled I-30 and maintained the connection between downtown and Near Southside?  They did it with I-94 in Minneapolis.

https://en.wikipedia...wry_Hill_Tunnel

 

Lowry_Hill_Tunnel2.jpg



#17 johnfwd

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 08:45 AM

Is another tunnel bridge warranted?  We already have three, Jennings/Main, Lamar/Hemphill connector, and Henderson.



#18 Austin55

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 09:13 AM

Gotta love that Minneapolis dug a tunnel for a highway and then... put an eight lane road on top.



#19 Nitixope

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 09:38 AM

Gotta love that Minneapolis dug a tunnel for a highway and then... put an eight lane road on top.

 

The eight lane road (Hennepin and Lyndale Avenues) existed long before the freeway or tunnel.  It proves that you can take two of the busiest streets converging in Minneapolis and preserve the urban landscape while running a major interstate underneath it.  There's tons of important features through that section of the city including Loring park, the sculpture garden, the Walker Art Center, St. Mark's, Henn Ave UMC, the Basilica a little further up.  

 

1957

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1966

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2019:

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#20 JBB

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 12:04 PM

Gotta love that Minneapolis dug a tunnel for a highway and then... put an eight lane road on top.

 

Yeah, I thought the same thing.  I'm not sure that connectivity was the goal of that one.



#21 txbornviking

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 02:07 PM

Gotta love that Minneapolis dug a tunnel for a highway and then... put an eight lane road on top.

 

sorta like Seattle digging a tunnel to replace a double decker highway THEN also putting an 8 lane stroad atop the tunnel...

but also, what breaks my brain thinking about is I-30 as it currently is was completed approx 20years ago... assuming a 50yr life span for those bridges it's on now, we're only like 10years away from planning efforts to begin on what comes next....



#22 Jeriat

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Posted 21 April 2023 - 10:41 PM

Gotta love that Minneapolis dug a tunnel for a highway and then... put an eight lane road on top.

Meanwhile, for Kansas City...

 

 


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