40 replies to this topic

[John T Roberts]

How many of you have shopped at the Super Target in Montgomery Plaza? Also, please explain your reasons why you are supporting or not supporting the project.

[Wildcard]

Yup, I've been in there twice already.

[cberen1]

I work downtown and live in University West. There is no place more convenient for me to buy groceries and household items. I was there yesterday and was very pleased with the store and the convenience of the whole thing.

I will definitely be back.

[krepanie]

Plan on buying groceries there every week...it is the closest "grocery" store.

[Brian Luenser]

Have done one large shopping. Will go back at least weekly. Very nice store... no surprise there. Clean, well stocked, well staffed and as usual for Target, they don't make you stand in a long line like that other big discounter. They think my time is valuable. (I won't tell them I make $4.00/hr.)

I like the Montgomery Plaza project. (Am disappointed by the inconsistent century of the exterior of first story of main structure, but love the rest... including the tunnel through) I am thrilled with the look of the Target itself. (It is a big box retailer, after-all)

Have not heard anything about the residences there... How much $? How big?, When? etc...

[hooked]

I've been there four times in the past week. I walked once, Saturday morning. It took about a half hour going (downhill), and thirty-five minutes getting home (uphill, with purchases).

Security tried to chase me off the railroad tracks, but since the guy worked for the construction company and not the railroad, I kept walking and pretended like I didn't speak English. He drove off, mumbling about foreigners.

[redhead]

John, I had my first experience there yesterday. It's clean and very convenient (work in the CD, live DT). Produce was fresh, meats looked good, but they are higher than WM's prices. I just paid 49 cents for bell peppers, ST's were 89/each. The OJ I always buy was more, and the meat prices seemed a bit up there...but it was a nice store.

[courtnie]

Had my first visit today..and its great!!! Felt like I was in the Grapevine Target..Its nice that its so close to home. Also went into Marshalls....great addition..keep the great store coming...I love it!!

[Anne]

I have been anxiously waiting for the S-T to open, especially since the Minyard's on Camp Bowie closed. I wasn't able to be there the first day it was open, but managed the next one....nearly had the place to myself...heaven!

It's delightful to see some new activity along the 7th Street corridor. [size=4]

[safly]

If I'm not mistaken, it seems that the MWST project will have the same store brands as the Watauga Shopping Center off of 377. Interesting. Should expect to see a Buffalo Wings Place come in, perhaps a Burger Kang, and a Thai restaurant. Perhaps.

[John T Roberts]

Here are the tenants that have been confirmed:

OPEN:

Super Target
Marshall's
Wachovia Financial Center

UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND APPROXIMATE OPENINGS:

Petsmart Completion Date: December 2005
Office Depot Completion Date: February 2006
Ross Dress For Less Completion Date: March 2006
Pier 1 Imports 433 Carroll Street; Completion Date: December 2005
Pei Wei Asian Diner 2600 W. 7th; Completion Date: February 2006
Gloria's Restaurant 2600 W. 7th; Completion Date: January 2006
Subway 501 Carroll St.; Completion Date: December 2005
Mattress Giant 501 Carroll St.; Completion Date: January 2006
GNC 501 Carroll St.; Completion Date: December 2005

[safly]

Sounds 80% exact in what the Wautauga STarget Shopping Center has. Wouldn't expect much different.

[vjackson]

I worked in FW today, and although I didn't shop at ST, I did drive through the tunnel in the MW building. It was awesome!!!! I really like it. The retail spaces and lighting really looks good. I think the building itself will have an urban feel to it, especially if the cooler shops and restuarants are located in the building. The shopping area behind MW is a major disappointment. That parking lot is huge!!! There is plenty of landscapping which I guess makes it look a little better. Hopefully the lofts will get developed soon. I wouldn't want one facing north though, my loft wouldn't feel cool overlooking a surburban nightmare like that.

[John T Roberts]

I have also driven between the wings of the building, and even though I opposed the hole, that space is probably the best part of the entire project.

[JBB]

The center drive would be even better if they had set the entries to the two shop strips up against that drive rather than back against Carroll St. and the rr tracks.

[cberen1]

I dislike the remaining cat-walks. Are those supposed to go away at some point?

[John T Roberts]

Cberen1, those "catwalks" are brand new. They were constructed to provide pedestrian and vehicular access between the two wings of the building. Originally, the center bay of the front facade and the back walkway on floors 2 through 8 provided the horizonal connections between the two wings. Remember, when originally constructed the building was a donut with the corridors on the north and south ends. When each wing was expanded northward, it put the back walkway in the middle of the building. To answer your question directly, no they will not be removed.

[courtnie]

I agree John...the best part of the whole thing was driving through there..I dont like the hole but man..that is a nice view and will have great shopping.... I cant wait...

[shipman]

My wife is a big-time Super Target devotee, so I've been in there about twice a week since it opened (now we don't have to drive down to Overton Ridge)... Nice store and very convenient for the neighborhood, but I must say I'm a little disappointed by a lot of the other retailers slated to move into the development...

[John T Roberts]

Wachovia Bank faces the center drive. I don't know the definite locations of the smaller retail tenants inside the warehouse to say which direction each one faces. Once the drive is open to pedestrians, it might be easier to tell. I know that a couple of tenants inside the warehouse have already taken out permits for construction. Maybe a drive through the center looking for permit tags might help to determine their placement.

[Thurman52]

Stopped by after work Monday night... I was very pleased with space and atmosphere of the store.

What I really like is the ammount of downtow workers stopping in for grocery etc...

[1849]

Live in Oakhurst and like not having to deal with the traffic in Hurst to shop at Target. Now buy groceries at Target. I love it. Can't wait to get some drinks at Gloria's

[vjackson]

I worked in FW today and stopped at ST before heading back to Dallas. I must say it is truly a wonderful store...very clean, friendly and helpful staff. I still hate the surban style of the project. I do however love driving through the tunnel. I had said earlier that I would have rather seen the tunnel used as a pedestrian area only, but now that I've seen the parking and sidewalk layouts, I really like it. It reminds me alot of Mockingbird Station here in Dallas. Another reason I hate the style of the shopping center is that I've never seen the Montgomery Ward building from the rear before. It has a much cooler urban industrial look from the back. It the lofts are ever completed it kills me that instead of looking out onto a complimentary urban enviroment, they'll overlook that huge parking lot and a shopping center that came straight out of Addison.

[mosteijn]

I bought some candy there the other day while I was at Trinity Park. The interior looks almost exactly like the Cityview store, which isn't a bad thing. The only thing that sets this apart from its inferior, suburban counterparts is the incredible skyline view. Coming out of the door it hits you like WOAH! It feels cool but at the same time it's a sad reminder that such bad design/planning is so close to the inner city.

[safly]

Yes. I made an EMERGENCY visit to purchase some NEW Hanes. Bad bicycle "spill" near the Trinity trails. I must admit, this project has certainly hit me by surprise. Much like that defenseless turtle of an obstacle that laid before me. Never knew the human body could contort that way in mid-air.

[redhead]

TMI! TMI! I dont't want to have to think about Safly's shorts---or worse: the need to replace them on short order. (no pun intended for the future restauranter...

[safly]

HA! It was just a joke, I have NEVER been to the MW ST. I figure with everyone chiming in if they have shopped there and were telling THE FORUMers not only that they had shopped there but what innocent little products they actually purchased . I found it a little odd and worthy of a little humor. Sorry to offend and SUDDENLY STAIN your view about ME. LOL!

[safly]

If there are still any who doubt the negative effect of this project, just read the last few posts!

ROFLMHAO!

That was a good one hughsey.

[Sam Alcorn]

I was back in Fort Worth very briefly on Dec. 15th and 16th. I went down to check out the MW project one of those nights, and while I love what they've done with the Montgomery Ward's building, I was appalled by the shopping center behind it. An exurban-style sea of parking in front of chain retailers only 1 mile from downtown? Puke! Why do our zoning laws allow such abominations so close to the city center? As Safly pointed out, it's exactly the same strip center as was just built in one of those exurbs (I don't care to remember which one). I can't argue with grocery shopping near downtown, but come on! It seems to me as if Fort Worth is striving to become more like Phoenix than like Portland.

That said, I am very glad that the Mongomery Ward's building is finally coming to some useful purpose. I dreamed as a child, ever since I saw the movie Big, of living in the top floor of that building, and I'm glad someone will finally be able to live out my dream. That dream, however, never included multiple acres of surface parking ringed with the same stores I can find 15 miles outside of town. Save that stuff for Bedford and Arlington. Why is it that Denver, where I'm living now, can support booming development downtown and near downtown, while Fort Worth, with the same population as Denver, and a larger metro area population than Denver's metro area population, seems to stagnate and produce stuff like this? I'd like to move back at some point, but not to that. Why does Fort Worth always seem to be at least 15-20 years behind everywhere else?

[safly]

[quote]Why is it that Denver, where I'm living now, can support booming development downtown and near downtown, while Fort Worth, with the same population as Denver, and a larger metro area population than Denver's metro area population, seems to stagnate and produce stuff like this? [quote]

Good Q Mr. Alcorn, and welcome to the FORUM. I won't go LCE on you , but I do side with your assesment of local gubment and local development "Letdowns". BTW, do you own a car dealership in Denver? Just curious, you've got that car dealer name, "So Ya'll come on down to Sam Alcorn's GMC automotive this Saturday noon, we've got FREE hotdogs, FREE chimichangas, and FREE test drives. Thas RIGHT, so COME ON OVER to SAM Alcorn's GMC AutoMOTIVE and ask fer da weekender SAM Special! We'll treat ya right.".

So back on topic, I do agree with your angst about Denver v FW and the differ in urban development trends. It does bother me some in how it takes sooo long to get something so very WRONG. The main difference I see is that taxation revenue may play into the higher end urban development role. I'm sure you're taxes are much higher there and the job market is coincidently plenty stronger than here. I have also observed that over time it seems that your beautiful city takes in plenty of outsiders (Californians) who influence DRAMATIC sweeping changes at the local and state gubment levels, and development(s). Things that they are used to seeing and acting upon back in their natives state(s). FW has none of that, so it will get none of that. Plus Denver I believe may have more Corp. Tax revenues. Not too shner.

Maybe that helps esssplain some of the arrangements over here. Peace.

BTW, BIG fan of your city and surrounding areas. Used to work for a Gart Sports holding in S.California. TSA, like I've said here before, great stock to own. Def. going places, like Conn's.

[Sam Alcorn]

Safly: no car dealerships, alas. I'm just a lowly architectural intern, trying to get into grad school. (Express mail by 5 tomorrow for my next application; I'll probably be pulling an all-nighter) I'm from Ft. Worth, and have only been gone 6 years, for 4 years of college in Connecticut and 2 years of work here in Denver (I'm 25). I've posted on the Forum before, but it's been quite a while. Incidentally, Gart Sports (I've met part of the Gart family: nice folks) has been owned by the Sports Authority for a few years, although they still have the Gart name around here. I noticed while I was back in FW that the Sports Authority has also bought Oshman's. Small world.

[safly]

Yup. TSA has it all. I worked for a popular CA and midwest regional sports retailer. Was invited to the, at the time, GART Sports ownership SUMMIT in Denver, CO(2000). Had a wonderful time, got to sit and chat with the then and now CEO, D. Morton and several Operating VP's. Based on how I was treated, I knew this retailer was going places. In fact I asked their RE Exec. about why they had properties in NM, but not TEXAS. They said they would work on it and they agreed that the TEXAS sports market is a SOUND MARKET. Well, wouldn't cha know it, 2 years later they march on in to the Lonestar State and start acquiring ol Oshman's (an old favorite). Works for me.

Never got to meet the Gart's, but they have really nice brick and mortar in CO. Give Cabella's a run for their money. Weather there in October was PERFECT. Company BBQ needed some work though.

Did you get your SNIAGRAB on this year?

[DrkLts]

On new years eve, me and my girlfriend made a stop at this Target for the first time ever for some party snacks. I finally made the effort to go and I was suprised how great this place looks. The pics on this forum is nothing compared to being there in person.
I read alot about how dissapointed some on here are about its "suburban look". Well, people insist on how FW is a big city with a small town feel.....this is PRIME EXAMPLE of what happens when that mentality spreads. I suppose the developers knew of FW's small town atmosphere and decided the area could use a small town shopping center. haha
So just what would of been a better idea for that area? Since we are not your typical big city, a suburban shopping center in the inner city can't be too out of the ordinary for FW

[Now in Denton]

[quote name='vjackson' date='Oct 18 2005, 04:59 PM' post='17475']
I did drive through the tunnel in the MW building. It was awesome!!!! I really like it.

I was thier first time at Target. And drove through the tunnel. The place is so great I love the tunnel. It was around 2:00 P.M. Saturday. and it was very very quiet in and around the store. But I know this will change.

I spent just to show my support. It was so odd thinking I wasn't in southwest Fort Worth . Seeing Pier One store with it's HQ looming large in it's background is nice to see.

( To bad Pier One as a whole is not doing well.)

[courtnie]

I was over in that area this past weekend and noticed a few more stores opening up and also noticed that there were lights on in the top of the MW building...any guesses as to whats going on?