Fort Worthology’s Most Endangered
October 3, 2008 at 10:35 am | Architecture & Urban Design, Preservation | Tags: Historic Preservation
As Historic Fort Worth often does, I thought I’d post my own list of some structures in urban Fort Worth that I feel are most endangered and worthy of preservation. I will try to not have too much overlap between the HFW list and mine, but some is inevitable. Here we go, in no particular order:
Building at the corner of 8th Avenue and Magnolia Year built: Unknown
There’s not really a lot of information about this little building that I could find – I wasn’t even able to locate it on Fort Worth Architecture. It has been vacant for as long as I’ve know about it. I’ll guess it’s likely from the 19teens or 1920s. The building has been boarded up for some time and parts of it (such as the roof over a balcony on 8th Avenue) are collapsing.
The fate of the building is not known at this point.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Classifieds Building Year built: Approx. early/mid 1960s
The Star-Telegram Classifieds Building (originally built as the home of Tarrant Savings) has few friends, and that’s a shame. It’s pretty much the only example of Googie-infused International Style architecture in downtown. Unfortunately, it’s been badly neglected over the years – it used to have translucent blue panels between the “fins” that stick out from the upper floors, for one example. Its windows have been covered with ugly mirror tint (always a bad move on an International Style building, in my opinion). It’s filthy. If it were to be restored, I think it would be an extremely cool slice of Jet Age futurism. I can picture some slick mid-century modern style lofts in this building.
The building’s fate is uncertain – it was recently bought by the Fort Worth Club, and there are threats that it’ll be demolished for a parking lot (ick!).
Heritage Park Year built: 1976
I’ve written about the uncertainty about Heritage Park’s future before, so its inclusion here should be no surprise. Lawrence Halprin’s intimate, meditative park space on the bluff looking over the Trinity needs a lot of TLC, but it also has a lot of potential. It’s one of the few bits of 1970s architecture that I don’t find repulsive. The city has been strangely quiet about the park since its closure.
The park’s fate is uncertain – it is currently fenced off and closed.
Church & House at Hemphill & Broadway Year built: Unknown (likely 19teens/1920s)
This little church and the house next door aren’t in great shape, and were recently up for sale. The buildings apparently were purchased, and now a demolition request sign has appeared in front of the house. It would be a shame to lose either building, but let’s hope this demolition request is for just the house and the church will be redeveloped.
The fate of the two buildings is unknown.
Texas & Pacific Warehouse Year built: 1931
This massive Art Deco structure has been vacant for a long time – even the occasional haunted houses and paintball games that happened there from time to time have long since moved on. The only building of the monumental Texas & Pacific Station/Post Office/Warehouse development from the ’30s on Lancaster to be vacant, the T&P Warehouse has enormous potential. The city has been pushing the owner, a lady from Dallas, for a long time to redevelop the building as loft apartments over ground-level retail, but nothing yet has come about. Meanwhile, the building sits neglected. Until recently, it apparently even had standing water in the basement, but crews were seen pumping the water out not long after the building was put on Historic Fort Worth’s list of most endangered buildings.
The building’s fate, unfortunately, is unknown. It’s a protected landmark, but the long-awaited redevelopment plans have never come about despite the city’s offers of money and assistance.