Now, I have the first interior pictures to show of the building. I also saw the site plan and can see where the western part of Summit will be converted into Pier 1 Place. Overall the project has a very nice site plan. There will be only one tenant in the building -- Pier 1 Imports. They will not occupy the entire building at first because is was planned to handle expansion. The areas that they will not occupy will be left unfinished until they need the space. The building was designed to handle their needs until 2013. When the project was announced, Pier 1 stated the property was large enough to add additional office space. Everyone here on the forum speculated where that additional space would be constructed. I stated that I didn't think they would build toward the river because I think the building is at the edge of the 100 year flood plain. The architects didn't say that, but in looking at the site on the tour, it is pretty obvious they could not build another tower toward the river. When Pier 1 needs more space, another tower will be built to the southeast of the current building. The visitor's parking area occupies that site now.
The interior of Pier 1 Place:
View of the elevator core as you walk in the front door:
Travertine wall of the core:
View of the lobby looking somewhat out toward the north. The people standing in the lobby are all FWAIA members.
View of the south wall of the building core:
The employee dining room is in the lowest level of the building:
Offices ring the exterior of the building with open office (cubicles) between the core and the outer offices. The open office areas have windows which are located at the indentations on the short sides of the building. All of the offices have large etched glass panels adjacent to the door and a clear glass borrowed lite over the door and above the etched glass. This allows even more light to enter the open office areas. A reception area sits on the northeast side of the elevator core and then a large conference room is in the middle of the building on that side that faces downtown. On the opposite side of the building, there is a companion smaller conference room.
Typical office:
All of the decorative lighting on the building will be done internally. On the floors where offices and conference rooms are located, there are pendant mounted fluorescent lights that give both direct and indirect light. These lights sit at the bottom of an angled ceiling that tapers up to the curtain wall. Since the fixtures throw light upward, that cavity is illuminated. The glass in that location is frosted above the vision glass. The lighting for the building is being done as each floor is completed. I've already driven by to see how the illumination will look on the lower floors. This is the Pier 1 Staff Architect's Office. I'm showing this so you can see how the glass and the light fixtures will work.
The open office areas were crowded with architects and system furniture, so I really didn't get a good photograph to show those spaces that are finished. However, I do have a real treat for you. Some of the views out of the 20th floor of the tower.
Looking down the Trinity River toward the southwest:
Looking west toward the Fort Worth Forum's favorite building, Montgomery Ward:
And now the cream of the crop -- The Downtown Skyline:
