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Texas A&M to build urban satellite campus in Fort Worth

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#1 JBB

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 06:36 AM

I decided to start a new topic since this has changed significantly from an expansion of the law school. Announcement today.

https://fortworthrep...own-fort-worth/

There is no timeline in this article. This is huge news to say the least.



#2 Doohickie

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 07:59 AM

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#3 Randall

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 08:06 AM

My niece Councilwoman Beck, graduated from A&M Law in DTFW. I’m sure she is proud of this expansion for A&M and Fort Worth.

#4 elpingüino

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 08:31 AM

There is no timeline in this article. This is huge news to say the least.


Star-Telegram says they'll break ground in mid/late 2022 and the first two buildings will open a year later. https://www.star-tel...e255671946.html

#5 apearson28

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 09:02 AM

Always great to see three surface parking lots (from what I can tell) eliminated! 



#6 John T Roberts

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 09:02 AM

I guess I will need to add the current building to the list of structures designed to have more floors added, but the additions never occurred, and the building was demolished at the initial construction height.  Of course, this will happen when it is demolished.



#7 Doohickie

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 09:58 AM

I would think the law school building will be demolished after the other two buildings are erected.  Move the law school temporarily into one of the new buildings while the law school building is rebuilt.


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#8 JBB

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 10:03 AM

That's the plan according to the first article.



#9 txbornviking

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 10:39 AM

am I wrong in reading this as showing Calhoun being closed between 13th and 16th street? as well as 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th between Calhoun and Jones?
 

TAMU_FTW_DOWNTOWN_CAMPUS_1-scaled-1.jpg?



#10 elpingüino

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 10:48 AM

am I wrong in reading this as showing Calhoun being closed between 13th and 16th street? as well as 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th between Calhoun and Jones?
 
TAMU_FTW_DOWNTOWN_CAMPUS_1-scaled-1.jpg?


Yes, Fort Worth Report says this courtyard pictured "will take over Calhoun Street, which will be shuttered for this project."

TAMU_FTW_DOWNTOWN_CAMPUS_6-scaled-1.jpg

#11 MorganRehnberg

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Posted 10 November 2021 - 02:11 PM

Closing the road will definitely help improve the campus feel. From these initial renderings, it seems like the buildings will very much face in on the courtyard. The lower floors of the buildings that face FW Central Station look like they will be mostly bare parking structure.

#12 Crestline

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 08:18 AM

Wow, this is huge!



#13 John T Roberts

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 08:45 AM

Hopefully, when the case goes before the Downtown Design Review Board, the architects will either dress up the bare parking garages, or the DDRB will ask them to improve the appearance of the garages. 



#14 Big Frog II

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 12:09 PM

A nice shot in the arm for that part of downtown.



#15 GenX

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 03:16 PM

Now those two lots to the south of this future campus looks very appetizing for some kind of development. For expansion ? As some are already hinting for more campus growth.  Or for a high tech company that will want to be next door ? I don't think anyone will miss the street separating the two lots to make it into one. It will be a super block, so what difference will adding two more lots to the campus harm ? 



#16 JBB

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 07:30 PM

Anyone think there's a chance that Sundance Square management will have a problem with someone attempting to create another plaza space downtown?



#17 Jeriat

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 07:33 PM

Anyone think there's a chance that Sundance Square management will have a problem with someone attempting to create another plaza space downtown?

My personal thoughts:

They can have a "problem" with it all they want . . . 

Downtown needs to grow past Sundance. Period. 


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#18 txbornviking

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 08:46 PM

 

Anyone think there's a chance that Sundance Square management will have a problem with someone attempting to create another plaza space downtown?

My personal thoughts:

They can have a "problem" with it all they want . . . 

Downtown needs to grow past Sundance. Period. 

 

 

speaking of Sundance, I thought it was interesting John Goff (of Crescent Real Estate) was a prominent speaker. 

I can't recall where I read the "theory" that the reason he from Ft. Worth had never done a project in Fort Worth before was a friendly détente with the Bass family and their Fort Worth interests.

 

Now suddenly here a very prominent figure with 2 very prominent projects in town.



#19 Jeriat

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Posted 11 November 2021 - 09:59 PM

 

 

Anyone think there's a chance that Sundance Square management will have a problem with someone attempting to create another plaza space downtown?

My personal thoughts:

They can have a "problem" with it all they want . . . 

Downtown needs to grow past Sundance. Period. 

 

 

speaking of Sundance, I thought it was interesting John Goff (of Crescent Real Estate) was a prominent speaker. 

I can't recall where I read the "theory" that the reason he from Ft. Worth had never done a project in Fort Worth before was a friendly détente with the Bass family and their Fort Worth interests.

 

Now suddenly here a very prominent figure with 2 very prominent projects in town.

 

And that's the direction we need to go...


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#20 Austin55

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Posted 12 November 2021 - 12:59 PM

Maybe Goff will build the new convention center hotel?

Back to A&M, if they are taking over 4 blocks, including road closures, I wonder if they could build some of the parking underground?

#21 tamtagon

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Posted 13 November 2021 - 07:14 AM

Adding to the Water Gardens should be part of this whole deal. 



#22 Crestline

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Posted 13 November 2021 - 08:46 AM

Anyone think there's a chance that Sundance Square management will have a problem with someone attempting to create another plaza space downtown?

 

I don't think they would have a problem with the envisioned A&M plaza because it's not competitive: while Sundance Square is a downtown dining and entertainment space, the A&M plaza would be a more staid academic space. In other words, there on the edge of town I don't imagine the A&M plaza being a public draw; it'll just be a nice amenity local to the student and faculty body.

 

Adding to the Water Gardens should be part of this whole deal. 

 

I think the water gardens could easily extend south to the Lancaster sidewalk, but I don't see how they'd extend east into the A&M project. Jump over Commerce and occupy some of the law school building acreage? 



#23 Austin55

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Posted 26 April 2022 - 08:20 AM

A&M Fort Worth has it's first Associate Vice Chancellor, Kim McCuistion.

https://www.yourstep...pus/7448223001/



#24 WTXKid

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Posted 26 April 2022 - 02:54 PM

Im really excited about the new A&M campus. I just want to see it moved to panther island. This downtown location is too small for what it could potentially become.

#25 Jeriat

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Posted 26 April 2022 - 06:06 PM

Im really excited about the new A&M campus. I just want to see it moved to panther island. This downtown location is too small for what it could potentially become.

 

...honestly, that's the first time I've thought about that, and now that I AM thinking about it... that makes more sense. 


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#26 WTXKid

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Posted 26 April 2022 - 06:50 PM

Oh snap!!! Call me crazy, but I think if we play this thing right we could see another large college campus in DFW. The area is already home to two UT System schools with very large enrollments. Those schools might be 30 to 40 miles away from each other. All Im saying is I would love to see a TCU (frogs) v TAMU FW (panthers) football game in a new college stadium located downtown adjacent. This could also be the economic engine Fort Worth is looking for that powers the city well past the 21st century. If the city and other local bodies can help dedicate enough land the campus could potentially reach 40,000 students on a 50 to 70 year timeline. This campus could truly be our UT Austin strategy. Pump out a large sum of innovative/technical talent in the core and create a more youthful population downtown. In all seriousness, Austin would have never become what it is today without UT. That university did wonderful things for the city. And I know we have an upside down Tax base. So use half the island for the University and the other half for complimenting uses with a doubled density. This could really be our West Campus.

#27 Doohickie

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Posted 27 April 2022 - 07:18 AM

I don't see how they'd extend east into the A&M project. Jump over Commerce and occupy some of the law school building acreage?

 
Actually you could probably do something like the TCC River East Campus, where the plaza is below grade.  It could be joined into the Active Pool.


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#28 Nitixope

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Posted 19 May 2022 - 08:02 PM

Texas A&M to make over $1 billion investment in Fort Worth

https://www.wfaa.com...d0-0a5f936c2cd3

#29 txbornviking

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 07:48 AM

Texas A&M to make over $1 billion investment in Fort Worth

https://www.wfaa.com...d0-0a5f936c2cd3

 
Can someone help me ID what I'm missing...
 
headline says $1B...
 
3rd sentence in story says, $1.5B 
"The Texas A&M University Board of Regents voted to approve a $1.5 billion investment in Fort Worth."
 
5th and 6th sentence then mentions two batches of $85M each
"It's a five-year capital plan that involves $85 million to start construction on a law and education building in 2023. Then in 2024, the public university fund will use another $85 million towards the construction of a research and innovation center in Fort Worth."
 
How is either $1B or $1.5B calculated?



#30 Nitixope

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 10:14 AM

Texas A&M to make over $1 billion investment in Fort Worth

https://www.wfaa.com...d0-0a5f936c2cd3

 
Can someone help me ID what I'm missing...
 
headline says $1B...
 
3rd sentence in story says, $1.5B 
"The Texas A&M University Board of Regents voted to approve a $1.5 billion investment in Fort Worth."
 
5th and 6th sentence then mentions two batches of $85M each
"It's a five-year capital plan that involves $85 million to start construction on a law and education building in 2023. Then in 2024, the public university fund will use another $85 million towards the construction of a research and innovation center in Fort Worth."
 
How is either $1B or $1.5B calculated?

I was wondering the same thing.

#31 txbornviking

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 10:21 AM

 

 

Texas A&M to make over $1 billion investment in Fort Worth

https://www.wfaa.com...d0-0a5f936c2cd3

 
Can someone help me ID what I'm missing...
 
headline says $1B...
 
3rd sentence in story says, $1.5B 
"The Texas A&M University Board of Regents voted to approve a $1.5 billion investment in Fort Worth."
 
5th and 6th sentence then mentions two batches of $85M each
"It's a five-year capital plan that involves $85 million to start construction on a law and education building in 2023. Then in 2024, the public university fund will use another $85 million towards the construction of a research and innovation center in Fort Worth."
 
How is either $1B or $1.5B calculated?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

 

nevermind... I found it, a full rundown of the $1.5B number, a lot of which is projects all over the state/system

https://www.tamus.ed...o-capital-plan/



#32 johnfwd

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 11:13 AM

Roughly $160 million for the construction of three buildings--law, education, and research and innovation.  Which will add considerably to density in the southeastern quadrant of downtown.



#33 Nitixope

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 11:37 AM

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#34 rriojas71

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 11:55 AM

Is the Gateway tower just the old building that has floors added on and a new front entrance?  I know the current building was designed to add additional floors in the future.

 

Also it is strange to look at this development and with all the surface parking it is going to take up there is still a huge swath of lots to the north.  Hopefully this will spur growth to cover the remaining lots in the area.  Now we need some retail spaces to coincide with all the potential growth.



#35 John T Roberts

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Posted 20 May 2022 - 02:41 PM

The Gateway Center is a new building.  Even though their existing building was designed to have 14 more floors added to it, the architects have decided to demolish the building and build a new structure.  All of the buildings on this campus are new.



#36 Austin55

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 05:06 PM

Those new renderings are nice. I do wish the project was a bit more... ambitious in appearance but regardless I guess it's whats inside that matters here. It looks like Jones St will be the backside of the project but hopefully they can work that out to be as pedestrian friendly as possible. Do we have any indication of who the architect is?

Notable: The A&M Board of Regents meeting was held in Fort Worth at Frost Tower. Pretty cool. 



#37 Nitixope

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 06:11 PM

Austin55's back!!  

 

Not sure yet on the architect but Populous Architecture did Kyle Field Renovation.

 

https://populous.com...d-redevelopment

 

My other guess would be BOKA.

 

By the way, the Engineering Academy partnership with Tarrant County College - OMG, that's really cool.  Might be a great way to kickstart an engineering degree while keeping tuition costs low, even starting as early as high school through FWISD on some of the credits.  Love it.

 

 

 

Thursday’s vote comes just days after Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering announced its intention to offer the first two years of engineering courses at Tarrant College. Students at the Engineering Academy would be co-enrolled in Tarrant County College and Texas A&M. They would take basic courses from Tarrant College faculty while A&M professors would teach the engineering courses. The students then would transfer to the College Station campus to complete their bachelor’s degree.

Here's some footage from the meeting:

   



#38 WTXKid

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Posted 24 May 2022 - 10:49 PM

Not to rain on everyones parade, but the location is extremely short sighted. Im super happy the TAMU is coming to downtown, but we could have asked for more! TAMU panther island!! I dont understand why the city/A&M decided to build the campus at its current location. Can someone share a few reasons as to why the city wouldnt push for panther island for the new tamu campus?

#39 Nitixope

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 12:00 AM

Too many hands in the till?

#40 NThomas

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 07:20 AM

Not to rain on everyones parade, but the location is extremely short sighted. Im super happy the TAMU is coming to downtown, but we could have asked for more! TAMU panther island!! I dont understand why the city/A&M decided to build the campus at its current location. Can someone share a few reasons as to why the city wouldnt push for panther island for the new tamu campus?

TAMU does not own any land on Panther Island but they do own 4 contiguous blocks at their current location in downtown. It's as simple as that.

#41 JBB

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:38 AM

Exactly.  The uncertainty of Panther Island is also likely a deterrent at the moment.



#42 Austin55

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:44 AM

If A&M is successful and decides to pursue a major expansion in Central Fort Worth, Butler Place might be a viable candidate location.

#43 gdvanc

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 07:28 PM

Putting A&M up there on Crony Island would be using state educational funds to take acreage off of the tax rolls in an area one might hope will eventually become high-value real estate.



#44 WTXKid

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 09:57 PM

Didnt the island just receive $400M? I would not call that uncertainty. Gdvanc, look at Austin, TX. Look at West Campus right next to UT. We can replicate the equation here. That A&M campus could be the biggest decision the city makes for the next 100 years. Austin55, that was my first thought but I eventually realized that Butler is on too much of an island and its only 40 or so acres. Just too small to really make an impact.

#45 WTXKid

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 09:59 PM

NThomas, if the city really willed this they could get it done. Im not giving up on this people. Im telling you, we will always be in Dallas shadow as long as we continue to only think 20 years down the road. An A&M campus on panther island is a 50 to 100 year timeline.

#46 WTXKid

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:07 PM

Nixitope, agreed. I mean, how does the visioning of panther island make any sense to anyone? Im a Developer by trade. There are already so many vacant lots in downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. What makes the city believe that the improvements to Panther Island will magically convince developers to build something other than donuts on the island? We dont have the major economic driver. We just dont. But a full tier one campus with 40k+ students could really change the city. There is 800 acres on panther island. Half to the university and half to commercial development. We could build our own West Campus on the remaining 400.

#47 WTXKid

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:17 PM

Im sure we could debate this all day and night. All Im saying is instead of the Panther Island plan imagine UT and West campus in its place. Imagine the liveliness the concentrated college population would bring to downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. The job creation and innovation the disposable income. Im just trying to speak up here. I care about this city and want to see it shine.

#48 WTXKid

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:33 PM

And no I dont want Fort Worth to become Austin. But we would be foolish not to recognize some of the strategic paths they took to create economic prosperity for their region.

#49 gdvanc

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Posted 25 May 2022 - 10:50 PM

Didnt the island just receive $400M? I would not call that uncertainty. Gdvanc, have you heard of Austin, TX? How about West Campus right next to UT? We can replicate the equation here. That A&M campus could be the biggest decision the city makes for the next 100 years. Austin55, that was my first thought but I eventually realized that Butler is on too much of an island and its only 40 or so acres. Just too small to really make an impact.

 

Yes, I've heard of Austin - believe it or not. When UT was established about 140 years ago, Austin was a very different town. It looked something like this:

Austin-1887-Color.jpg

 

 

 

UT has certainly benefitted from its location and the city has benefitted, but if they were building UT from scratch now, it wouldn't be sited where it is - that land would be too valuable. It's not a great comparison in any case. UT is a top 20 school in several categories with an enrollment of over 50,000 people from around the world, and it finds itself sitting in the capital of a state with a large economy, a city that has successfully attracted a number of high-tech companies and that anchors one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. The equation is very, very different. You can argue that UTs presence is part of the draw for some of these things, but I'd respond that this would not change if the campus had been built a couple miles outside of what is now downtown.

 

Whatever A&M's plans are for their Fort Worth satellite, it is unlikely to ever be that. And whatever benefit it brings to the city, it can provide it where it is now. If it can ever support anything comparable to UT's West Campus, having that in that underdeveloped part of southeast downtown wouldn't be a horrible thing. It would be good for that part of downtown, nearest major transit hubs, to grow. I mean, it's still downtown.

 

I'm not sure you mean when you say that the "A&M campus could be the biggest decision the city makes for the next 100 years." What about this is a city decision?

 

I applaud your desire to see Fort Worth shine. I'm pretty sure most forum members do. We're just not all going to agree on how to get there. Or even what that looks like.



#50 JBB

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Posted 26 May 2022 - 07:45 AM

Didnt the island just receive $400M? I would not call that uncertainty. 

 

$400 million for final design for a project that was estimated to be over $1 billion before the current cost of materials and labor.  And this project has been in the works for nearly a quarter century.  Encouraging?  Yes.  Certain?  Far from it.







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