89 replies to this topic

[Austin55]

There may already be a thread, but I could not find one. 

 

To be started in "Early 2014", south Main between Vickery and Magnolia will be repaved and redone. Wider sidewalks, on street park, narrower roads, and bike lanes are all part of the planned improvements. The project is a 4.5   $8.6 million dollar collaboration between the city and FWSI. 

 

 

More information here

 

This project really excites me as South Main has incredible potential. Beautiful existing historic architecture, and access between two of the cities urban districts, with potential to turn into it's own. 

I quite like how optimistic this rendering is, 

[Doohickie]

This one is long overdue.  S Main is a popular bike route.  I rode a ride with Betsy Price last year and pointed out how bad the pavement is, especially the bike lanes.  Pretty hideous.

 

There is already a burgeoning mini-center along S Main at Daggett.  The old Club Mystique now houses Amphibian Productions and a PR firm.  The Salon Upstairs is across the street on the east side of Main.  Down Daggett is Stir Crazy Baked Goods and a couple blocks down the old Supreme Golf Warehouse has been occupied by Fort Worth Bike Share and a new bar, Shipping & Receiving.  It's a great kernel to build on and there is some available space for other stuff to come in.  The construction may put a damper on anyone going in right way, but as soon as it's done I bet there will be a boomlet in that area.

[Fort Worthology]

Shipping & Receiving is one of my favorite bars in the Southside now.  Great ambiance and a really sweet music setup.  We've played there twice already and are performing again next Saturday with a New York band making it a stop on their tour.

 

The firm in the building with Amphibian is in fact marketing firm The Starr Conspiracy, where my old West & Clear blogging partner Steve is a partner.

[Now in Denton]

Do I see lighttrail in this rendering ? I know the bike lane was put in a few years ago .Their was not a lot of traffic back during the four lane days. But if this become a busy walking, biking, driving and rail lane on South Main. I'm concerned about emergency vehicle's. Or driving a loved one who is having a heart attack. Any number of medical emergencies. Coming down this busy street.

[Austin55]

Yea that is really becoming a hoping little area. I could see it becoming a booming area, with turning that industrial around and into proper buildings, it's close proximity to downtown and both highway and rail transit. It needs a name. North South Main doesn't sound to exciting. 

And don't forget about Victory healthcare looking to build some good looking and urban oriented buildings along S. Main to. So already there is some development coming along. 

I don't really see emergency vehicles being an issue. The streetcars are a loooong way out and purely visionary in that rendering, and the bike lines could be used as a place for cars to pull over in an emergency case of an ambulance passing by. Plus, the smoother streets may allow paramedics to do their thing more efficiently without being shaken about. 

[Doohickie]

The firm in the building with Amphibian is in fact marketing firm The Starr Conspiracy

I knew you'd jump into thread and provide that info.  I just couldn't think of it yesterday.

[Fort Worthology]

Fort Worth South held conversations with the various medical facilities about South Main during the planning process about emergency vehicles.  South Main isn't really a prime route for them, anyway, even before the reworkings began.  The bike lanes have been in place for a while now, and nobody's had an issue yet.

 

The remake will finally see the street re-paved, the sidewalks greatly widened, and street trees and lights installed (and benches, too).  South Main will resemble Magnolia in that regard.  I believe there's even been talk of lighting the trees the same way.  The bike lanes will stay, and the pedestrian experience will be improved by not only the wider sidewalks but also by bulb-outs at corners to shorten crossing distances.

 

And, I have it on good authority that the re-paving will not be just a cosmetic thing - the street will be engineered to support streetcar tracks, just in case the city council ever pulls its head out of its, well, you know.

[Fort Worthology]

The South Main reconstruction officially breaks ground on March 2nd.

 

http://fortworthtexa...1991fa-40171581

[Austin55]

Fantastic News!

[Dylan]

Where's the left turn lane?

[Doohickie]

It's an urban village, not a highway.  Personally I think it'd be cool if they made it no left turns and made you turn right, right, right.  It would increase the traffic flow on the parallel blocks.

[Fort Worthology]

In fact, there hasn't been a left turn lane on South Main (except in a couple of strategic spots) for years, ever since the city made permanent the guerrilla restriping that myself and other volunteers installed at Arts Goggle years back and removed it from the state highway system. The reconstruction's going to keep that configuration.

The vision for South Main is one of slow, tamed traffic, and a pedestrian-first design. We put things like bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and street parking ahead of a left turn lane on the priorities list, given the restricted road space (not dissimilar from, say, Bishop Arts District and Lowest Greenville).

[Doohickie]

And really.... Hemphill is just a few blocks to the west.

[mmmdan]

Reminds me of this article about the expansion of Highway 26 in Colleyville: http://www.star-tele...le11061752.html

 

The mayor expressed his thoughts about the expansion

 

Although he voted in favor, Mayor David Kelly expressed concerns about having a six-lane road that’s not supported by traffic counts. He said a large road could diminish the city’s rural atmosphere.

“I just want to make sure it’s Colleyville Boulevard and not Colleyville Highway,” he said.

Read more here: http://www.star-tele...l#storylink=cpy

 

 

You can't build for free flow of cars and expect it to be pedestrian friendly.  If the place is desirable, people will come regardless of how easy it is to drive through or park.

 

At the end of the day, with an urban village what you really want is people living/working/playing all in the same place.  The intent of an urban village is not to be a tourist destination or just a place that looks pretty for commuters to drive through.

[Electricron]

Reminds me of this article about the expansion of Highway 26 in Colleyville: http://www.star-tele...le11061752.html

 

The mayor expressed his thoughts about the expansion

 

Although he voted in favor, Mayor David Kelly expressed concerns about having a six-lane road that’s not supported by traffic counts. He said a large road could diminish the city’s rural atmosphere.

“I just want to make sure it’s Colleyville Boulevard and not Colleyville Highway,” he said.

Read more here: http://www.star-tele...l#storylink=cpy

 

 

You can't build for free flow of cars and expect it to be pedestrian friendly.  If the place is desirable, people will come regardless of how easy it is to drive through or park.

 

At the end of the day, with an urban village what you really want is people living/working/playing all in the same place.  The intent of an urban village is not to be a tourist destination or just a place that looks pretty for commuters to drive through.

I completely understand the difference between a boulevard and a highway.  What Fort Worth is doing is fine, especially after getting the State Highway designation dropped. What Colleville's mayor stated was wrong, as the road under discussion is still classified as a State Highway.  

[mmmdan]

What Fort Worth is doing in this case is great.  I was commenting more on the irony of the mayor simultaneously voting to make the road 6 lanes while not wanting to lose the rural nature of Colleyville.

[Dylan]

Would removing on-street parking for a left turn lane really be that detrimental to pedestrians?

 

Why not just plant trees and let the bike lanes act as a buffer? The sidewalks would be slightly wider.

 

Oh well, I guess I shouldn't be talking since I would like to see mildly disruptive streetcars on South Main.

[Austin55]

I think parking spaces are more important than a turn lane.

[mmmdan]

I wouldn't worry too much about people having a hard time making left turns.  If there isn't a break in the traffic after a while, I'm sure someone will stop and let them turn.  With only two traffic lanes, the left-turner won't have to worry about the one lane stopping so they can turn while the other lane keeps flying by if there were multiple lanes in each direction.

[gdvanc]

You NASCAR fans and your left turns, I tell ya...

[McHand]

The vision for South Main is one of slow, tamed traffic, and a pedestrian-first design. We put things like bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and street parking ahead of a left turn lane on the priorities list, given the restricted road space (not dissimilar from, say, Bishop Arts District and Lowest Greenville).

 

There should be a surface lot close to the Rosedale/S. Main intersection.  Maybe one between Rosedale & Pennsylvania. People should be able to park and venture north on foot. 

[Fort Worthology]

 

The vision for South Main is one of slow, tamed traffic, and a pedestrian-first design. We put things like bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and street parking ahead of a left turn lane on the priorities list, given the restricted road space (not dissimilar from, say, Bishop Arts District and Lowest Greenville).

 

There should be a surface lot close to the Rosedale/S. Main intersection.  Maybe one between Rosedale & Pennsylvania. People should be able to park and venture north on foot. 

 

 

Well, there's street parking all along 90% of South Main and street parking on virtually every side street, not counting any parking that developments have themselves (ideally screened from the street by the development itself).  That's a lot of available parking already that's available to any and all (not tied to a business), and it doesn't create a big dead space like a surface parking lot does.  (A lot of work that's made the Near Southside better is at least in some fashion related to *discouraging* big surface parking lots.

[Fort Worthology]

Came out of my years-long urban planning absence to attend the groundbreaking, thanks to encouragement from Councilwoman Zadeh.  Here we are.  

 

[Austin55]

A nice birthday present. This j the most exciting NS project since Magnolia had it done. It has the potential to change much more than a hospital expansion or 300 unit apartment building.

[Austin55]

Artist Benito Huerta is creating a public art project for the South Main Urban Village. Huerta will present his final design to the community on Monday, August 24 at 6:00 pm at Amphibian Stage Productions

http://artgroupsdfw..../benito-huerta/

Some of you will probably recognize his work, he had a large painting hanging in the Amon Carter's atrium for a while. 

 

Side note,  I'm not sure if any of ya'll have been paying much attention, but this project is well underway, however so far it's nothing photogenic. 

[John T Roberts]

I have been watching the work progress, either by bicycle or by car as I detour around the construction.

[Austin55]

I guess someone relevant to this, that weird section of Hattie street has been renamed to Pennsylvania, so now it's Hattie East of 35 and Pennsylvania West of it. Before the split was at Main. 

[John T Roberts]

I also noticed that change, as well.  I haven't paid attention to the signs, but technically, the section between Main and I-35W should be called East Pennsylvania Avenue, and the section west of Main should have to be renamed to West Pennsylvania.  This street is actually a result of connections between shifting street grids.  Look at the neighborhood at www.historicaerials.com.

[Doohickie]

In fact, there hasn't been a left turn lane on South Main (except in a couple of strategic spots) for years, ever since the city made permanent the guerrilla restriping that myself and other volunteers installed at Arts Goggle years back and removed it from the state highway system. The reconstruction's going to keep that configuration.

The vision for South Main is one of slow, tamed traffic, and a pedestrian-first design. We put things like bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and street parking ahead of a left turn lane on the priorities list, given the restricted road space (not dissimilar from, say, Bishop Arts District and Lowest Greenville).

While I won't argue with the implementation, to compare it to what it recently was won't hold water in 5-10 years when the area is largely redeveloped is not really valid.

[pelligrini]

I also noticed that change, as well.  I haven't paid attention to the signs, but technically, the section between Main and I-35W should be called East Pennsylvania Avenue, and the section west of Main should have to be renamed to West Pennsylvania.  This street is actually a result of connections between shifting street grids.  Look at the neighborhood at www.historicaerials.com.

The street signs west of I35 over to Main still read Hattie. I looked at most of them today on the way into the office remembering this thread from last week.

[Austin55]

Here's an update on the project from the city. Sounds like all is going well.

http://fortworthtexa.../01/South-Main/

[Austin55]

4/29/16

 

[Doohickie]

Finally getting ready to pour concrete.  It seems like it's been dirt forever.

[Austin55]

Here's how the Benito Huarta artwork pieces will look. There will be six of them total scattered along the length of the street. Each piece is 10 feet tall. 

 

[Doohickie]

Meanwhile, at the South Main Yacht Club....

 

[Dylan]

Geez, this project is taking too long!

[Austin55]

Starting to really wrap up. It's basically complete between Pennsylvania and Vickery, some details still in the work between Pennsylvania and Magnolia. 

 

 

[renamerusk]

"Nice, very nice".

[BlueMound]

Agreed. It was worth the wait.

[Austin55]

So far along the street we've seen

 

7 restored historic buildings

 

4 new business ventures so far (M*A*S*S*, Tacoheads, Taste Project, Locust Cider)

 

new 6 story apartment

 

new 3 story hospital & future campus expansion

 

2 new low-rise mixed use buildings

 

And I'm sure plenty more will come along in time. 

[Doohickie]

Starting to really wrap up. It's basically complete between Pennsylvania and Vickery, some details still in the work between Pennsylvania and Magnolia.

 

I'm a bit disappointed.  A few weeks ago the street lights were lit on Main from Vickery to Pennsylvania.  It looked beautiful and it made the street welcoming even after dark.  I was there last night and the street lights were off.  They seem to be in place all the way from Vickery to Magnolia, but they're not lit. 

 

Other than that, It looks wonderful.

[rriojas71]

Starting to really wrap up. It's basically complete between Pennsylvania and Vickery, some details still in the work between Pennsylvania and Magnolia.

 
I'm a bit disappointed.  A few weeks ago the street lights were lit on Main from Vickery to Pennsylvania.  It looked beautiful and it made the street welcoming even after dark.  I was there last night and the street lights were off.  They seem to be in place all the way from Vickery to Magnolia, but they're not lit. 
 
Other than that, It looks wonderful.

Doohickie I agree. When the lights are on at night it looks really quaint yet urban at the same time. Hopefully, this is just a matter of the area not being completed entirely.

[renamerusk]

The covered sidewalks are great.  More would be even greater.

[johnfwd]

We all welcome the remake with the new sidewalks, the late 19th century-looking street lights and Midwestern small town store fronts, and finally paved South Main.  I'm certainly glad to not have to drive on the "moon scape" that the street was.  But, my own traveling experience along South Main in recent years was either to go down to Rosedale or use it to cut across to the Rahr Brewery in that area.  I would not think to stop to shop there.  Regarding parking, it looks like the side-street parking scheme used Magnolia as a model--in other words, a few "inset" spaces and I don't see any meters in Austin's photo above (see Post#37).   What saves Magnolia regarding parking is that a lot of the establishments along that street have parking lots either in front or in the rear.  And also there are residential side streets where you can park.  I don't see that on South Main, though someone can correct me if I'm wrong.  Also looking at the photo I see only three cars.  Is this going to be a marketable area for retail establishments?

[JBB]

But, my own traveling experience along South Main in recent years was either to go down to Rosedale or use it to cut across to the Rahr Brewery in that area.  I would not think to stop to shop there.

Perhaps because there was nothing there? Maybe that's what you were getting at?

 
 

Is this going to be a marketable area for retail establishments?

See the quote below. Somebody has some confidence in this area coming together before long.

So far along the street we've seen

7 restored historic buildings

4 new business ventures so far (M*A*S*S*, Tacoheads, Taste Project, Locust Cider)

new 6 story apartment

new 3 story hospital & future campus expansion

2 new low-rise mixed use buildings

And I'm sure plenty more will come along in time.

[Electricron]

Looking great!

The city investing in infrastructure followed by private enterprises investing in the same area.

[Austin55]

NBC did a quick look at the street

http://www.nbcdfw.co...FlowFB_DFWBrand

[Austin55]

Star Telegram has done a nice comprehensive writeup. 

 

http://www.star-tele...e166712277.html

[rriojas71]

Awesome... when I moved back at the end of 2014 I always had a great vibe about this area and it being much more organic than Magnolia.

Nice mention of the FWHA building on the TRE's parking lot... him talking about it is encouraging.

[Doohickie]

Some night time pics, now that the street lights are lit: