I was unable to attend the presentation developer Tom Struhs gave on the Trinity Bluff project at the TRV offices last night, but I’ve pieced together some notes from the presentation from various sources. Here’s some of the interesting stuff Mr. Struhs revealed:
- The Bass family is in some sort of planning stages for a grocery market for the block between 1st, Pecan, Weatherford, and Grove (Map).
- The Fort Worth Fire Department’s Station #1 is recommending a traffic light be installed at Belknap & Pecan.
- Where the famed Fried hicken store once stood along Belknap in the Trinity Bluff area, a Marriott brand hotel is planned.
- Retail is planned in Trinity Bluff, of a neighborhood complimentary sort - dry cleaners, etc. Sundance Square-style entertainment is unlikely due to alcohol restriction around Nash Elementary.
- Ten foot easements were given to the city between the various Trinity Bluff developments along the actual bluff for eventual access paths to TRV waterfront attractions and amenities.
Some interesting stuff in there. A Bass-planned grocery market is something I have not heard anything about before.
It would be a real pleasure for all those people who have chosen to live in the boundary that is called the CBD, but unless the type of “Grocery Market” is in the order of “Whole Foods or Central Market” then all they would be getting another downtown venture that will eventually lead to being robbed and unsafe to go to at night. I can’t recall ever seeing a chain grocery store located in a downtown area that made it. However if could take a ride on the Magic Time Machine, go back about 50 years then a grocery store chain would probably make here. I am not intending to be negative, but there have been to many white elephants started in this town only to go bust!
I vote and hope for a Market Street store like the one in Colleyville … their service, quality and value are the very best ! I’m just not sure how they would ‘fit’ downtown ?
Anything new on the grocery store downtown? Drove by and it would appear that a multi-level structure for parking might be needed. Downtown grocery stores are being built around the country. Some are in existing, historically significant buildings and have that European look to them. Others are from scratch. The big box grocery stores and Wal-Mart have urban designs or concepts in the works.
Wonder what the area demographics would support? A new concept from HEB, Whole Foods, Sprouts would be interesting! Me, let’s have some sort of Dean and DeLuca!