Jan 21, 2010
Visuals of New South Main and Poly/TWU Streetscapes
By: Kevin Buchanan
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- South Main, Before
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- South Main, After
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- Vaughn to TWU, Before
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- Vaughn to TWU, After
Following up on yesterday’s post about the grants awarded to the South Main and Poly/TWU streetscape projects, we now have some before & after images to share, thanks to our friends at local planning & development firm TownSite.
Each pair of images shows a streetscape before & after the project. For South Main, we’re looking towards Downtown, roughly from just north of East Peter Smith. The “before” image shows the rather barren appearance of South Main as it currently exists. The “after” image shows South Main reborn – the street has been reconfigured into two lanes + turn lane + parking, sidewalks have been widened and bulb-outs installed for even more space, long rows of street trees installed, new pedestrian-scaled lighting is in place, benches have been set up – the works. Seemingly simple changes can have a radical effect on the feel of places.
To cap it all off, the “after” image also shows the newly reorganized South Main with tracks and overhead wires for the modern streetcar line.
In the other pair of images, we’re on Vaughn looking north towards Rosedale and Texas Wesleyan, showing the redone sidewalks, street trees, and more that are part of the Poly/TWU streetscape project.
Both are pieces of great news for Fort Worth’s Urban Villages program – we look forward to seeing both projects get underway.
I hope this means continued interest in the Poly/Wesleyan area. It’s a great part of town that is ready-made for a revival.
Heh. I kind of disagree. I mean, I think it could use a revival, but I once rode my bicycle into the area to visit TWU for a meeting of a parents organization (my son is a freshman there), and the last few blocks I decided to cut through the neighborhood just south of campus.
Scary.
I lived a few blocks from here in the 60s I am so glad to see that there is interest in bringing back this great area. I live in another state in a neighborhood that was like the nice old Poly. Here everyone has continued to keep the area nice and the housing prices are doing well even in this economy because it is a place that many people want to live.
I agree, I am glad to see some improvements being made to the area. It takes work and commitment to maintain a community.
It is nice to see the powers in-charge giving back to S. Main Street, and in Poly’s case bringing back an area forgotten for so may years. In town activity helps the environment, saves energy, and gets us to understand we need each other.