West 7th Tour – In-Depth Walkthrough Of Lofts, Retail, Office

Thanks to Kirk Williams, Senior Vice President of Development at developer Cypress Equities, Nancy Johnson-Plump, Partner at leasing company Peloton Real Estate Partners, and Damon Lively of residential leasing company Lincoln Properties, we are bringing you another in-depth walkthrough of the West 7th mixed-use development in the Cultural District.

West 7th, for the uninitiated, is a multiblock mixed-use infill development, located primarily on what used to be the site of the old Acme Brick headquarters (remember that?) on W. 7th Street in the Cultural District. Built on all or part of five blocks, the development features 275,000 square feet of retail space, 240,000 square feet of office space, and 345 residential units. Future phases will include more office space, more retail space, and potential hotel or residential additions.

Designed by Good, Fulton, and Farrell and Gideon Toal, West 7th features a contemporary look and feel, and occupies the property roughly bounded by 7th, Foch, Morton, and University.

We began this tour in the development’s mixed-use apartment/retail buildings, which are now nearing completion.

The residential portion of the development has been named. The Lofts @ West 7th features 345 apartments, with an impressive 206 floor plan variations. Units range from 497 square feet for the smallest studio to 1,201 square feet for the largest one-bedroom, 1,599 square feet for the largest two-bedroom, and 1,572 for the largest three-bedroom. Three finishes – standard, enhanced, and premium – add further variety to the residential portion of the development. The finish level determines things like counters, light fixtures, appliances, floors, and more.

Above is the leasing office for the lofts. It sets the stage for the rest of the residences – a very contemporary, modern, hip & urban finish and design permeates the development.

A small business center for the residents is also located on the ground floor, just down from one of the elevators.

Just outside the leasing office is the development’s pool, a small but attractive space featuring fountains (the white U-shaped objects on the mosaic tile wall – they weren’t active when we toured) and sleek modern lounge chairs.

Located above the leasing office is this fairly elaborate fitness center for the residents. Treadmills, weights, and more, all with views of the Modern, Will Rogers Memorial Center, surrounding neighborhood, and pool.

Another view in the fitness center – the Museum Place development can also be seen from here.

Further fitness center spaces.

Coming off the fitness center is this resident’s balcony.

The view of the pool from the fitness center balcony.

More pool views from the balcony.

The first unit we looked at was a two-bedroom two-bath on the south corner. Here, we’re looking through the kitchen into the living area. This unit featured the “enhanced” finish, the mid-level of the three.

Kitchen & island.

Living area. The doors to the right can be opened, as there is a railing just outside.

Dining area. The units feature lots of built-in shelving.

Master bedroom, with similar enclosed glass doors to the exterior.

The master bathroom. Many of the units feature double sinks, as seen here.

The spacious master closet.

Views of the pool and neighborhood from the master bedroom.

Second bathroom.

Second bedroom.

Doors to the units feature bright colors and a geometric design seen on exterior signage.

In another unit, here’s a small space set up as a study.

More pool views.

Dining area of this second unit.

This one-bedroom unit was also on the southwest corner. It features the “standard” finishes, with different appliances, floors, light fixtures, counters, and so on.

Living area.

More living area. This unit features a simple wall diving the living area from the bedroom, with an open passage on either side.

Bedroom view, on the other side of the wall.

The unit’s bathroom.

The units on the interior of the buildings face onto a series of courtyards, which are still being finished out. This was one of the more complete courtyards, featuring decorative planters and an AstroTurf activity area.

Next up was this spacious one-bedroom on one of the building’s curved corners, featuring tons of windows and a large curved balcony.

This unit also featured the “enhanced” finish, and had a central kitchen in the middle of the curve.

This unit’s bathroom featured a separate, tall shower.

Units on the top floor of each building feature spacious balconies. Here, we’re looking east down the development’s central axis toward Downtown Fort Worth.

Looking across from the balcony to the other curved corner across the street. The southern apartment building is one story shorter on the west end than the east, to help preserve views from the Modern.

Facade of the northern apartment block.

Top-floor bedroom with balcony access.

Looking northwest, towards the Museum Place development. The L-shaped dirt patch in the center will be the development’s second officer tower and associated retail/parking structure. The second office tower will be built when a tenant for it comes along. It is already funded, so the current economic climate will not have an effect on financing.

On the large curving corner balcony, looking toward the Modern.

A closer view of the Modern from the balcony. The UNT Health Science Center and a bit of the Amon Carter Museum can also be seen.

The southwest view. Points of interest here include the Will Rogers Memorial Center (especially Pioneer Tower), Cana Manana, Farrington Field, and Capital Bar.

Close-up view of the Modern.

Close-up view of Pioneer Tower at WRMC.

Looking north from the corner balcony.

Close-up view of Museum Place Phase One from the balcony.

A good angle on the development’s spacious sidewalks and the decorative paving going in.

View from the living area toward the Modern.

Another top-floor unit’s kitchen, also with the “enhanced” finish.

Balcony access and interesting segmented window treatment.

Another large top-floor balcony view.

Looking down the central street, Crockett, towards Downtown.

The central “room” on Crockett, where the buildings step back to create a large plaza space on both sides of the street. Art installations and water features are going in here.

One set of the art installations for the central plazas. They are in temporarily to adjust other elements, and will be cleaned and permanently installed soon. The sculptures will sit in a water feature.

Another segmented window example.

Looking down into another of the central plaza spaces.

Kitchen area in another top-floor unit.

This unit sits on the inward-curving corner at Currie & Crockett. The other apartment building is on the left, and the Movie Tavern/LA Fitness/Lucky Strike Lanes complex takes the center spot.

Looking back up Crockett.

Living area.

The inward curve is visible here, along with the balcony.

Master bedroom.

The view of Downtown from the balcony.

Fred’s, from the balcony.

Corner of Crockett & Currie.

Another of the interior courtyards, this one still being finished out.

Looking in to a more finished courtyard from one of the bridges linking the wings of the apartment buildings.

Pool, leasing office, fitness center, and balcony.

Now we’re at street level, headed back up Crockett past the retail storefronts. The length of Crockett will be strung with criss-crossing “festival” lights, except for the area of the central plazas, which will be open.

Here, at Crockett and Norwood, the space on the right will be home to Terra Mediterranean Grill.

Crockett facade and streetscape.

This space will be Fireside Pies. As you can see, they will have a large outdoor seating area along Crockett, next to the south central plaza.

North central plaza, art installation, and the north central pedestrian passageway, which divides the longer blocks up into smaller, more easily walkable ones.

The view through the north central pedestrian passage, linking Crockett and 7th.

Details of one of the art pieces. These will sit in a water feature. They are to be removed and reinstalled in a more finished fashions soon.

Looking through the south central pedestrian passage, linking Crockett and Morton.

This space on the north central plaza will be Patrizio. They will also have a large outdoor seating area.

Here on the south central plaza, the other large space will be Tillman’s Roadhouse, with another large outdoor seating area.

On the north apartment block, the space to the left of the green plywood will be Paciugo, while the green plywood covered space itself will be Toni & Guy.

Here on the corner of Crockett & Currie will be Bailey’s Prime Plus Steakhouse. Next door will be Avant Garden.

On the other corner on the left will be Brownstone, a new concept from celebrity chef Casey Thompson, head chef at Shinsei in Dallas. The right corner will be the entrance for Movie Tavern, while Yofe and LA Fitness will be next door on Currie and Crockett, respectively.

The LA Fitness entrance.

The LA Fitness space. Buildout begins next week – the fitness club will have a large two-story space of over 40,000 square feet.

The upper level of the LA Fitness space.

This space will be the basketball court.

This will be the weight room.

The Lucky Strike Lanes space. Lucky Strike will be a slightly later opening than some of the other main tenants. In the foreground will be the actual bowling lanes, with the lounge/bar area in the background.

The Lucky Strike entrance lobby. As Lucky Strike is on the second floor, they have a dedicated lobby with stairs and elevators. Their entrance is on 7th Street.

The 7th Street streetscape outside the Lucky Strike entrance. Future plans by the city could re-work 7th into a four lane design, with on-street parking instead of the outside lanes, and a streetcar alignment down the center.

Another mid-block pedestrian passage, this time on the northeast block between the Lucky Strike/Movie Tavern building and the One West 7th office tower.

Monument signs for tenants have been going up on some corners of the development. They sport the development’s iconic logo. This is the corner of 7th & Foch.

Here, we’re in the Movie Tavern space. Movie Tavern will feature two entrances, one from the parking garage and a grand entrance at street level, where guests will ride escalators up to the third floor in front of a curved glass wall.

The Movie Tavern lobby. To the right is the bar area, and the left is the curved glass wall looking out over Currie & Crockett.

The bar space in the Movie Tavern lobby.

Movie Tavern has a large, curved balcony similar to the apartment blocks, with great views over the central intersection.

Looking toward Fred’s from the Movie Tavern balcony.

The Movie Tavern balcony itself.

Some of the escalators up from the ground-floor Movie Tavern entrance.

Looking down through the escalators.

One of the seven screens in the West 7th Movie Tavern. Looking towards the screen area.

Looking back up toward the projection room.

This hallway connects to all the theaters and the kitchen, and has a view out the Crockett side windows.

Now we’re in the One West 7th office tower. This is the view towards Downtown from the third-floor terrace.

Looking down through the third-floor office terrace. The bright red on the left is a design element at the entrance to the office tower.

Looking down from the office terrace onto the Lucky Strike Lanes terrace.

The 7th Street streetscape from the office terrace.

Third-floor office space.

Office restrooms.

Detail of finishes in office elevators.

The view from one of the office floors towards Montgomery Plaza.

Floors 4 and up in the office tower feature corner balconies – here’s the view towards Downtown.

Lola’s from an office balcony.

Also a nice view on the Foch Warehouses development – here, Dean-Kingston, Asel Art Supply, Materials Marketing, and Bliss can be seen.

Here, we’re on the roof of One West 7th, looking towards WRMC and the Modern.

Looking toward Museum Place from the roof of One West 7th.

The view of Foch Street, AMLI 7th Street Station, SoSeven, and the Lancaster Avenue bridge from atop One West 7th.

One West 7th’s two largest tenants thus far are major local accounting firm Weaver and Tidwell, and local architectural-engineering firm Multatech. Here, we’re in Multatech’s future space.

Another look at Multatech’s in-progress space.

Here, we’re on the second floor, looking out through the entrance feature.

On the second floor, the office space is configured a bit differently. Instead of large open floors for lease, the second floor is being pre-configured into series of “spec suites” – turn-key, ready-to-go small office spaces for companies too big for a simple executive suite, but too small to justify a large full-floor lease.

The office lobby. Not quite complete, the office tower lobby has been designed in a very light, contemporary style. Cypress wanted to avoid the usual office building lobby look common in Fort Worth and Dallas, the dark wood or brown granite style seen in countless other building. Here, light wood and a unique wall coating create a very different feel.

This decorative wood treatment will be installed on the walls soon.

The decorative wood panels will be mounted to the pegs sticking out of the wall on the left.

The unique brushed-on coating of the elevator lobby walls, contrasted with the same light wood carried over from the rest of the lobby.

Looking through one of the mid-block pedestrian passages, here on the northeast block.

West 7th is also putting in bike infrastructure. Here’s one of the development’s bike racks.

The One West 7th office tower is going for LEED certification, and the hope is for the building to achieve LEED Gold.

Back at street level, at the Currie & Crockett intersection.

Currie streetscape. Yofe Cafe will be located here.

This retail space at the corner of Currie & 7th comes with a large rooftop deck. Cypress is talking to potential tenants with idea for the deck.

The other corner of Currie & 7th features the Lucky Strike space on the second floor and more retail space on the ground floor.

The Currie facade of the Movie Tavern building (Yofe will be in space at lower right). The dark rectangles on the upper level are spaces for large decorative movie posters.

Example of streetscape lighting.

Another of the development’s monument signs. They recall the Cor-Ten steel “Vortex” sculpture in front of the Moder in terms of materials.

We really do have to applaud Cypress for that logo – it seems so obvious now, and makes a very iconic statement.

7th Street streetscape.

The north central pedestrian passage.

Wood & metal detailing in the pedestrian passages.

This space at the corner of 7th & Norwood will be home to Delaney’s Irish Pub. Delaney’s will feature a large rooftop deck on the second level, which should provide some great views.

Looking down the Norwood streetscape and more of the large Delaney’s corner space.

Looking back down Crockett from the Norwood end of the apartment blocks. Again, the corner on the right there will be Terra Mediterranean Grill.

The first piece of signage is now up as well – this cool, colorful sign for the lofts, on the Norwood facade.

This is the newest usage plan, showing the location of the various tenants. The current tenant list is now:

Movie Tavern
Lucky Strike Lanes
Yofe Cafe
Avant Garden
Tillman’s Roadhouse
Delaney’s Irish Pub
Fireside Pies
Terra Mediterranean Grill
Patrizio
Paciugo
Toni & Guy
Brownstone
Bailey’s Prime Plus Steakhouse
LA Fitness

And, in buildings outside the main development blocks:

Sovereign Bank
Backwoods
The Pour House

From what I’m told, there may be several more tenant announcements coming up – Cypress is talking with potential tenants but aren’t quite ready to make announcements just yet.

And so, there’s another big tour of the West 7th development. The web sites for the respective parts of the development are now online, so for more information, check these out:

– Web site for the overall development and retail.
– Web site for The Lofts @ West 7th.
– Web site for office leasing in the One West 7th tower.

Once again, thank you to Kirk Williams, Senior Vice President of Development for Cypress Equities, Nancy Johnson-Plump, Partner at Peloton Real Estate, and Damon Lively at Lincoln Properties for giving us this thorough walkthrough and discussion of their development.