Historic Designations:
National Register of Historic Places
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
City of FW Highly Significant Endandgered Landmark
Wyatt C. Hedrick, with Herman P. Koeppe as designer, planned this monumental railroad complex on the south end of Downtown. The complex consisted of three functions, a railroad passenger terminal, an office building, and a separate warehouse facility. The entire complex was designed in the Zigzag Moderne Style of Art Deco. Land was also given to the United States Postal Service to build a new Post Office for the city. That building was completed in 1933, but was not designed in the Art Deco Style. It was also designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick. The building is in my opinion, the best example of Art Deco Architecture present in Fort Worth. The exterior features an eagle in a zigzag motif over the main entry. Even though the exterior is very elaborate, the interior passenger lobby and office building lobbies are even more spectacular. The two story section between the Terminal Building and the Post Office housed the Railway Express. When the complex was built, the railroads handled all parcels over a certain size. Also included on the second floor of this section was the railway's kitchen. They prepared most of the meals served on the trains passing through the station. The lobby with its magnificent ceiling has been artfully restored by the architectural/engineering firm of Gideon Toal and the contractor was Beckman Construction Company. Commuter rail service started on December 3, 2001, serving as the western terminus of the Trinity Railway Express. At one time, plans were announced to convert the building into a 330 room, rail-themed hotel. However, this project was scrapped. A newer plan converted the building into lofts for sale and construction of a new low-rise apartment building to the east of the tower. The lofts opened in July of 2006.
Historic Photographs of building and development from the Jack White Collection:
W.D. Smith view of building - 1931
Bill Wood 1931 Aerial
Architectural Style:
Art Deco/Zig-Zag Moderne
Architect:
Wyatt C. Hedrick, Fort Worth
Contractor:
P.O'B. Montgomery, Dallas
Category:
Commuter Rail Terminal/Residential
