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

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#101 Crestline

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Posted 12 January 2023 - 07:35 AM

From my reading of the article, the referenced condominiums are not residential, but instead are just an artifact of the financing scheme between the city and the university. Is that right?



#102 Austin55

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Posted 18 January 2023 - 04:41 PM

Per Bud Kennedy:
 

 

The name of @TAMU Texas A&M's new Fort Worth campus and construction plans will be announced Thursday afternoon at a press conference at  @TAMULawSchool


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#103 Nitixope

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Posted 18 January 2023 - 06:31 PM

He revised it to say,

Ths press conference is at the Burnett Plaza office tower.

#104 Austin55

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Posted 19 January 2023 - 05:34 PM

The architect and the name have been announced,

 

 

"officially named Texas A&M-Fort Worth"

“Stantec will serve as the architect of record and provide lab planning services on the project working in partnership with the design architect, Pelli Clarke & Partners.

 

https://www.tamus.ed...esearch-campus/



#105 Austin55

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Posted 21 January 2023 - 06:38 PM

Soil sample truck on site today.

TJbQoz8.jpg



#106 Eastsider817

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Posted 24 January 2023 - 07:57 AM

I suspect they are going to quickly outgrow this campus. Do they plan in the future to expand this campus on the adjacent lots to the north and south?

#107 Nitixope

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Posted 24 January 2023 - 08:55 AM

 

Rriojas71, you have a point. Although, building the campus downtown is a double edged sword. Let's say the impact of the campus is super successful and spurs a huge wave of development around it. Then the campus becomes land locked. That is what I call short sighted. Panther Island land remains relatively affordable (the last ad is saw was 3M/11 acres). I think there are enough corporations and individuals interested that the A&M system and elected leaders could raise the money to buy a sizeable portion of Panther Island. 15 years from now we are going to solve our Panther Island issues and then the land will become too expensive. 

 

Landlocked, sure, but inside what boundary? In theory the new campus could expand from the planned red boundary to this hypothetical orange boundary, right?

 

KrRBEBU.png

 

I know it would be more expensive for A&M to buy out to the edges of the orange boundary than to buy a big chunk of panther island, but my point is that I don't think we should treat the planned red boundary as an absolute limit on the new campus size. 

 

 

(Reposting this conversation to revisit Eastsider817's question / concern.)



#108 Crestline

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Posted 24 January 2023 - 09:25 AM

I'm realizing now that when I doodled that orange boundary, I didn't account for the planned straightening of Commerce Street, which will create a few more blocks to be gobbled up by A&M. 



#109 NThomas

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Posted 24 January 2023 - 03:10 PM

I'm realizing now that when I doodled that orange boundary, I didn't account for the planned straightening of Commerce Street, which will create a few more blocks to be gobbled up by A&M. 

I think those blocks are already spoken for with the 1,000 room convention center hotel.

#110 Crestline

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Posted 25 January 2023 - 09:16 AM

Ah, so they are, per the November 2021 presentation in this FWR article:

 

Xz0SOS5.png



#111 John T Roberts

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Posted 25 January 2023 - 10:45 AM

Yes, the plan is to straighten Commerce back out to the way it was prior to 1983.   You might want to take a look at the Pre-Council Meeting where the Convention Center Expansion was discussed.  There is a link to the presentation on the Convention Center thread.



#112 Urbndwlr

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Posted 25 January 2023 - 03:51 PM

Jeriat, this sounds like a classic money grab for consultants. At this point, its going to be 20 years before we reach substantial completion.

disagree that this is some sort of money grab for consultants.



#113 Urbndwlr

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Posted 25 January 2023 - 04:04 PM

Re where Texas A&M Fort Worth could expand: 

1) surface parking blocks to north/south (that you identified)

2) FWCC parking garage north of existing Law School - that building is a dog and faces Convention Center - replace with TAMU or other future building & if need to replace parking, bake it in w/ TAMU garages. 

3) Existing Class B office buildings throughout Downtown.  Its an urban campus - is ok for buildings to not be directly adjacent.

4) Land to the east between RR tracks and I-35W.  With big enough institutional project, could at some point justify planning to work around/connect under/over or even reorganize RR tracks so can better use that land. 

5) Panther Island - as proposed above. 

 

 

You guys were talking about UT Austin. 

 

First, UT is the #1 reason Austin has a tech industry.  Provided (and still does) reliable talent both students and faculty for companies that need high talent - needed that confidence to establish presence in Austin in the first place.  Then it snowballed.

 

Second, UT has a research campus that is separate from main campus.  JJ PIckle Reserach Center is located in North Austin about 9 miles from main campus near lots of companies.  I think that JJPRC is where a lot of tech industry collaboration takes place and allows for more land-use intensive facilities that wouldn't fit well on the main campus.   If interested, you might look up and fact check that - i'm not 100% clear what activities/departments are on JJPRC vs Main.



#114 WTXKid

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Posted 25 January 2023 - 07:54 PM

Yup, agree Urbndwlr

#115 Eastsider817

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Posted 27 January 2023 - 09:58 AM

Build a land bridge or submerge the rail road tracks over the train tracks and build a massive a campus on the land between the freeways. It would be very dynamic. It would speed up the revitalization of the Southside.

#116 WTXKid

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Posted 28 January 2023 - 01:38 PM

Still prefer the panther island location. Would be a nice tie between downtown and stockyards. If we could get athletics, we could close down main for tailgating. I could see that easily becoming a tradition that stretches into the stockyards. Maybe pep rally would take place at stockyards.

#117 elpingüino

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Posted 28 January 2023 - 02:14 PM

More Star-Telegram coverage,
Texas A&M-Fort Worth could mean more jobs, a stronger workforce and lower taxes

Editorial Board, The more we learn about Texas A&M-Fort Worth project, the better it sounds for downtown

#118 JBB

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Posted 30 January 2023 - 12:07 PM

Have I missed somewhere that A&M has aspirations for this to be more than a downtown satellite campus that takes in the law school?  We've had posts about a "massive campus" and athletics and that doesn't jive at all with the plans they've announced.  Even if they did want a full campus, those take decades to develop.  UNT Dallas started in 2000 in an office park and they're only up to 4 or 5 building on their campus site.  They just started athletics in the last 3 years.  If that's what A&M wants in Fort Worth, there will be land available to accommodate that growth when the time comes.



#119 BFrog88

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Posted 05 February 2023 - 02:48 PM

Have I missed somewhere that A&M has aspirations for this to be more than a downtown satellite campus that takes in the law school?  We've had posts about a "massive campus" and athletics and that doesn't jive at all with the plans they've announced.  Even if they did want a full campus, those take decades to develop.  UNT Dallas started in 2000 in an office park and they're only up to 4 or 5 building on their campus site.  They just started athletics in the last 3 years.  If that's what A&M wants in Fort Worth, there will be land available to accommodate that growth when the time comes.

The complex is an A&M System project. Three initial elements: (1) The main campus (TAMU-College Station) operates the law school and will operate a new research enterprise in the complex. (2) Tarleton State (separate university but part of the A&M System) will also have a presence in the complex. (3) As the states land grant institution, the A&M System operates several state extension agencies (ie A&M AgriLife), and some of those agencies will have space in the complex.

There are no plans - and I expect none to ever emerge - to open a new A&M System university in Fort Worth. Rather, Tarleton and College Station will use the Fort Worth System campus as fits their needs / aspirations. For example, I expect College Stations Mays Business and their College of Education to open some Fort Worth based graduate programs. As those would compete directly with TCU (and other Tarrant and DFW institutions) theyll surely wait for the complex to be closer to completion, or already in operation, before being transparent about those ambitions. Think of this campus as arms of A&M-College Station and Tarleton and some state agenciesnot as a new university.

#120 NThomas

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Posted 05 February 2023 - 09:37 PM

Have I missed somewhere that A&M has aspirations for this to be more than a downtown satellite campus that takes in the law school?  We've had posts about a "massive campus" and athletics and that doesn't jive at all with the plans they've announced.  Even if they did want a full campus, those take decades to develop.  UNT Dallas started in 2000 in an office park and they're only up to 4 or 5 building on their campus site.  They just started athletics in the last 3 years.  If that's what A&M wants in Fort Worth, there will be land available to accommodate that growth when the time comes.

The complex is an A&M System project. Three initial elements: (1) The main campus (TAMU-College Station) operates the law school and will operate a new research enterprise in the complex. (2) Tarleton State (separate university but part of the A&M System) will also have a presence in the complex. (3) As the states land grant institution, the A&M System operates several state extension agencies (ie A&M AgriLife), and some of those agencies will have space in the complex.

There are no plans - and I expect none to ever emerge - to open a new A&M System university in Fort Worth. Rather, Tarleton and College Station will use the Fort Worth System campus as fits their needs / aspirations. For example, I expect College Stations Mays Business and their College of Education to open some Fort Worth based graduate programs. As those would compete directly with TCU (and other Tarrant and DFW institutions) theyll surely wait for the complex to be closer to completion, or already in operation, before being transparent about those ambitions. Think of this campus as arms of A&M-College Station and Tarleton and some state agenciesnot as a new university.
This is exactly what has been announced/proposed and some of the speculative conversation about this system center campus in the wrong location or growth into something rivaling UT in Austin should be spun off into a separate thread in the "Ideas and Suggestions for Projects" forum.

#121 elpingüino

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Posted 05 February 2023 - 10:07 PM

The complex is an A&M System project. Three initial elements: (1) The main campus (TAMU-College Station) operates the law school and will operate a new research enterprise in the complex. (2) Tarleton State (separate university but part of the A&M System) will also have a presence in the complex. (3) As the states land grant institution, the A&M System operates several state extension agencies (ie A&M AgriLife), and some of those agencies will have space in the complex.

There are no plans - and I expect none to ever emerge - to open a new A&M System university in Fort Worth. Rather, Tarleton and College Station will use the Fort Worth System campus as fits their needs / aspirations. For example, I expect College Stations Mays Business and their College of Education to open some Fort Worth based graduate programs. As those would compete directly with TCU (and other Tarrant and DFW institutions) theyll surely wait for the complex to be closer to completion, or already in operation, before being transparent about those ambitions. Think of this campus as arms of A&M-College Station and Tarleton and some state agenciesnot as a new university.

Thanks for that perspective. Ever since they announced that the name would be Texas A&M-Fort Worth, I've been wondering if they're following a similar trajectory as Texas A&M-San Antonio, which started as a branch of Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2006, became a standalone institution in 2009, and now has 7,300 students.

https://www.tamusa.e...bout/index.html
https://en.wikipedia...y–San_Antonio

#122 Nitixope

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Posted 06 February 2023 - 12:10 AM

Texas A&M San Antonio campus sits on a 700 acre site according to this:
https://www.tamusa.e...e-10-years.html

Ill be curious to check tax records to see if A&M actually owns 700 acres in San Antonio.

#123 Urbndwlr

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Posted 13 February 2023 - 03:08 PM

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

The article mentioned 225,000 gross SF, and estimated 9 floors. 

I dont know how far they are in design but sounds like the assumption is 25,000 SF floor plates on average. 

 

Would you assume a building like that might have 15 ft floor to floor heights on average?  so 135 ft tall?

Seems like good news in that it would deliver more programs (and therefore activity) immediately and make better overall use of the land. 

 

The Pelli Clarke website shows that they have a lot of experience with projects like this, although none is highly similar (approx 200 x 200 block).

 

I couldnt tell if Pelli Clarke will be master planning the three building campus as part of this scope or purely focusing on this one building. 



#124 TLA

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Posted 14 February 2023 - 08:18 AM

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?
The article mentioned 225,000 gross SF, and estimated 9 floors. 
I dont know how far they are in design but sounds like the assumption is 25,000 SF floor plates on average. 
 
Would you assume a building like that might have 15 ft floor to floor heights on average?  so 135 ft tall?
Seems like good news in that it would deliver more programs (and therefore activity) immediately and make better overall use of the land. 
 
The Pelli Clarke website shows that they have a lot of experience with projects like this, although none is highly similar (approx 200 x 200 block).
 
I couldnt tell if Pelli Clarke will be master planning the three building campus as part of this scope or purely focusing on this one building.


This will definitely add height to the area. Also, the renderings look to have a garage/parking podium underneath the building. I wonder if it will be even taller if they build above grade parking beneath the academic floors.

#125 rriojas71

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Posted 14 February 2023 - 12:00 PM

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

Initial renderings are on post #33



#126 johnfwd

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Posted 14 February 2023 - 01:24 PM

 

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

Initial renderings are on post #33

 

 

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

Initial renderings are on post #33

 

First three buildings, 9 floors each?



#127 Nitixope

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Posted 16 February 2023 - 08:41 PM

S-T reports: Fort Worth selects developer to oversee construction of Texas A&M downtown campus

https://www.star-tel...e272530846.html

A joint Edgemoore and KDC

#128 Austin55

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Posted 16 February 2023 - 09:36 PM

 

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

Initial renderings are on post #33

 

 

Considering we've been looking at the same renderings since November 2021, and the architect was just hired less than a month ago, I'm very curious how much the building will actually look in comparison to what we've been seeing for several months. 



#129 Urbndwlr

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Posted 17 February 2023 - 10:37 AM

 

 

Given the recent news on increased appropriation to the first building, how tall do we expect that building to be?

Initial renderings are on post #33

 

 

Considering we've been looking at the same renderings since November 2021, and the architect was just hired less than a month ago, I'm very curious how much the building will actually look in comparison to what we've been seeing for several months. 

 

Someone told me they thought those original renderings were just done as part of the announcement, not to be taken too literally.  Im not certain how indicative they are of how the final design will look. 



#130 Eastsider817

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Posted 17 February 2023 - 12:20 PM

As both campuses grow I wouldn’t be surprise if the campus in southwest Fort Worth eventually becomes its own entity. I fully expect it to out grow the main campus in Stephenville.

#131 Nitixope

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Posted 09 May 2023 - 11:52 AM

Commercial Grading Permit filed (link pending):

 

TAMU Fort Worth Law and Education Building
300 E 15TH ST, Fort Worth TX 76102


#132 Austin55

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Posted 09 May 2023 - 08:55 PM

Excited to see this break ground!



#133 Nitixope

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 08:03 AM

The drainage study is in the system but not active yet.  Should be happening soon.

 

Texas A&M Fort Worth Law and Education Building

300 E 15TH ST, undefined undefined, Fort Worth TX 76102


#134 Nitixope

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 03:50 PM

TAMU finally released updated renderings of the Fort Worth campus: https://www.tamus.edu/fort-worth/
(I've been tight-lipped about this for several weeks out of respect for the project team, but thanks Austin55 for noticing the updates to their public website today.  Quite a departure from the original design.  This is now at 100% Design Development last time I checked.)
 
Picture1.jpg
 
 
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#135 ramjet

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 06:09 PM

Well, if Frank Gehry and the architect who designed Fort Worth's current City Hall had a baby...  (I like it.)



#136 BFrog88

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 07:53 PM

TAMU finally released updated renderings of the Fort Worth campus: https://www.tamus.edu/fort-worth/
(I've been tight-lipped about this for several weeks out of respect for the project team, but thanks Austin55 for noticing the updates to their public website today.  Quite a departure from the original design.  This is now at 100% Design Development last time I checked.)
 
Picture1.jpg
 
 
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Picture5.jpg
 
Picture8.jpg
 
Picture10.jpg
 
Picture12.jpg
 
Picture14.jpg


Wow. How embarrassing.

#137 george84

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 08:15 PM

Did I miss a memo that its only 1 building? I thought it was 2-3 at first and then more later. Also, I dont really like this redesign. Maybe it will look better when its done but it seems odd to me. I went to A&M, our campus is not known for its beauty but the newer buildings on campus are not bad. This one looks like a radical take on the old beige buildings that dominate the campus.

#138 roverone

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 08:47 PM

This is not a terrible building; but I think we are all tired of the renderings that were implied to be reality, but were actually just bravado and hyperbole for this and other projects.

 

They could at least show a rendering of the ultimate multi-building design and explain that they are starting with this one building as the first phase.

 

But to show us some grand campus scheme and then contract it to this one building with a parking lot to the south and two parking lots to the north just feels like yet another bait-and-switch.

 

I hope that any city endorsement and tax incentives commensurately contract with the diminished proposition.

 

This seems to happen over and over again and I hope someone is holding the developers accountable.  I get it: things cost more than expected, and funding is difficult; but stop asking the city for support based upon pipe-dreams.  Either you come to the table with the vision and the dollars to do it; or stop blowing smoke to gain some advantage.

 

(I'm editing this -- not changing my words above, but owning up to the fact that I was ranting about this project when really in my mind are other projects, like some of the early renderings we saw along 7th.  For sure it is great that this development is happening.  If they were willing to put out very rough early renderings as place holders for the campus, I wish they would have continued with this rendering at least with massing models rather than parking lots.)



#139 Jeriat

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 08:51 PM

Did I miss a memo that its only 1 building? I thought it was 2-3 at first and then more later. 

I think this is actually separate from that.

Austin already knows how I feel about the design. I'm just glad SOMETHING is being kicked off to fix that urban desert portion of downtown. 


7fwPZnE.png

 

8643298391_d47584a085_b.jpg


#140 John T Roberts

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 09:11 PM

I really don't care for it.



#141 JBB

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 09:26 PM

The forum: "We want something to happen!"

 

Something happens.

 

"This isn't good enough!"

 

Rinse. Repeat.  Some of you guys aren't happy unless you're unhappy and disappointed.



#142 John T Roberts

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 09:32 PM

Architecture is subjective. 



#143 JBB

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 09:38 PM

I'm not talking about the criticism of the architecture.  That I don't mind.  It's suggesting that there's some sort of scam or scandal or "bait and switch" or a righteous call for accountability when plans change.  I thought everyone here was an adult.  This is a multi-phase project and always has been.



#144 Austin55

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Posted 18 May 2023 - 11:01 PM

Ok, here's my thoughts.

 

Shape. Love it. Each side is different, and has something unique going on. The W facade is the most boring, without any articulation, but it does have the sloped roofline.  The other 3 are each carved out which is quite visually interesting. I like that each carved out area is slightly different in it's treatment. The outdoor spaces, both those that are set on the roof of each carve out and those that are covered in each corner are also interesting and should provide great spaces for students in the school. The outdoor stairwells that I think is on the Eastern facade is pretty cool. Again, I like that the whole thing has the sloping roof life that is consistent throughout. Each floor appears to be huge, the renderings make it seem a fair bit taller than the 12-story hotel next door, despite the fact that it is only 8 floors. There's a lot of verticality to it.

 

Facade. This is what will make or break the building, for me. It's interesting that it is brick. The narrow vertical columns, which appear to act as sort of permanent louvers, arranged at the sort of 45 degree difference from the facade, scream 1970s brutalism. There's something they remind me of, but I can't put my finger on it. It does feel very institutional.  The vertical brick bands are the strongest feature to my eye, but there's a lot of other elements that stick out, like the way the foorplates just out on every other floor to create horizontal break-ups. Always hard to tell how glass will look from renderings, but there is a lot here and it will need to play well with the brick since each are so prominent. Overall it's a pretty busy design, and the signage doesn't help out, but I do want to reserve too much judgment until I see it. 

Pedestrian experience. This is a biiiiig upgrade from the original placeholder renderings that have been shown for a few years now, which just depicted a parking podium and 0 sidewalk interaction outside of the central plaza. 

I dig it so far, pending the materials used I think it could be pretty cool. 

It does raise some questions about the other phases. Will the other two buildings look similar? Where is the parking? Is the central green space still planned? Will there be skybridges? We'll find out! 



#145 Nitixope

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 01:04 AM

May 18, 2023 press release reads as follows: https://news.tamus.e...gin-next-month/

Construction on Texas A&M-Fort Worth to Begin Next Month

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas Construction on Texas A&M-Fort Worth campus will begin next month after the Texas A&M University Systems Board of Regents on Thursday unanimously gave the go-ahead on a Law and Education Building.

The eight-story building, at a cost of $150 million, will anchor a new research campus in southeast downtown Fort Worth. It is the first of three high-rise structures to be built and financed by the Texas A&M System, the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the private sector.

Our goal is to spur business and job growth in one of the nations fastest-growing cities and throughout North Texas, said Chancellor John Sharp. This is a gamechanger for everyone involved.

Civic leaders from Fort Worth and Tarrant County recruited the Texas A&M System to help address workforce issues and economic development. For example, half of the 1.2 million adults in Tarrant County, age 25 and older, lack a college degree. The A&M System will bring its research, education and service opportunities to help workers and employers.

The Law and Education Building, which will become the new home to Texas A&Ms fast-growing School of Law, also will house courses in engineering, health care, nursing and other subjects offered by Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Health, and Tarleton State University.

The campus, to be built on four city blocks, eventually will include a Research and Innovation Building where the private sector, including some of the citys largest employers, and the A&M Systems agencies can work together. The Gateway Building will house offices, more classroom and meeting spaces, and a conference center.

The goal is to complete the campus by 2027.

While construction on the Law and Education Building begins next month, the accelerated schedule means some final design decisions, such as the color of the bricks, will be made in the coming weeks.



#146 FunkyTownTay

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 07:01 AM

That strip of downtown already has a lot of beige, so I hope the glass on this building is prominent. My initial take on seeing the renderings was negative, but I'll remain optimistic that the finished product will look nice. It does seem like some sort of podium would be helpful. For example, T&P has beige/tan brick but the stone and granite podium.

Crazy that the campus is supposed to be complete by 2027! That would seem to imply a new building starting each year between now and 2026. I also wonder if they really want the entire middle block to be a plaza or if they will anchor it on the East side of the block with a smaller building at some point.

Also, thanks to CTP, the drive from this campus to Tarleton Fort Worth is only 20 minutes... probably could shave a couple more minutes off if the Tarleton campus ever gets its own exit.


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#147 JBB

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 07:27 AM

The W facade is the most boring, without any articulation, but it does have the sloped roofline.


^This^ was my first impression. Interesting choice to have what I would think are the more prominently adorned sides of the building facing away from the majority of downtown, but that could be an intentional way of having the more eye catching sides of the building face the areas that need the biggest boost in activity and development.

I don't love it, but it's far from offensive. As people have mentioned before, institutional buildings can be bland because they're often done with value in mind and I don't think there's anything bland about this design.

 

Edit: And one more note from my rant last night: from all accounts, Fort Worth is a hell hole when it comes to planning and development.  If you make it harder for developers to change plans during the process, which hasn't really happened here, by the way, that perception will only be made worse.  Be careful what you wish for.



#148 Crestline

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 07:57 AM

kinda weird looking building ngl  :roflol:



#149 apearson28

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 08:14 AM

I don't know if anyone else noticed or mentioned this but it seems to reference the Paul Randolph top-down pinwheel design of the BOA & Wells Fargo towers...

I don't really care for it at first glance, but I feel like the actual construction will look better than these renders. I do hope the rest of the complex brings some different "flavors"...

 

Kinda looks like something an amateur board member would've suggested  :roflol:



#150 roverone

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Posted 19 May 2023 - 08:44 AM

I will try to clarify that I was recoiling less about this building and more about it being just one building and not a thought-through design for everything they are going to build.  Not that there couldn't be changes, but that I don't know how you end up with a cohesive design if you don't have in mind what all the components are going to be like.  And presumably they do -- I wish that they would have presented some ghosted rough concept of how the whole space is going to be filled.  Unless we think that they are going to do stand-alone individual buildings with different designs.







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