Burnett Lofts

Catalyst Urban Development has been selected to be the developer. I'm unfamiliar with them but their work looks nice, perhaps a bit unremarkable. 

Curious to see where they go with the design plans. What do ya'll think of the decision?

Catalyst Urban Development has been selected to be the developer. I'm unfamiliar with them but their work looks nice, perhaps a bit unremarkable. 

 

Curious to see where they go with the design plans. What do ya'll think of the decision

Having viewed their four Dallas area satellite community projects, I guess I would agree with your assessment "nice" but "unremarkable."  Apparently Fort Worth/Lancaster Avenue would be their first for a metropolitan city.  But their's follows the contemporary architectural look of these "mixed-use" developments.  

Also, here's a powerpoint I found giving a master plan for the area. I didn't see it in the forum, so I'll go ahead and put it here for reference.

http://fortworthgov....&meta_id=255379

Oh man that is a great source of information!

Here's a closeup of the first phase, 

My assumption is that pink=retail and yellow=living space

The Downtown Design Review Board is hearing a special case this month for the vacation of streets within this area.  I'm betting that is in preparation of the project that Austin has posted.  Also, the file that jsfslls has posted shows more detailed drawings of the south end of the Water Gardens.  Renamerusk might be interested in that.

As John mentioned above, the DDRB case was to vacate those parts of the 13th. Here's is an article with some news on that, new info, and a few rudimentary renderings. Also of note, it mentions expected construction start is "near the end of this year or in early 2016". 

I could be looking at it wrong, but from that rendering, it looks like development goes to the other side of Cherry as well. That's great to see.

It does appear that way. I think the Fire Department uses the part of the property behind the Central Fire Station.

The locations of the buildings in the drawing confuse me, so I walked over to this whole area this morning (it's in my office neck of the woods).  Spotted red-painted markings on the ground at various spots and assume they are marking the bounds of future construction sites.  Red markings on  the parking lot south of the city building with the gas pumps; the parking lot south of the Higginbotham building; the grassy area south of that parking lot; the parking lot south of the Nathan Frankel building and the grassy area south of that, all facing Lancaster of course.  I hope Higginbotham employees/tenants find alternate parking, if that lot goes.

Still don't know why the empty tract south of the TWC parking lot has been graded and cordoned off.

FYI:  After months of site preparation, white pillars are up at the Pinnacle bank construction site.

S-T Op/Ed praises planned Lancaster Avenue development:

http://www.star-tele...le34768443.html

It's been a year since we'd heard anything, and it sounds like it could be longer. From the Lancaster TIF board (PDF)

 

C. Discussion and Consideration of a Resolution amending Resolution 8-2015-2 authorizing the execution of

a TIF Development Agreement with Catalyst Urban Development, LLC, to extend the Completion

Deadline. (Michael Hennig, Development Coordinator)

There is no mention of the T&P warehouse or Cadillac Lofts. 

http://www.fwtx.com/...project-delayed

Story on the delays of the Catalyst project.

On the December DDRB agenda

 

Request a Certificate of Appropriateness to install signage. DG16-33 Lancaster Corridor Owner/Applicant: Catalyst- Paris Rutherford Request for review and comments on the conceptual design of a mixed-use development

More DDRBness

 

DG17-01 1050 Burnett Street: Bordered by Lancaster Avenue, Burnett, Texas and Cherry Streets and 501 13th Street Owner/Applicant: Catalyst- Paris Rutherford Request for review and comments on the conceptual design of a mixed-use development.

The little red flags are gone and the pavement chalk markings have long-since faded, markings which I thought were in preparation for site development for this mixed-used project.  Most of the space between the city-owned building on the west and the Higginbotham building on the east is devoted to parking.  But I surmised that the grassy area just north of Lancaster is part of this project.  I'd like to see some commerce for this dismal area, which is east of the office building where I work.

More info + rendering.

http://www.star-tele...e130441929.html

This is what's going in in my neck of the woods?  Commerce is what's needed here.  We lack restaurants and other services in this particular area, which is predominantly offices, parking lots, a dismal-looking city garage, and two auto-repair businesses.  The Pinnacle Bank building ground floor will have retail but that's further down Lancaster.   Is this particular area zoned for multi-family housing?

That project does have ground floor retail and restaurant according to the article.  You have to have a critical mass of residents to make more retail and restaurants feasible and this will help get it that direction.  Look at the Samuels Ave. residential area.  Retail and restaurants have been promised as part of every project that's gone in there and, even with the multi-family explosion over the last decade and a half, there isn't a bit of retail in the area.  As far as the zoning, I'm sure it's some kind of urban mixed use that allows for multi-family residential.

Hard to see any closer but here some more renderings and updated site plan. Looks like the retail may not be ground floor of the building itself but separated into it's own space at the southeast corner. Looks interesting.

The residential building is in a bad location for ground floor retail.

It's more the approach for the I-30 ramp that screws things up.  I bet that approach and the section of the street is a raceway.

It's more the approach for the I-30 ramp that screws things up.  I bet that approach and the section of the street is a raceway.

As I recall, Austin made a suggestion/map in a thread a few months back and I piggy backed on it where you're taking out that ramp (as well as adjusting the westbound exit onto 30) and you wouldn't have to worry about any speed there. 

Unfortunately, it's just a pipe-dream now. 

As long as there is a decent restaurant in this project within walking distance of my office I'm for it.  As it is at present, if a client and I want to dine in the area we have to walk several blocks from Macon to Houston Street for a good restaurant.

A clearer view of the amenity area.

@post 59. I was recently at a representation by Paris Rutherford and he spoke about this project. If I understood correctly, the grassy area was put there to accommodate a major electrical line.  

The bottom floor will allow for retail (that's not what he called it)/living space units. Example, if you are an accountant you can have your office and living place in the same unit and can even hang a sign out front. They are also planning to have some sort of by unit automated trash pick up. 

Some legalese on the Burnett Lofts

 

On October 28, 2014, the City of Fort Worth (City) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Catalyst Urban Development, LLC for the master planning and development of the Lancaster Avenue corridor in downtown and to initiate execution of a development strategy for property along Lancaster Avenue. This includes former right of way which came into the City’s possession through the reconfiguration of I-30. The initial implementation of the development strategy outlined in the MOU was to begin with a Phase One project located on the block bounded by Lancaster Avenue, Cherry Street, Texas Street and Lamar Street (Project Site). On July 1, 2015 (Res. 8-2015-2 as amended on November 2, 2016 by Res. 8-2017-2), the Board of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number Eight (TIF) authorized execution of a TIF Economic Development Program Agreement with Catalyst Urban Development, LLC, (Developer) for the construction of a $38 million, 254-unit multi-family, 6,000 square foot retail and 601 space garage development (Project) located on the Project Site. The Project Site consists of both publicly and privately owned property and includes approximately 161,007 square feet of land owned by the City, with two vacant structures totaling approximately 32,249 square feet (City Property). An exhibit of the City Property is attached to this IR. The Project calls for the City to enter into a Ground Lease Agreement with the Developer that will, upon completion of the Project and satisfaction of other Developer commitments, permit the conveyance of the City Property to the Developer in exchange for a permanent 185 space parking easement within the constructed parking garage (authorized under Texas Local Government Code 272.001 ((6)). The City Property has been appraised at $4,830,000.00 and the total cost of development and maintenance expenses of the parking easement is estimated to be approximately $4,947,498.00. An M&C will be submitted for consideration at the October 17, 2017 City Council Meeting authorizing the City to enter into the Ground Lease Agreement and thereby authorizing conveyance of the City Property in exchange for the parking easement, and staff is recommending approval. If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Robert Sturns, Economic Development Director at 817-212-2663 or robert.sturns@fortworthtexas.gov.

Permits for Burnett lofts are in to the state with an expected start of 6/1/18 and expected completion of April 1 2020. Hensley Lamkin Rachel Inc is the architect. 260 units.

Little more photorealistic render of Burnett Lofts.  https://www.dfwi.org/go/burnett-lofts

Little more photorealistic render of Burnett Lofts.  https://www.dfwi.org/go/burnett-lofts

 

2020 still seems SOOOOOOOOO far away

I am missing something here I guess. What is the significance of 2020?

In case you are wondering about Burnett Lofts, it is still undergoing alley and roadway vacations. 

http://apps.fortwort...ldate=8/28/2018

More vacations,

http://apps.fortwort...date=11/13/2018

Newer/better siteplan. I'm pretty excited about the little retail on Lancaster, that could be a nice patio space and traffic generator for the area.

City Council was told Burnett Lofts would break ground in May.

Permits for Burnett Lofts are (finally!) in.  Before they can get going they'll need to demo a few small buildings on the site, but none of those demolition permits are in yet. They still have a month and a half to do all that.

 

Start Date: 7/1/2019

Completion Date: 7/1/2021

Estimated Cost: $40,000,000

Type of Work: New Construction

Type of Funds: This project is privately funded, on private land for private use.

Scope of Work: 5 story mixed use multi-family apartment with 330 residential units and parking garage, including Leasing Office, Pool Courtyard, Club and Retail Shell.

Square Footage: 601,700 ft2

https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2019011564

Permits for Burnett Lofts are (finally!) in.  Before they can get going they'll need to demo a few small buildings on the site, but none of those demolition permits are in yet. They still have a month and a half to do all that.
 

 
Start Date: 7/1/2019
Completion Date: 7/1/2021
Estimated Cost: $40,000,000
Type of Work: New Construction
Type of Funds: This project is privately funded, on private land for private use.
Scope of Work: 5 story mixed use multi-family apartment with 330 residential units and parking garage, including Leasing Office, Pool Courtyard, Club and Retail Shell.
Square Footage: 601,700 ft2

 
https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2019011564

It seems that the existing buildings where Lancaster Lofts are going are getting gutted and prepped for demolition.

Fill us in on which buildings those are.

Fill us in on which buildings those are.

This one and this one, couple old city offices, maintenance center and gas station.

The first one was originally designed as a Bowling Alley for R.A. Stuart.  The architect was W.C. Meador.  Here is a rendering from the UTA Special Collections.

From a bowling alley to a city building.  My office is just across the street from these two buildings about to be torn down.  I guess one could argue about the value of these structures from an historic preservation perspective (could one?), but I am sad to see them go for nostalgic reasons.  Over the years, on my ambulatory trek to the Post Office and back, I would walk through the parking lot where the gas station is. This was a short-cut to the PO, but it's been gate-locked from access recently.

So, once again, a large tract is going to be cleared for still another apartment complex.  Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but aren't these downtown sites supposed to be for high-rise buildings?  Oh, wait!  This is Fort Worth.  Excuse me.

In my opinion... This is one of those instances where reuse of the existing facade for a new building built behind should have been "encouraged"

From a bowling alley to a city building.  My office is just across the street from these two buildings about to be torn down.  I guess one could argue about the value of these structures from an historic preservation perspective (could one?), but I am sad to see them go for nostalgic reasons.  Over the years, on my ambulatory trek to the Post Office and back, I would walk through the parking lot where the gas station is. This was a short-cut to the PO, but it's been gate-locked from access recently.

 

So, once again, a large tract is going to be cleared for still another apartment complex.  Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but aren't these downtown sites supposed to be for high-rise buildings?  Oh, wait!  This is Fort Worth.  Excuse me.

If we waited for each block to be high rises, we'd be left with more surface parking and under-used low density product.  Each of these is not a "forever" building - those 4-6 story apartment buildings could be redeveloped in 20-30 years but good to have the density and activity now as part of downtown's evolution.   AND the property owners have the right to develop their properties today (not that you were saying otherwise) but is worth noting that we as a city dont want to make it too hard to get incremental development done. 

In my opinion... This is one of those instances where reuse of the existing facade for a new building built behind should have been "encouraged"

I really don't see anything special in these facades.  Very generic stuff.

Over the past few days the city has gone in and paved over the 3 grass lots in the leftover overhead right of way. I guess they'll use this for parking for contractors or displaced city employees. 

Burnett Lofts officially broken ground
https://twitter.com/...2022662144?s=19

Having an office close to the planned Burnett Lofts project, I notice that the constructive fencing is all around the tract and the demolition of the old city buildings has commenced.  I'm sad about that for nostalgic reasons of having walked through this area on my way to the post office for the past many years.  Will there be a restaurant as part of this project?  We professionals located in the southwest part of downtown so much need a restaurant within walking distance when it comes to entertaining friends or clients.