282 replies to this topic

[JBB]

I haven't been.  From everything I've heard it's barely a step above the Joe Exotic facility.  Non-accredited and a huge focus on animal contact.

[Austin55]

It definitely seems sketch but I want to chill with a Capybara.

[Stadtplan]

One person online documented animals sitting on bare concrete? Also, what is up with the lines for admission? Seems like a real headache, maybe not very organized.

I noticed the capys but shouldnt they be outside in a grassy area with lots of water. Do they ever get a break from indoors?

[Stadtplan]

https://www.tdlr.tex.../TABS2024001340

 

PROJECT

Project Name: Gala at Ridgmar

Project Number: TABS2024001340

Facility Name: Gala at Ridgmar

Location Address: 6600 Lands End Boulevard

Fort Worth, TX 76116

Location County: Tarrant

Start Date: 12/20/2023

Completion Date: 6/20/2025

Estimated Cost: $350,000

Type of Work: New Construction

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

Scope of Work: Multifamily housing with (1) 3-story building with an integrated clubhouse. There will be 77 units total.

Square Footage: 3,000 ft 2

 

OWNER

Owner Name: Gardner Capital

Owner Address: 2501 North Harwood Street, Suite 1520

Dallas, Texas 75201

[Crestline]

Glad to see this Gala residential project moving forward. Wonder why this empty lot took so long to attract infill development?

[elpingüino]

SeaQuest Fort Worth shuts down following allegations of animal abuse, deaths
https://fortworthrep...l-abuse-deaths/

[John T Roberts]

The news doesn't surprise me. 

[Stadtplan]

This organization has a sordid past of animal rights violations at other locations too: https://en.wikipedia...est_(aquariums)

 

https://www.peta.org...t-worth-llc.pdf

[bclaridge]

PETA even had two billboards placed along Alta Mere south of Ridgmar warning people not to go to mall aquariums like SeaQuest.

They campaigned hard to get them shut down, and I am happy SeaQuest is gone, in light of their animal abuse.

[Jeriat]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: 

Give JCPenny to Hulen, keep the Rave Movie theater, bulldoze the rest and start over... 

[eastfwther]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: 

Give JCPenny to Hulen, keep the Rave Movie theater, bulldoze the rest and start over... 

The only mall I pass semi-regularly is Irving Mall sometimes on my way to work.  The mall is pretty much dead and even when it's "busy", you can easily see the amazing sea of concrete surrounding it.  These malls from that era take up a monstrous amount of space that can easily become an entirely new part of town if they're redeveloped properly.  Can you imagine what could be done with all that space at Ridgmar if that mall was gone??  A good redevelopment  could ignite the fire that could turn that whole area of town around. 

[Stadtplan]

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: 

Give JCPenny to Hulen, keep the Rave Movie theater, bulldoze the rest and start over... 

The only mall I pass semi-regularly is Irving Mall sometimes on my way to work.  The mall is pretty much dead and even when it's "busy", you can easily see the amazing sea of concrete surrounding it.  These malls from that era take up a monstrous amount of space that can easily become an entirely new part of town if they're redeveloped properly.  Can you imagine what could be done with all that space at Ridgmar if that mall was gone??  A good redevelopment  could ignite the fire that could turn that whole area of town around. 

 

 

The Irving Mall had so much dead parking lot space, Chick-fil-A moved their old location into the parking lot in front of Sears.

[FortWorthian]

An interesting video with chill music highlighting Rigmar (shot in summer of 2023 showing Sea Quest open, but was recently released) and also explains the design motifs used. The one that caught my attention was the Dreamcore Aesthetic.

From google: The Dreamcore aesthetic is a surrealist art style that draws inspiration from dreams, daydreams, and nightmares, often creating a sense of uncanny familiarity, confusion, and nostalgia through visuals that might include distorted landscapes, repetitive patterns, uncanny characters, and a hazy, dreamlike quality, often resembling a mix between a familiar place and a strange, unsettling environment; essentially capturing the feeling of being in a dream that feels both strange and somewhat recognizable.



Key characteristics of Dreamcore:
Distorted visuals:
Images that appear slightly warped, blurry, or distorted, often with unusual color palettes.

Liminal spaces:
Environments that feel like they are in-between spaces, such as long hallways, empty shopping malls, or abandoned buildings.

Repetitive patterns:
Repeating textures or designs that can create a hypnotic effect.

Uncanny characters:
Figures that are vaguely human-like but with unsettling features or distortions.

Nostalgia with a twist:
Utilizing familiar elements from childhood or everyday life but presented in a strange or disturbing way.

[Jeriat]

Any interesting video with chill music highlighting Rigmarole (shot in summer of 2023 showing Sea Quest open, but was recently released) and also explains the design motifs used. The one that caught my attention was the Dreamcore Aesthetic.

The Dreamcore aesthetic is a surrealist art style that draws inspiration from dreams, daydreams, and nightmares, often creating a sense of uncanny familiarity, confusion, and nostalgia through visuals that might include distorted landscapes, repetitive patterns, uncanny characters, and a hazy, dreamlike quality, often resembling a mix between a familiar place and a strange, unsettling environment; essentially capturing the feeling of being in a dream that feels both strange and somewhat recognizable.



Key characteristics of Dreamcore:
Distorted visuals:
Images that appear slightly warped, blurry, or distorted, often with unusual color palettes.

Liminal spaces:
Environments that feel like they are in-between spaces, such as long hallways, empty shopping malls, or abandoned buildings.

Repetitive patterns:
Repeating textures or designs that can create a hypnotic effect.

Uncanny characters:
Figures that are vaguely human-like but with unsettling features or distortions.

Nostalgia with a twist:
Utilizing familiar elements from childhood or everyday life but presented in a strange or disturbing way.

Saw that the other day. 

It's insane just how much it declined in such a short time.

[hannerhan]

Yep. My kids are in high school/college and they spent a LOT of time in Ridgmar when they were little. In like 8 years (2010-2018ish) it went from mainstream to sketchy to dead. Obviously Dillards closing the flagship then Neiman Marcus closing, within about a year, was the death knell.

[FortWorthian]

Yep. My kids are in high school/college and they spent a LOT of time in Ridgmar when they were little. In like 8 years (2010-2018ish) it went from mainstream to sketchy to dead. Obviously Dillards closing the flagship then Neiman Marcus closing, within about a year, was the death knell.

 

I recall there were a few homicides and a self-inflicted that occurred in the parking lot around that time frame too. That certainly put a nail in the coffin for any hope of saving the mall, for lack of a better term.

[bclaridge]

Yep. My kids are in high school/college and they spent a LOT of time in Ridgmar when they were little. In like 8 years (2010-2018ish) it went from mainstream to sketchy to dead. Obviously Dillards closing the flagship then Neiman Marcus closing, within about a year, was the death knell.

I always felt that Neiman Marcus didn't really do much for the rest of Ridgmar Mall when they were there; the NM wing was dead for as long as I can remember before their departure. Adding the movie theater helped a little bit, but it wasn't enough to get decent occupancy in that wing; the highest occupancy was always between the food court and JCPenney.

My understanding was that the clientele at Neiman Marcus rarely interacted with the rest of the mall. By comparison, NM feels right at home at The Shops at Clearfork, with Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Burberry right next door.

The conversion of the Dillard's to a clearance store probably caused a lot more damage to Ridgmar than NM's move.

[John T Roberts]

You are correct.  Neiman Marcus did not do much for the rest of Ridgmar Mall from the time they opened until they relocated to Clearfork.  That end of the mall was always mostly vacant and never had the activity than the rest of the mall.  The mall opened in October of 1976 and Neiman Marcus and Sears came in later in 1977.  Opening of the theater helped a little bit, but that location was not where it was planned.  As a part of the remodeling of the mall in the early 2000s, a new structure was put in place in the center of the mall for a two story theater to be added on top.  That addition never happened, so now there is a super structure of columns designed to support a theater structure above.  Macy's closing and the conversion to a Dillard's Clearance Center really hurt the activity at the mall.

[bclaridge]

You are correct.  Neiman Marcus did not do much for the rest of Ridgmar Mall from the time they opened until they relocated to Clearfork.  That end of the mall was always mostly vacant and never had the activity than the rest of the mall.  The mall opened in October of 1976 and Neiman Marcus and Sears came in later in 1977.  Opening of the theater helped a little bit, but that location was not where it was planned.  As a part of the remodeling of the mall in the early 2000s, a new structure was put in place in the center of the mall for a two story theater to be added on top.  That addition never happened, so now there is a super structure of columns designed to support a theater structure above.  Macy's closing and the conversion to a Dillard's Clearance Center really hurt the activity at the mall.

I recall the plans for a movie theater above the food court and central portion of the mall as well. Right at the entrance to the food court from the exterior, there was space to accommodate a set of escalators leading up to the planned movie theater; I also believe that to this day, the elevator in the center court has a button — or space for a button — for a nonexistent third floor (that elevator was designed from the start to be extended up to a third floor).

The elevator at North East Mall that's within the mall entrance next to their movie theater, across from White House Black Market and next to PINK, also has a similar "ghost button" for a nonexistent floor, but unlike at Ridgmar, this was actually another floor at one point; it served the second floor of Montgomery Ward when they had a store there. The Wikipedia article on North East Mall actually shows an image from 1999 of what this area looked like when Montgomery Ward was there.

[John T Roberts]

As I had said in my previous post, not only were there plans for the theater above the mall, they actually built the new structure inside the existing mall to support it.  For the record, if a building is not designed to have more floors added on top, this is the way that it is done.  A new structure is built inside the existing one.  Basically, the upstairs theater would be a building built on stilts through the existing one down below.  Also, I have never ridden the elevator at Ridgmar, so I wasn't aware that it had an extra button to go higher, but it makes sense.

 

As for North East Mall, I remember when the extension was built next to Montgomery Ward and offered access to both levels of the store on its east side.

[ramjet]

I know I sound like a broken record, but to me, the decline and neglect of Ridgmar Mall is yet another failure of the city's government and economic development entities.  Before I get the comments, I know these folks don't have direct power over a private property, but they do have the bully pulpit, and other levers to encourage redevelopment.

 

That is a prime spot on in an area surrounded by transportation resources, affluent households, and is a gateway to the new Walsh Ranch and Parker County expanded parts of the city.  I love Fort Worth very much, but I continue to see so much complacency in its leadership.  It really makes me chafe.  There should not be a ghost mall in that spot, especially for this long.

[steave]

For sure. It's awkward though because there's a lot of other competing retail centers in that area.

[TexasVeteran]

It's also interesting to me none of the redevelopment plans/additions over the years have planned out. I remember there was talk of Macy's becoming apartments and going more vertical, sears being a gym and event space, etc. I think they should have made it an "outlet mall" and focused that direction. From FW to out west there is nothing like that and Ridgmar "used to be" the place that everyone went school shopping from out near Abilene to FW. JCpenney needs to move to Hulen already.

[FortWorthian]

I'm actually OK with completely letting this one go.  Is that an acceptable opinion?  Convince me otherwise please.

[TexasVeteran]

Agreed. It's too far gone.

[eastfwther]

I remember going to Ridgmar after a big renovation.  I'm thinking, mid or late 90's.  I recall eating at El Fenix near a really nice water fountain. Jeez..,I'm pretty sure that was the last time I was there! 

[bclaridge]

I remember going to Ridgmar after a big renovation.  I'm thinking, mid or late 90's.  I recall eating at El Fenix near a really nice water fountain. Jeez..,I'm pretty sure that was the last time I was there! 

I'm pretty sure the renovations were completed in the early 2000s, although there would have been work going on for quite some time beforehand.

Wasn't El Fenix located on the first floor near Dillard's?

[JBB]

There were 2 major remodels at Ridgmar that I remember: one when the mall was in trouble after the base closure in the early-mid 90s and the one in the early 2000s when the mall was assumed dead again.

[eastfwther]

 

I remember going to Ridgmar after a big renovation.  I'm thinking, mid or late 90's.  I recall eating at El Fenix near a really nice water fountain. Jeez..,I'm pretty sure that was the last time I was there! 

I'm pretty sure the renovations were completed in the early 2000s, although there would have been work going on for quite some time beforehand.

Wasn't El Fenix located on the first floor near Dillard's?

 

 

There were 2 major remodels at Ridgmar that I remember: one when the mall was in trouble after the base closure in the early-mid 90s and the one in the early 2000s when the mall was assumed dead again.

I  must've gone after the 90's remodel, because I'm pretty sure I was never there in the 2000's.  I remember a friend and I drove past the mall once around 2015 and I noticed a movie theater had been added.  I thought it was new.  My friend quickly told me it had been there over a decade!! 

[chmartin79]

I actually think this mall would do very well as a La Gran Plaza West. I'm telling you, this would be a sure thing.

[John T Roberts]

El Fenix was on the first floor near Dillard's.  The big remodel was completed in the early 2000s.  That's when the superstructure was added within the existing structure to support the theater on the roof that never happened.

[Jeriat]

I actually think this mall would do very well as a La Gran Plaza West. I'm telling you, this would be a sure thing.

Maybe, but... I feel like that's something that can't really be duplicated. At least, not in the same way. 

[TexasVeteran]

I agree, it's way too close to the existing "La Gran Plaza" to be successful. That center pulls from a massive trade area. Ridgmar just needs to be completely re-imagined at this point.