21 replies to this topic

[Stadtplan]

Here's a cluster of Brewer & Hale projects from the Zoning Commission docket to be heard by Council on 5/24/22:

 

Generally, a multiphase development of multifamily, attached townhomes, and single lot development. B&H plan to develop these properties with multifamily and attached townhomes more appropriate for the location. Downtown walkability make this location ideal for greater density and more urban building forms. Some isolated single lots may only accommodate detached single-family or commercial uses. Hence the additional use request for the PD-H designation. This PD designation request was recommended by City staff as a "placeholder" until a new "H2" zoning category is adopted and applied by City Council.

 

https://accela.fortw...ShowInspection=

GENERAL INFORMATION

Acres: 2.15

Present Use: varied, mostly vacant

Proposed Use: Multifamily, Townhomes, Commercial

 

3. ZC-22-041 CD 9

a. Site Location: 715, 717, 721, 725 Clear Lake Avenue; 515 N Hampton Street; 1301, 1404, 1402, 1101 E Peach Street; 1315 & 1403 Bluff St; 415, 519 N Nichols Street; 409, 415, 504, 508, 514, 518 Wall Street;

b. Acreage: 2.15

c. Applicant/Agent: Brewer & Hale, Testudo Residential & Holdings

d. Request:

 

From: “D” High-Density Multi-Family, “G” High Intensive Commercial, “J” Medium Industrial, & PD 1226 for “H” uses with

Downtown Urban Design District Overlay

 

To: “PD/H/DUDD” Planned Development for all uses in “H” Central Business District plus single-family detached, brewery, and distillery; site plan waived; within the Downtown Urban Design District Overlay; with a max height of ten (10) stories

 

This case will be heard by Council, May 24, 2022, 10:00 am

[Jeriat]

 

Here's a cluster of Brewer & Hale projects from the Zoning Commission docket to be heard by Council on 5/24/22:

 

Generally, a multiphase development of multifamily, attached townhomes, and single lot development. B&H plan to develop these properties with multifamily and attached townhomes more appropriate for the location. Downtown walkability make this location ideal for greater density and more urban building forms. Some isolated single lots may only accommodate detached single-family or commercial uses. Hence the additional use request for the PD-H designation. This PD designation request was recommended by City staff as a "placeholder" until a new "H2" zoning category is adopted and applied by City Council.

 

https://accela.fortw...ShowInspection=

GENERAL INFORMATION

Acres: 2.15

Present Use: varied, mostly vacant

Proposed Use: Multifamily, Townhomes, Commercial

 

3. ZC-22-041 CD 9

a. Site Location: 715, 717, 721, 725 Clear Lake Avenue; 515 N Hampton Street; 1301, 1404, 1402, 1101 E Peach Street; 1315 & 1403 Bluff St; 415, 519 N Nichols Street; 409, 415, 504, 508, 514, 518 Wall Street;

b. Acreage: 2.15

c. Applicant/Agent: Brewer & Hale, Testudo Residential & Holdings

d. Request:

 

From: “D” High-Density Multi-Family, “G” High Intensive Commercial, “J” Medium Industrial, & PD 1226 for “H” uses with

Downtown Urban Design District Overlay

 

To: “PD/H/DUDD” Planned Development for all uses in “H” Central Business District plus single-family detached, brewery, and distillery; site plan waived; within the Downtown Urban Design District Overlay; with a max height of ten (10) stories

 

This case will be heard by Council, May 24, 2022, 10:00 am

 

Hmm... I gotta say, I knew it would just be a matter of time. 

[Stadtplan]

Not Brewer & Hale but another residential development off of Samuels / Rock Island going before DDRB this week:

 

https://www.fortwort...-mtg-agenda.pdf

 

CONTINUED CASES

DG22 – 010

1104 Greer Street

Owner/ Applicant: Nomad Build One, LLC. – Kashif Riaz

Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a 3 - story residential

building. 

 

[Doohickie]

 

a. Site Location: 715, 717, 721, 725 Clear Lake Avenue; 515 N Hampton Street; 1301, 1404, 1402, 1101 E Peach Street; 1315 & 1403 Bluff St; 415, 519 N Nichols Street; 409, 415, 504, 508, 514, 518 Wall Street;

FYI FW Black House is 1105 Peach.  It just sold last month.

[Stadtplan]

 

Not Brewer & Hale but another residential development off of Samuels / Rock Island going before DDRB this week:

 

https://www.fortwort...-mtg-agenda.pdf

 

CONTINUED CASES

DG22 – 010

1104 Greer Street

Owner/ Applicant: Nomad Build One, LLC. – Kashif Riaz

Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a 3 - story residential

building. 

 

 

 

Back on next week's DDRB agenda 6/30/22:

 

DG22 – 010 1104 Greer Street

Owner/ Applicant: Nomad Build One, LLC. – Kashif Riaz

Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a 3 - story residential

building. 

[Austin55]

Here's another Brewer & Hale project, this time int he Near Southside

 

 

Facility Name: The Hudson Apartments

Location Address: 924 Bryan Avenue

Scope of Work: New 3-story wood-framed building consisting of 18 rentable apartment units and commercial tenant space at the first floor

https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2022026062

[Stadtplan]

 

 

Not Brewer & Hale but another residential development off of Samuels / Rock Island going before DDRB this week:

 

https://www.fortwort...-mtg-agenda.pdf

 

CONTINUED CASES

DG22 – 010

1104 Greer Street

Owner/ Applicant: Nomad Build One, LLC. – Kashif Riaz

Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a 3 - story residential

building. 

 

 

 

Back on next week's DDRB agenda 6/30/22:

 

DG22 – 010 1104 Greer Street

Owner/ Applicant: Nomad Build One, LLC. – Kashif Riaz

Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a 3 - story residential

building. 

 

 

1104 Greer hits Accela again for DDRB review 11/3/22:

 

Record DG-2022-018: 

Downtown Design Review Board

Record Status: Pending

 

https://accela.fortw...ShowInspection=

 

Project Description:

1104 GREER STREET

NEW 3 STORY RESIDENTAL

[Austin55]

More off Samuels from the DDRB agenda, 

 

 

715, 717, 721, 725 Clear Lake Street Owner / Applicant: Brewer and Hele LCC / Greg Guerin, East Star Design. Requests approval of conceptual footprint and massing of a new 3-story multifamily residential building. 

https://www.fortwort...gn-review-board

 

[Stadtplan]

I like the fact that the main level seems engaging to pedestrians and Arnold Park is right across the street / and next to the site. 

https://goo.gl/maps/KXXpSMWcYxt4MnQU7

 

Here's the rendering overlayed on streetviews.  I had to fudge the angles of the images a bit to get the street to align.

 

[Urbndwlr]

Im going to nitpick a bit: 

The ratios seem to be off on this design.  Height to width of the windows and ratio of window to wall space, and then the parapet. 

 

That parapet looks like it is 10 feet tall. 

 

I dont mean to disparage this architect East Star Design, but I've definitely seen examples in the past where architects appear to "mail it in" when it comes to elevation design.  I presume they're purely focused on the functionality of the units and hitting a target cost, but it seems to require just a little more energy to be thoughtful about the beauty of the ratios used in facade/elevation design.  

 

Or, is it possible for an architect to make it through architecture school and licensing and remain oblivious to these things?

[Stadtplan]

DDRB made suggestions about the windows on the corner needing to carry further up the building. They must have noticed some of the same concerns with ratios.

[JBB]

I dont mean to disparage this architect East Star Design, but I've definitely seen examples in the past where architects appear to "mail it in" when it comes to elevation design.  I presume they're purely focused on the functionality of the units and hitting a target cost, but it seems to require just a little more energy to be thoughtful about the beauty of the ratios used in facade/elevation design.  

 

Or, is it possible for an architect to make it through architecture school and licensing and remain oblivious to these things?

 

Or maybe architects build what their clients want?  That tends to be the case in my experience.

 

I get that different people catch different details, but you could start a list of people that catch that sort of minutiae and not even fill up the back of a business card.  No design is perfect and I think this one isn't bad at all.

[Urbndwlr]

 

I dont mean to disparage this architect East Star Design, but I've definitely seen examples in the past where architects appear to "mail it in" when it comes to elevation design.  I presume they're purely focused on the functionality of the units and hitting a target cost, but it seems to require just a little more energy to be thoughtful about the beauty of the ratios used in facade/elevation design.  

 

Or, is it possible for an architect to make it through architecture school and licensing and remain oblivious to these things?

 

Or maybe architects build what their clients want?  That tends to be the case in my experience.

 

I get that different people catch different details, but you could start a list of people that catch that sort of minutiae and not even fill up the back of a business card.  No design is perfect and I think this one isn't bad at all.

 

 

I agree with you that various members of the public (incl me) will invariably identify how the design could be improved.  This overall design is not horrible.  It just seems like some minor tweaks to the window sizes/shapes and it could be really nice.

 

As a member of the opinionated general public who wishes for the best possible design for Fort Worth's built environment, my Christmas wish is that any architect, designer or client who is involved in designing building elevations in Fort Worth, Texas, would try really hard to get the building facade proportions and ratios right. 

 

My rough understanding is that these have to do with the "golden ratio" - those that for some reason, mathematically are pleasing to the eye.  They've evidently been employed and honored back to ancient times.  

 

Its not my money or time invested in this building.  I mention not in a way to troll the developer or architect but in the spirit of hoping to inspire/encourage anyone building to think about this (along with all their other design decisions) - might include a client/owner/developer telling their architect this is important during the initial interview/discussions.

[Stadtplan]

New DDRB Case: Parkview Townhomes

Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct eight single family town home condominiums.

Case: DG23-017

Council District: 9

Date: August 3, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Address: 730 Samuels Avenue

 

[rriojas71]

This design is getting a bit overused especially in Linwood.  Not a fan but I guess if any place would be good for them it would be Samuels Ave / Rock Island.

[AndyN]

New DDRB Case: Parkview Townhomes

Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct eight single family town home condominiums.

Case: DG23-017

Council District: 9

Date: August 3, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Address: 730 Samuels Avenue

 

 

 

Wow. They just restored that house a few years ago. It is right next to Arnold Park. Neighborhood gentrification seems to be accelerating. Maybe it's time to sell my part of the Pavillion. Anyone got the phone number for Brewer & Hale?

[Stadtplan]

 

New DDRB Case: Parkview Townhomes

Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct eight single family town home condominiums.

Case: DG23-017

Council District: 9

Date: August 3, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Address: 730 Samuels Avenue

 

 

 

Wow. They just restored that house a few years ago. It is right next to Arnold Park. Neighborhood gentrification seems to be accelerating. Maybe it's time to sell my part of the Pavillion. Anyone got the phone number for Brewer & Hale?

 

 

I'm not 100% certain this is Brewer & Hale I just didn't know where else to stick this filing.

[Urbndwlr]

New DDRB Case: Parkview Townhomes

Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness to construct eight single family town home condominiums.

Case: DG23-017

Council District: 9

Date: August 3, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Address: 730 Samuels Avenue

 

Ive noticed that same design company (East Star Design) has appeared on renderings for the townhouse and maybe apartment projects built by KINOD.  They have built some townhouses and apartments on the Near Southside and have been building townhouses in Linwood. 

I personally do not like the resulting buildings that East Star has been designing.  Often the renderings are decent but the final building is even more disappointing.  Hard to know if those designs are a reflection of their abilities or taste or of the developer's and Im a little concerned that the developer is the kind to be super aggressive in cost cutting (where it crosses into corner-cutting) i see with some seriously sloppy details on some of their townhouses. 

Hope im wrong.   Know is hard time with high costs and high mortgage rates.

 

 

On the other hand, the TYPES of buildings they are building I think are appropriate.  The townhouses which turn their side to the street and use a center shared driveway seem to allow them to fit a higher number of smaller town houses on the lots.  Most require two side by side lots but InTown Homes seems to have found a way to build rows of town houses on 50 ft wide lots on Carroll without a twin lot to share drive access - impressive that they've made that work. 

 

I heard Fort Worth used to require townhouses to face the street & not allow those fronting an internal driveway (i.e. this limited options to duplex/ two-unit townhouses on typical 50 ft wide lots).  That was really limiting so seemed to be resulting only in larger dwelling units b/c of implied min lot size was 25x120-125, and could only get 2 units on a 50' W lot.  With these side-turned ones, it looks like they can fit up to 10 units on two lots, or 100' x 120-125'.  Would think that would allow them to sell smaller units for lower prices - assuming there isn't some huge extra cost of utilities or fighting the City to get permission to do the shared driveways. 

 

side-turned units (100'x125' lots) =  approx 35 units/acre

front-facing (duplex) units (50'x125' lots) = approx 14 units/acre

*both are units/acre gross - meaning they only calculate the lot dimensions, not the public right of way like sidewalks, streets, alleys etc., so if convert to # units for a full acre or square mile you'd need to take those streets, open spaces, other non-residential uses etc into account. 

[Austin55]

I've noticed Brewer Hale has a new website: https://www.brewerhale.com/projects

[TLA]

They did a good job with The Corbin. That’s a lot of new mid-size Infill, glad we are getting more than block size doughnuts.

The Hudson is at 924 Bryan Ave. next to Pouring Glory - guessing by the previous announcement of 18 units. This could also be The Avery, since it says “924” in the address. Haven’t done a deep dive on TAD. The Avery could be on Crawford’s empty lots.

The McCullough is at 1109 Texas, next to Fort Liquor, west of Henderson.

[Stadtplan]

New building permit filed for 730 Samuels Ave Townhomes:

 

[Stadtplan]

Record PDC-24-0087: 

Pre-Development Conference

Record Status: In Review

 

Permit Address

1009 Mayfield ST

 

Project Description:

Mayfield Townhomes

 

Housing Units: 6

 

Proposed Square Feet: 1,400

Proposed Use: multi-family