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Fire-Eater

Member Since 28 Apr 2004
Offline Last Active Jul 06 2015 07:50 AM
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#92290 Fort Worth Stockyards

Posted by Fire-Eater on 06 July 2015 - 07:50 AM

I just read it, and I want to say thank you for writing this piece.  Of course, some will say that Montgomery Plaza was a great way to save a derelict and ugly warehouse

 

 

John, How much did the Fort Worth City Council give away for the Montgomery Plaza development?  If the building had been rehabilitated within federal standards for historic preservation, the investor could have received valuable investment tax credits.  Instead, the city council, as usual, gives the developer carte blanche and makes the taxpayers pay for it.  The city council doesn't believe holding developers to any standards -- other than money making -- and this is suspect, because the citizens always pay for it.  Usually in the back end.




#92251 Fort Worth Stockyards

Posted by Fire-Eater on 01 July 2015 - 01:17 PM

There is also another misconception here.  None of the preservationists that I know ever said they were against development.  Most have said they only want the new development to be compatible with the existing buildings and character of the area. 

 

John is SO right!  I favor development, but not laissez-faire development.  New development doesn't have to LOOK historic.  It must reflect the scale, materials, and forms found in the historic district.  The only way to affect this is DESIGN CONTROL over new construction.  Also, any "restoration" work on historic buildings should be in keeping with the Standards established by the Department of the Interior for historic preservation.

 

Who is a "preservationist?"  Is there ANYONE in this forum who is against preserving the Stock Yards???




#92250 Fort Worth Stockyards

Posted by Fire-Eater on 01 July 2015 - 12:07 PM

It is definitely time for the City Council to designate the Stock Yards as a local historic district with STRICT development controls and building restrictions for historic preservation.  This is a no brainer.  Cities like New Orleans and Charleston began setting the standard back in the 1930s.  Showcase American cities such as San Francisco, Savannah, New Orleans and Charleston make millions a year off of preserving their architectural legacy and the resulting tourism.

 

Heck, I bet fake cities like Southlake have stronger development controls!!!!

 

With all due respect to "private property rights" and the desires of the landowners, if stakeholders don't like it, they are free to sell and get out.  The Stock Yards is NO PLACE for people to "do as they please" with their historic buildings.  You want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg?  Then give developers a free hand with the Stock Yards -- you'll end up with a cross between the set of "Gunsmoke" and Frontierland at Disneyland.  ONLY with strict controls would you ever dare to let in the casinos -- otherwise you'll be looking at cheap and tawdry pseud-"historic" buildings.  Maybe they could put in one of those crappy looking "riverboat" casinos (a la Shreveport or Vicksburg) on Marine Creek.

 

CONTROL it or LOSE it.

 

 

 

tourism




#76204 WEDGWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT(!?)

Posted by Fire-Eater on 27 March 2013 - 07:45 AM

Let's DO IT!  It's time that this historic suburban neighborhood, established in 1956, is granted official Historic District status!!!

 

I've found a little about Wedgwood in the vertical file in the Fort Worth library's archives section.  There are, of course, city directories and a plat map there as well.

 

Can anyone out there suggest resources -- people, photographs, articles, books -- that can be used to write a historic narrative & context for Wedgwood?