75 replies to this topic

[Brian Luenser]

As the Star Telegram usually stays at a place for 130 years at a time, I figured I would start a new thread for the newly named building. The Telegram has announced they are moving to this building in the Fall of 2011 and this historic building will be renamed The Star Telegram Building. The old name was the Commerce Building but many of us call it The Fair Building going back to it's origins with the Fair Department Store.

I am very happy about this move. I am happy that the Star Telegram keeps its main offices in Downtown Fort Worth, but I am equally as happy that one of my favorite buildings get a great new Tennant. I am even happy that the old Star Telegram building gets a great new owner. Mr. Fort Worth, Bob Simpson. I am happy about everything. It is as though I finally found my meds. (have never taken anything but a multi-vitamin)

I love the Fair building. (I mean the Star Telegram Building) I have always said it is the, or one of the, most underrated buildings in town. It is grand in size, original in shape and sits on a favorite corner of town. I can't say I have actually been in the building but I have not been in any building I love. That is something I hope to rectify soon. I took some shots this morning of this building for those that are not sure which building we are talking about.










I find this interesting that these two different buildings have an identical entrance. Really they have the same first floor theme. It does make it easy to forget whether you are talking about the Commerce Building or the Oil and Gas Building to the right.


And I never do this, but here is a shot of this building I took in February. I am pretty sure I posted it someplace but I really like it so here it is or here it is again.

[jefffwd]

Is it just The Star-Telegram building? Did they drop the "Fort Worth"?

[Owen]

Yes, alas!

[JBB]

Did they drop the "Fort Worth"?

Yeah, at least 7 years ago. Or at least that's when you started this thread on that subject.

[Brian Luenser]

This is moving day at the Star Telegram. (One of several I am sure.)

One of the best moves in the history of Fort Worth. The old Star Telegram building is going in to the hands of Mr. Fort Worth, my hero, Bob Simpson. (I think this guy loves this City even more than I do.) I is not buying it to turn it into a tattoo parlor or a marketing call center. He is buying it to use it as his thriving business headquarters. To restore. To honor the amazing history of the building. (Story in Star Telegram gives nice info) I love the whole move. I like the Star Telgram to be up high closer to the center of the city with a view. I like them to see the city they are covering. (I am a simple man)

http://www.star-tele...adlines-default

Walking to St. Patrick's this morning (Carrying my wife's Sunday school stuff for her) I just happen to walk past the grand old building to see the move out in process.


Then I was walking past the big move in to the new location on Throckmorton






The new Star Telegram building

[David Love]

A new chapter in a long and distinguished history. Looks to be a good move.

[renamerusk]

Did they drop the "Fort Worth"?

Yeah, at least 7 years ago. Or at least that's when you started [url="http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=326&st=0&p=4679&hl="star%20telegram"&fromsearch=1&#entry4679"]this thread on that subject[/url].

I agree with you Jefffwd, the same way I will feel someday when the Fort Worth Forum drops "Fort Worth" from its name to appeal to Arlington, Dallas and environs.

Keep Fort Worth folksy

[elpingüino]

Here's the paper's coverage about the move:
Star-Telegram leaves its Fort Worth headquarters after 90 years
New Star-Telegram pledges allegiance to 21st century journalism (Editor-in-Chief's column)

I particularly like the old pictures. I believe this is Seventh Street going to the left and Taylor Street going to the right. Impressive that 81 years later, the Electric Building and the (old) Star-Telegram building look mostly the same.

[renamerusk]

Here's the paper's coverage about the move:
Star-Telegram leaves its Fort Worth headquarters after 90 years
New Star-Telegram pledges allegiance to 21st century journalism (Editor-in-Chief's column)

I particularly like the old pictures. I believe this is Seventh Street going to the left and Taylor Street going to the right. Impressive that 81 years later, the Electric Building and the (old) Star-Telegram building look mostly the same.

Look, a streetcar along 7th Street...who woulda thunk!
Keep Fort Worth folksy

[Brian Luenser]

Here's the paper's coverage about the move:
Star-Telegram leaves its Fort Worth headquarters after 90 years
New Star-Telegram pledges allegiance to 21st century journalism (Editor-in-Chief's column)

I particularly like the old pictures. I believe this is Seventh Street going to the left and Taylor Street going to the right. Impressive that 81 years later, the Electric Building and the (old) Star-Telegram building look mostly the same.

I do love that picture. I want that neon sign for the Worth Hotel Coffee shop! Don't you just wonder where that is right now? The bottom of an old landfill? Someone's basement? On some rich guys wall in San Diego?

[Cowtown Mike]

Great old pic of S/T building in the old days. Brian, that would be cool to have the Worth Coffee shop sign. I like to watch American Pickers on T.V. when they dig stuff like that out of barns etc.

[double]

The picture Brian posted back in October of the building with the "Fort Worth Star - Telegram" logo on it brings back a memory.
I was walking to lunch one day many many years ago, maybe 15, and was across the street from the other corner of that building - the one that faces 7th street - which had a similar logo on it. There were some window washers standing on the sidewalk, pulling on some cable for some reason. I saw that it had gotten caught behind the dash in "Star - Telegram" and the guy was yanking on it, trying to get it free. All of a sudden, the dash came flying off the building and, I suppose, into the street, but I lost sight of it. The window washer had a kind of sheepish look on his face, but at least his cable was no longer snagged.
To me, I thought that would be an easy thing to fix, but every time I passed by I would notice that it had not gotten replaced. It was several years before I happened to notice one day that there was a dash back on the building. I always wondered why it took so long to fix. But, oh well, it's not there any more.

[Austin55]

I sometimes wonder if the ST/O&G building is going to end up being the next to get converted from office to another residential (or hotel). I've heard it has one of the lower occupancy rates in downtown and seems like it would be a wonderful living space. Could also use some TLC and fixing up, especially the exterior on the lower floors.

[John T Roberts]

It would almost make sense that it would be converted to a residential or hotel property, since its occupancy rates are quite low and with two buildings joined together, I think it has one of the larger floor plates on an older property. 

[Austin55]

It would almost make sense that it would be converted to a residential or hotel property, since its occupancy rates are quite low and with two buildings joined together, I think it has one of the larger floor plates on an older property. 

 

The buildings are completely separate internally above the first floor, correct? I wonder if the Fair/ST building could go resi but the O&G building could be kept as office, since it has larger floor plates.

[John T Roberts]

I'm actually not sure what happens above the first floor.  Even though the buildings have separate names and were constructed at different times, the Oil & Gas Building was originally referred as "The Fair Annex".  The Fair Building was the original name of the Star-Telegram Building.  It was built in 1930 for The Fair Department Store.  In the 1950s, The Fair Building's owners went through an expansion phase.  In 1951, they built "The Fair Garage" to the south of the two pieces of property on 7th.  That is the irregular shaped garage to the south of both buildings.  Then in 1954, they opened what was called "The Fair Annex", immediately to the west of the original building.  That building was later known as The Oil & Gas Building due to the large number of oil and gas companies that were inside.  The Fair Building name remained until Monnig's Department Store bought out The Fair in 1963.  By the time the store was purchased, it already had suburban locations.  Monnig's converted those suburban stores to their brand, and closed the downtown location of The Fair, since Monnig's already took up a full block where the Sundance Gateway Block is currently located.  In 1964, the Bank of Commerce and World Service Life purchased the building.  The bank relocated from the Petroleum Building to the ground floor.  I would have to do some checking, but I think the two buildings were split up at one time, but eventually came back under one owner. 

[Austin55]

It appears they are'nt connected in the tower portions.

 

You can see some of the space for lease here, http://www.oilgas-st...gram.com/space/

[John T Roberts]

Austin, since the two buildings only have the common ground floor shared lobby, they could be split into two different components.  One building could be residential and the other a hotel, or one could be hotel and the other residential.  You could also do a split of hotel and office between the two buildings.  The Star-Telegram Building is the larger of the two by both floor plate and total size.  The Oil & Gas Building is smaller. 

 

In some ways, I'm surprised there aren't more connections between the two buildings, yet on the other hand, back in 1954, Building Codes could have been a reason.  Both buildings were built by Jesse H. Jones, the original developer of The Fair Building.  The only time that I'm not sure if they were under separate ownership was in the 1960s and '70s when Service Life owned the building. 

[John T Roberts]

A submission has been place to list the building on the National Register of Historic Places.  The City of Fort Worth Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission has been asked to give their recommendation on the building to the Texas Historical Commission.  Locally, the building is designated Demolition Delay.

[Austin55]

Would that make alteration of the lower floors more difficult? It's currently got a really nasty 70s stucco look going on. Would love to see it restored to it's original look. It would be a shame to have a Hilton Annex situation.

 

Here's a nice sketch of the building as it once appeared - https://library.uta....f4da23fd8cb.jpg

[John T Roberts]

Austin, it probably would make it easier.  With the National Register Listing, the building could qualify for Federal and State Tax Credits if the building was restored.  You asking the question made me think about the actual text of the nomination and period of significance for the building.  I found the Draft Copy of the National Register Nomination Form for the building online (most of them can be found online).  The period of significance is to 1963, up to the time the base was remodeled.  Therefore, in this nomination, the altered base is not going to be considered "historic".  The Fair Garage is included with the nomination and the Oil & Gas Building is excluded, even though that 1952 building could qualify as "historic".  All three of those buildings are currently designated Demolition Delay by the City of Fort Worth.

 

Once I found the nomination, I saw who prepared the nomination.  It was done by Merriman Associates.  Another thing that I have found is that the National Register nomination seems to back up several online claims by the building's website and by Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. that the building's base was built at 6 stories in 1930 and the office tower section was built in 1934.  I never saw any photographs of it at 6 stories, and I saw some of the same reduced copies of the construction drawings as shown in the nomination form.  The drawings show a complete 19 story building.  Some of the old photos on the west side of the building before Oil & Gas was constructed show some faint mismatching of the brick at that level, but I never was sure the upper floors were added.  On the south side of the building, it is hard to tell because the brick has been painted. 

 

This is the link to the National Register Nomination for The Fair Building.

 

Below is a 1938 Photograph from the UTA Libraries Digital Gallery:

 

The photograph above also shows a change in the brick at the top of the base.  I think this was due to some kind of smoothing or covering of where there was once another wall of a two story building adjacent to the main wall of The Fair.

 

Also, if anyone can find a photograph of the building at 6 stories, I would love to see it posted here.

 

Here is my guess on the building.  It was designed at 19 stories, temporarily built for the store only at 6, and within four years, was built to full height.

[Doohickie]

I got disoriented.... but after looking around I think this is the same view (more or less) as the picture above?

[John T Roberts]

Doohickie, you are correct.  Your Street View is very close to where the photographer was standing.

[John T Roberts]

Even though there is a change in the brick at the 6th floor, other photographs show other slight changes in color and texture on the brick on higher floors.  I wonder if these different layers of brick were defects in the construction?  Also, I went back and looked at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 1930, and I saw the articles about the building's opening.  There are also two photographs regarding the building's opening and they show a 19 story building.  The articles also state the building is 19 stories.  Another thing to support the building was originally constructed at full height is that in different papers from 1930 to 1931, there are advertisements for businesses that list their addresses on the higher levels of the building that are above the 6th floor.

[renamerusk]

I am struck by the bare wall of buildings and the absence of windows on four elevations during the period.

[John T Roberts]

Rename, did you look at the Draft National Register Nomination?  There were several reasons for the blank walls.  When this building was built, it was on its own separate piece of property.  One of the reasons the wall was blank was that someone could build another building right on the property line in the future.  This actually happened in this case with the Parking Garage and the Oil & Gas Building, but they were owned by the same person that built The Fair.  Also, even back then, there was quite a bit known about the travel of fire from building to building.  Limiting the windows on the common property line would control the spread of fire between the two buildings, if something was built next to it.  Current fire codes would not allow any windows on the property line.  If you saw the floor plan, you can also see that the core elements for the department store base and the office tower were placed along this west wall.  Elevators, stairs, and other core spaced do not need windows.  Now since the Oil & Gas Building and the parking garage has been built next to The Fair, you hardly even notice those blank walls.

[Austin55]

I find it interesting they'd nominate the garage but not the Oil & Gas building. 

[renamerusk]

....There were several reasons for the blank walls.....

 Thanks for explaining; all of that makes perfectly good sense.  Would it follow that the density of downtown was much greater at the time?  If so, what a shame that we don't have that feeling any longer but instead downtown has been taken over by surface parking lots.

[John T Roberts]

All three buildings were projects by the same developer, so you could justify it by the cultural criteria.  The Oil & Gas Building is also over 50 years old, so you could also justify that historically.  My guess is that whatever is planned will leave the Oil & Gas Building as it is currently.  If that was the case, and it was included in the National Register Listing, and you were going to use this as a Tax Credit project, the addition of the Oil & Gas Building might not allow the project to qualify for the tax credits.

[Austin55]

 My guess is that whatever is planned will leave the Oil & Gas Building as it is currently.  If that was the case, and it was included in the National Register Listing, and you were going to use this as a Tax Credit project, the addition of the Oil & Gas Building might not allow the project to qualify for the tax credits.

 

Since it is not being nominated, could it be possible to significantly alter the appearance in the future? 

[John T Roberts]

Austin, your guess could be a possibility.  I'm also wondering if there may be a purchase taking place of The Fair/Star-Telegram Building with the garage, and it does not include the Oil & Gas Building.  If the Oil & Gas was not sold, or it was sold to a different developer, then not nominating it would also make sense. 

[renamerusk]

... I'm also wondering if there may be a purchase taking place of The Fair/Star-Telegram Building with the garage, and it does not include the Oil & Gas Building....

 

 

Wait a minute, a candidate for purchase?  Here is a building which has been flying under my radar for repurposing.

 

Hotel or Apartments; another Neil P. Anderson? 

 

It has been said earlier about the horrific adaptation made at the street level.  I hope the FST will get the Baker/Bob T. Simpson Treatment at ground level.

[John T Roberts]

Rename, I am not sure what is actually going on at the Star-Telegram Building and its two associated structures.  All three buildings were built by the same developer.  The main building opened in 1930, the Garage in 1951, and the Oil & Gas Building in 1952.  All meet the first qualification for a historic building with the age of at least 50 years.  However, the nomination does not include the Oil & Gas Building, even though currently (as in the 1950s), all buildings are under one ownership.  I have only been speculating on why the Oil & Gas Building has not been included in the National Register Nomination. 

[Austin55]

I worry that O&G building's design might be perceived as less attractive and more prone to a developer wanting to alter it. 

 

Just a few months ago I speculated whether the buildings life as an office would be for much longer,

 

I sometimes wonder if the ST/O&G building is going to end up being the next to get converted from office to another residential (or hotel). I've heard it has one of the lower occupancy rates in downtown and seems like it would be a wonderful living space. Could also use some TLC and fixing up, especially the exterior on the lower floors.

[John T Roberts]

Austin, that could be a possibility.  However, you did put both buildings in your previous post (quote).  You stated immediately above that a developer might want to alter the Oil & Gas Building.  The more I think about this, the stickier this whole complex gets. With any historic designation, it does not include the interior.  However, if you deal with the tax credits, then you do have to play by the governing authorities rules.  They could tell you to restore everything that is left of the original on the interior in order to receive the tax credits.  If all of the properties were included, then there would be a good chance that you would be limited to what you could keep on the inside of the Oil & Gas.  The same applies to the exterior.  I would think that the exterior of it would be restored.  As for the interior of The Fair/S-T Building, all of those offices and dropped ceilings could be replaced.  When the original materials have been removed, then you have complete freedom to do what you want on the interior.  A good example of this are the hotel rooms inside The Sinclair.  This was a tax credit project on all three levels, yet in the office spaces that had been altered many times over the years, the developer was allowed to build hotel rooms with bathrooms that never existed inside the building.  The corridors had to retain their stone flooring when present, the original wainscot and plaster on the walls, and the original plaster ceilings.  The original corridor doors remain and now they are dummies.  Where the flooring had been removed in the corridors, carpet was allowed to go back in place.  The architect and interior designer chose carpet that reflected some of the elements of detail that was present in the building.

[Austin55]

Occupancy change of use permit have been filed for floors 11-16. While I cannot find a mention of the proposed use change, the design firm is Merriman Anderson Architects, who designed the newly opened Sinclair Hotel and the currently U/C hotel in the Waggoner Building. 

[renamerusk]

http://www.fortworth...om/commerce.htm

[Austin55]

Whatever this is filed with TDLR. https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2020010797

 

 

 

 

Project Name: Star Telegram HUD TI Project Number: TABS2020010797 Facility Name: Star Telegram Location Address: 307 W 7th Street Fort Worth, TX 76102 Location County: Tarrant Start Date: 2/17/2020 Completion Date: 12/10/2020 Estimated Cost: $5,055,000 Type of Work: Renovation/Alteration Type of Funds: This project is privately funded, on private land for private use. Scope of Work: Interior remodel of Floors 10-16 of the Star Telegram Building Square Footage: 70,179 ft 2

 

Anyone know what HUD TI means? Housing and Urban Development something?

 

Further interest, the listed owner is a Brooklyn company called Read Property Group. Their website has nothing on it, and the only source of much more info on them I found only mentions residential projects.

[JBB]

I thought it might be "HUD Title 1", but I believe that applies to home improvements for seniors.

[renamerusk]

Sounds like a mixed use conversion project with existing commercial use already in place and residential to come.  More evidence and proof that competition for the soul of Downtown is pouring in from out side investors.

 

In retrospect, it looks like it now becomes a questionable decision to have scaled back the Cassidy from 21 levels to 5 levels.

[Austin55]

Understanding is that HUD is moving thier offices out of Burnett Plaza. The space will remain office. 

[John T Roberts]

The Fair/Star-Telegram Building is now officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It also includes the 1951 parking garage, but does not include the Oil & Gas Building.  If you want to read the nomination for the building, follow this link:

 

https://www.thc.texa...lding - SBR.pdf

[roverone]

It is fun to look at the 1948 pictures from the store interior and imagine what life was like back then.

[Austin55]

The Star-Telegram and O&G buildings join a growing list of downtown buildings for sale.

 

https://www.star-tel...e246555268.html

[John T Roberts]

It is interesting they are putting the entire complex up for sale.  I still think that if I owned this property, I would have listed the Oil & Gas Building on the National Register of Historic Places along with the other two building.  If that had been done, the entire complex would be listed at that level.

[Austin55]

Star-Telegram is moving out

 

https://www.star-tel...e260817202.html

[Jeriat]

Star-Telegram is moving out

 

https://www.star-tel...e260817202.html

 

So... 

Hotel or apartments/lofts? 

[rriojas71]

Star-Telegram is moving out
 
https://www.star-tel...e260817202.html

 
So... 

Hotel or apartments/lofts? 

Im voting for apartments

[John T Roberts]

It would probably make a great apartment building.  Even if it was converted into a hotel, the owners still have the Oil & Gas Building next door that they could retain as office space.

[Jeriat]

That little section of downtown transforming from an office area to a residential/hospitality district could be interesting.