We were perusing the agenda for today’s meeting of the city’s Downtown Design Review Board, and a couple of items under “New Cases” caught our eye. Here they are, as written on the agenda:
DG09-053
401 West Lancaster Avenue; Texas & Pacific Warehouse
Owner / Applicant: Cleopatra Investments, Ltd./Gromatzky, Dupree & Associates
Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness for rehabilitation of the Texas & Pacific Warehouse building.
DG09-054
1206 Throckmorton Street; St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Owner / Applicant: Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth / OA&ID
Requests a Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of a three-story Parish Hall building and its adjacent plaza and landscaped area; restoration of St. Ignatius Academy building; installation of new sidewalk, new lighting, new sidewalk trees, greenspace and landscaped areas; and installation of new wrought iron fence around certain parts of the campus.
The T&P Warehouse project isn’t entirely surprising, as the project last month went to the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission for approval (including the enlarging of the building’s windows), which was granted. Now, they got to DDRB for further approval. We are still rather skeptical, but this is more hope than there has been in a long time that the T&P Warehouse will actually get redeveloped. Stay tuned.
The St. Patrick’s stuff, though, is new. It’s our understanding that the church has plans drawn up to gradually redevelop several of their Downtown land holdings, which are mostly just parking lots at this point. This new Parish Hall looks to go on the parking lot directly across the street from the St. Ignatius building, and is of similar architectural character to St. Patrick’s and St. Ignatius. In addition, the plan we’ve seen shows the current street cut-through, which takes cars on a gentle curve onto Throckmorton, is to be removed and replaced with a plaza. The street intersection there becomes a conventional four-way again.
We did some digging, and found this image taken from a fundraising brochure which shows the Parish Hall proposal and some of the landscaping & street reconfiguraiton:
We always like to see parking lots go away and get replaced with active buildings, and this has a bonus of removing an awkward street design (the current setup encourages cars to barrel through at higher speeds and moves pedestrians to an inadequate little sidewalk) and replacing it with a public space. It will be interesting to see when St. Patrick’s begins work on this expansion.
The long, long, long-awaited redevelopment of the Texas & Pacific Warehouse on Lancaster is going before the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission this month, seeking approval for changes to be made to the historic Art Deco structure. The list is as follows:
343 residential spaces on floors 2-8 with additional residential space on the roof (floor 9) that includes removal of current mechanical equipment
Commercial space on the ground floor
Cleaning and rehabilitation of the existing brick façade and decorative elements
Restoration of existing steel frame windows in select locations
Installation of sympathetically designed windows into new, elongated window openings that will be cut into the existing brick walls
Restoration of existing overhead loading dock doors on the ground floor
Restoration of the existing concrete canopies and iron tension rods on the north elevation
Restoration of the existing metal fascia on the canopy at the southeast corner entry
Restoration of the exterior scupper covers
Installation of new membrane roofing
Addition of a retail walkway and seating areas on the north elevation below the existing canopy
Addition of new accessible ramps, stairs, and ground floor entries on the north elevation
Removal of overhead doors and adjacent brick pilasters in the central block of the north elevation for first floor vehicular traffic and pedestrian sidewalk through access
Addition of a bi-level parking garage (below and at grade) located to the rear of the building
The applicant is Gromatzky, Dupree & Associates, a Dallas-based architectural firm presumably hired by similarly Dallas-based Cleopatra Investments (the T&P Warehouse’s owner) to come up with plans for the redevelopment of the building. These plans must go to the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission before anything else, as the building is a fully protected landmark.
The city has been pressuring the building’s owner to start redevelopment of the building or lose out on tax breaks – could it be that the building might finally start to see some redevelopment work soon? Getting the warehouse redeveloped would be a major boon for Lancaster and the rest of the south end of Downtown, so we will set phasers to “cautiously optimistic” on this one.
Not intended to be comprehensive, this is just a list of some stuff we’ve noticed for this weekend.
Undoubtedly, the big news is the public unveiling of the biggest news to come out of the Kimbell in some time: Michelangelo’s The Torment of Saint Anthony, the legendary artist’s earliest known painting and widely believed to be the first one he ever did. Created in 1487-88 when he was only 12-13 years old, The Torment of Saint Anthony is one of only four easel paintings by the master known to exist, and one of only two finished ones. It’s the only example of Michelangelo’s work in the Western hemisphere, and it’s now a part of the Kimbell’s permanent collection. This is big, big stuff, folks – get out to the Kimbell and take a look at an incredibly significant piece of history.
And this weekend’s a great time to go, because Saturday is Day in the District, when admission to all the Cultural District’s museums is free. The Modern, the Kimbell, the Carter, the Cowgirl Museum, the Community Arts Center, the Botanic Gardens, and the Log Cabin Village are all free of charge on Saturday.
Don’t forget that Sunday is all-day all-you-can-eat vegan pancakes at Spiral Diner, the best vegan restaurant in the whole universe (and probably the Mirror Universe as well). They’ve also got new Blue Plate specials: the Paul Reuben (thick slice of homemade faux corned beef and a heap of sauerkraut smothered in creamy “Swiss Cheese” Sauce, served on Jewish Rye Bread with Russian dressing, capers, and dijon mustered – with a side of Creamy Pasta Salad and a dill pickle spear), Pasta Salad A-La-Carte (pasta salad featuring organic spiral pasta with red bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, and a creamy-herb dressing), Corn and Potato Chowder, and a Banana Split dessert special (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry I-Scream with a fresh banana, with chocolate, caramel, vegan whipped cream, peanuts, and sprinkles on top). In addition, their next cooking classes are coming up: Holiday Meals Class on October 26th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, and Desserts Class on December 7th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Prepayment of $40 per person per class is required to hold your spot in the class. The classes fill up quickly, so contact them or go by the Diner to register.
Beginning Saturday, our friends at Galery Art Cafe at Jennings & Pennsylvania welcome new art by Jacque Forsher and April Greenlee.
The T&P Tavern has Happy Hour from 4:00 to 9:00, with all Texas beers $2.75. On Saturday, they’ve got No Class performing from 8:00 to midnight.
Lola’s in the Cultural District has The Good Show Live Music Series at 8:00, featuring The Theater Fire, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, and The Southern Sea.
In the Magnolia at the Modern series, the Modern will be showing “Herb and Dorothy” this weekend: Friday 6 & 8 pm, Saturday 5 pm, Sunday 2 & 4 pm.
Major news on the streetcar front. The City of Fort Worth has formally issued a Request for Qualifications, or RFQ, about the streetcar project. This means that the city is actively seeking a firm to do the finalized engineering & design work on the modern streetcar system, from track design and layout to operating and funding processes. Proposals from prospective firms must be received by the City of Fort Worth Purchasing Division no later than October 22. The city states that once the selected firm receives a Notice to Proceed, they must deliver the complete streetcar design & operations package in no more than 365 days.
The RFQ calls for the selected firm to conduct engineering, design, and operational work for the proposed starter system:
The recommended starter alignment includes a downtown one-way loop (including an extension to Trinity Bluff), a West 7th Street route to the Cultural District, and a Near Southside route to the Medical District and the Evans and Rosedale Urban Village. This starter alignment would connect Fort Worth’s two largest employment centers, numerous world-class cultural destinations, and four urban villages.
The RFQ also notes a planned next phase of the streetcar network:
A subsequent phase of the streetcar network would include a route to Texas Wesleyan University on East Rosedale Street and a route to the Historic Stockyards District on North Main Street.
The RFQ is, in total, 14 pages in PDF format. It can be downloaded from the City of Fort Worth’s web site here.
This is where it starts getting real. The city has just gone from the “talk” phase to the “create a complete system design and select an engineering firm” phase. Fort Worth has made some remarkable progress, and we’re now significantly farther into the process than we’ve ever been. Once this process is complete, the city will have a real, detailed streetcar system design specified, from the routes to the vehicles to the fare collection boxes to the operating procedures and everything in between.
It is conceivable that, due to the time frame of the RFQ and the federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant Fort Worth applied for to get some “jump start” money, we could be stepping on to the first phase of a Fort Worth modern streetcar in less than three years.
Below, we’ve copied the text of the main part of the RFQ for easier searching and reading. Read the rest of this entry »
Molly the Trolley, the new circulator project in Downtown, has succeeded beyond initial expectations. When the project first launched, we’re told that ridership of 50 per day was to be considered a success – instead, Molly’s been attracting 300+ riders per day, and monthly ridership is now over 10,000.
Thanks to the success of the program, it’s getting extended – originally planned to run through August 22nd, Molly will be rolling now at least through Thanksgiving.
FORT WORTH (August 11, 2009) – The T announced today that it will continue to operate Molly the Trolley’s free downtown route through November 28, seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. following a decision by the pilot project’s partners.
The decision by the Molly the Trolley founding partners – The T, the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. – was based upon ridership of more than 10,000 a month and the fact that more than 95 percent of riders consistently rated the service excellent or good for meeting their transportation needs. Molly the Trolley has been extremely popular with downtown employees, residents and local visitors, as well as tourists.
“In addition to tourism, it was very gratifying to learn that people who live and/or work in downtown Fort Worth used and appreciated the Molly service for meeting their business, shopping and entertainment needs,” said Bob Jameson, chairman of the board of directors of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
Molly’s success bodes well for another transportation project – the modern streetcar system. Here’s the primary Molly route, the “Downtown Get-Around,” running on a loop through Downtown with vehicles arriving every 15 minutes. Note how similar the Molly route is to the Downtown segment of the modern streetcar proposal:
Molly the Trolley “Downtown Get-Around” route
Rough draft of Downtown segment of Fort Worth modern streetcar network
The similarity, we’re told, is not coincidence. The city is watching Molly’s success with a keen eye as planning for the modern streetcar goes on. The route is similar to the rough draft streetcar plan for Downtown, and the 15 minute headways are similar to the 12-15 minutes one can expect of the streetcar. Mayor Moncrief made the connection clear in a speech at the launch of the project:
“Molly the Trolley is definitely a look into the future,” he [Mayor Moncrief] said. “One day we hope to have a comprehensive modern-day streetcar system here in Fort Worth.”
The city is taking regular count of riders on Molly, so getting out and taking her for a spin when you’re in Downtown is an easy way to help support the modern streetcar project. Molly’s Downtown Get-Around route is free to ride and runs 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, seven days a week, with vehicles arriving at each stop every 15 minutes.
The Star-Telegram is reporting that some activity has stirred on the Texas & Pacific Warehouse redevelopment project, one of the longest-awaited redevelopment efforts in the city.
Dallas-based Cleopatra Investments has filed architectural and engineering plans and a building permit application with the city. The documents offer the first peek at what the project entails and are so large they resemble rolls of carpeting and weigh more than 160 pounds.
The paperwork, which spells out specifications from appliances to doorknobs, stands more than 2 feet high, owner Ola Assem said.
So what exactly do the plans describe? The building would be converted to 343 apartments on the upper floors, including 20 penthouses. On the ground floor, retail space would take most of the space, along with a leasing office, lobby, lounge, and conference room. The roof would have a pool, clubhouse, sun decks, and sky bar. Parking would be in the basement.
While we’re still skeptical that this means the project is really underway, we hope we’re proven wrong. Getting the warehouse redeveloped would be a major boost to Lancaster Avenue and the rest of the south end of Downtown. More news to come, hopefully.
Tower 55 is the busiest at-grade railroad intersection in the country, and it is located below the I.H. 30/I.H. 35W interchange between Downtown and the Near Southside. The average wait time for trains to travel through the rail intersection is 90 minutes.
The public is invited to learn about potential railroad and roadway improvements associated with Tower 55 at two public meetings today at the Intermodal Transportation Center, 9th and Jones Streets. The meetings will be at 12 noon and 6:30pm. An environmental assessment study is underway to evaluate potential solutions. The North-South Trench and East-West Trench solution alternatives will be the focus of the meetings.
One proposal that would have a major impact on Downtown and the Near Southside is a 9,000-foot-long trench along Vickery Blvd. To make room for the trench, at least six streets would have to be rebuilt, including four underpasses connecting to downtown. Streets connecting Downtown and the Near Southside would be closed for years. The trench would create a severe impediment for drivers and bicyclists moving between Downtown and the Near Southside and would likely interfere with the proposed Near Southside leg of the Fort Worth modern streetcar system.
The same information will be presented at both public meetings. Attendees of the noon meeting may bring a lunch if they choose. Displays and maps will be available for review at all meetings as well as at an open house from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Staff will be at the open house to answer questions and provide additional information.
Our friends at the T&P Tavern, in the ground floor of the historic Texas & Pacific railroad station/lofts on Lancaster in Downtown, have passed along this weekend’s happenings at the Tavern:
Friday – Happy Hour, 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. All Texas beers $2.75 (draft or bottled).
Sunday – Sunday Night Movie: In celebration of Fort Worth Railroad Day (July 19, 1876 being the day the first train rolled into Fort Worth), “Murder on the Orient Express” starring Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, and Anthony Perkins. Complimentary popcorn! Summer drink specials on the T & P patio all day – $2 Mimosas, $3 Bloody Marys, & $4 Margaritas. Sunday hours are 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and the movie starts at 7:00 PM.
The official lighting ceremony for the “Avenue of Light” sculptures by Cliff Garten Studio on Lancaster Avenue in Downtown was finally held last night. We shot some video (with a humble Flip Mino HD) and took some photos of the festivities. Lancaster was partially blocked to car traffic, and a large crowd assembled around food, water, and live music in the twilight.
Once it got dark enough, Mayor Mike Moncrief, Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks, District 9 City Council representative Joel Burns, and artist Cliff Garten all gave speeches about the sculptures and the revitalization of the south end of Downtown Fort Worth (Councilmember Burns remarked that the Lancaster Avenue area will become as active and beloved as Sundance Square as new infill occurs around the remade street). The mayor announced that Cliff is participating in the design of the new 7th Street bridge linking Downtown and the Cultural District (which will be a part of the Fort Worth Streetcar network). Finally, Mayor Moncrief and Cliff Garten led the crowd in a countdown to illumination, which kicked off an extended light show by the six sculptures along Lancaster accompanied by the band.
Above is the video we shot, and below are our photos. Enjoy! Anybody else attend? What were your thoughts on the sculptures, the lighting, and the ceremony?
Firefighters on hand to watch the ceremony.
Artist Cliff Garten talks with attendees.
Crowds gather around the music stage at Lancaster & Throckmorton.
Visitors enjoy observing the sculptures from the temporarily-closed-to-traffic Lancaster Avenue.
The crowd in front of the new Omni Hotel & Condos, one of the most noticeable signs of the beginning revitalization of Downtown Fort Worth’s south end.
More visitors arrive as the sun goes down.
Crowds gather around one of the Avenue of Light sculptures in front of the Texas & Pacific Lofts/train station.
More visitors arrive, with the Omni Hotel & Condos in the background.
Looking at one of the sculptures in front of the Omni Hotel & Condos.
Crowds in the median of Lancaster Avenue as the lighting approaches.
Gathering around one of the sculptures, with the Post Office in the background.
Silhouettes of two of the sculptures along with the Post Office, Texas & Pacific Warehouse, and visitors on Lancaster Avenue.
Crowds gathering on Lancaster. The Fort Worth Water Department brought out fresh drinking water for the attendees.
Gathering in front of the Texas & Pacific Lofts/train station, one of the first revitalization efforts on Lancaster Avenue.
The crowd gathers to hear speeches by Fort Worth city officials and the artist.
Mayor Mike Moncrief expresses the importance of the Avenue of Light sculptures and the revitalization of Downtown’s south end.
Crowds listening to Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks.
District 9 City Council representative Joel Burns talks about bringing life and activity back to the south end of Downtown Fort Worth, undoing the mistakes of the I-30 overpass and the decimation of South Downtown by parking lots and historic demolitions.
Artist Cliff Garten discusses the meaning and significance of his Avenue of Light sculptures in creating a meaningful sense of place for the south end of Downtown Fort Worth.
Crowds gather and take photos of the sculptures after the lighting was switched on.
Visitors watch as the color combinations change and cycle.
People walking around Lancaster, getting views of the Avenue of Light sculptures from different angles and distances.
Colors change as the crowd enjoys the show.
Visitors watch the lights of the Avenue of Light.
Still more people watch the shifting color schemes.
Attendees getting up close & personal with the Avenue of Light sculptures.
More variety in the lights as visitors enjoy the evening.
Finally, after delays due to swine flu, the lighting ceremony for the “Avenue of Light” sculptures by Cliff Garten on Lancaster in Downtown is tonight! Below is the release from Fort Worth Public Art:
Colored lights will illuminate the night sky during a festive block party June 25 when the Avenue of Light on Lancaster Avenue is turned on for the first time. Avenue of Light, a public art project, consists of six stainless steel sculptures that incorporate energy-efficient LED lights and tower 36 feet high. They’ve been installed along the median from Lamar Street to Main/Commerce Street .
The event begins at 8:30 p.m. at the northeast corner of Lancaster Avenue and Throckmorton Street , where light refreshments will be served. The public is invited to this free party where the program will begin at 9:00 p.m. with remarks from Mayor Mike Moncrief, Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks, Council Member Joel Burns and the Artist Cliff Garten. The sculptures will then become a “canvas” for a color light program lasting about 30 minutes and created especially for the occasion. Lancaster Avenue will be closed to traffic 8-10 p.m. from Throckmorton to Houston streets. Parking is available two blocks north at the new Fort Worth Convention Center Parking Garage.
The City of Fort Worth ‘s public art program commissioned Avenue of Light as part of Lancaster Avenue ‘s reconstruction. The sculptures’ contemporary design was inspired by the nearby Texas & Pacific Terminal’s Art Deco architectural details. Lancaster Avenue’s reconstruction is a catalyst for future economic development along the corridor. Median landscaping will be part of a future phase of the project.
Avenue of Light will be illuminated nightly from dusk to dawn beginning June 26.
Don’t be surprised when you see the street signs – Arch Adams Street between West 7th Street and Lancaster Avenue in the Cultural District is no more. That segment of the street is now officially Van Cliburn Way.
Some folks dislike naming things after still-living people, and on occasion it can seem somewhat inappropriate – but in this case, we’re going to have to say “good move.” There are few people in Fort Worth history more worthy of such an honor than Van Cliburn, the legendary pianist who won went to Russia and won the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition during the height of the Cold War and has since brought worldwide recognition and culture to Fort Worth through the famed Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The man is one of Fort Worth’s treasures, and seeing that street sign between the Kimbell and Modern in the heart of Fort Worth’s Cultural District seems wholly appropriate.
The city of Fort Worth has canceled several major events due to concerns over the H1N1 flu. One of the events canceled is the lighting ceremony of the “Avenue of Light” sculptures on Lancaster Avenue in Downtown, originally scheduled for tomorrow evening. We’ll be checking in with Fort Worth Public Art to see when the event might be rescheduled, but for now the ceremony is off. The press release from the City of Fort Worth follows.
Events canceled or postponed to reduce flu risk
In response to the recommendation by the Tarrant County Public Health Department, the City of Fort Worth has canceled or postponed city programs and some large public outdoor events to reduce the opportunities for spread of North American (Swine) flu.
All City of Fort Worth public facilities remain open at this time; however, all scheduled programming at Fort Worth community centers will be canceled until further notice. Voting locations also remain open.
Canceled
* Mayfest
* City’s Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic at Trail Drivers Park
* City of Fort Worth ASA 16 and under softball tournament, Gateway Park
* City of Fort Worth Youth soccer league games
* City of Fort Worth adult flag football league games at Gateway Park
* City of Fort Worth adult soccer league games at Gateway Park
* City of Fort Worth adult soccer league games at FWISD fields
* City of Fort Worth adult softball at Gateway Park
* City of Fort Worth youth baseball/softball league games
* City of Fort Worth youth volleyball league games at Fire Station Community Center
* All scheduled programming at Fort Worth community centers canceled until further notice
* Student Attendance Court dockets canceled through May 11. All canceled cases will be rescheduled for future dates.
Closure
* Sycamore Spray Park through May 10
Postponed
* Cinco de Mayo Celebration: Visit CowtownCincodeMayo.com for updates
If you’re looking for something to do tonight, why not come by the awesome T&P Tavern & Grill for a Happy Hour event with The Carillion Group‘s Eddie Vanston. Stop by from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Chat with one of Fort Worth’s most prolific urban developers and check out the excellent T&P Tavern & Grill. Located in the ground floor of the Texas & Pacific Lofts/rail station on Lancaster Avenue in Downtown Fort Worth, in the covered breezeway between the lobby and the train platforms.
Last night at the Central Library in Downtown Fort Worth, the city showcased a draft of a radically altered and improved bicycle transportation plan called “Bike Fort Worth.” Aiming to replace the rather lacking 1999 bike route plan with a more robust and elaborate system, the city has been working for a year and a half on “Bike Fort Worth,” and the results look impressive.
With “Bike Fort Worth,” the city has laid out ambitious goals: to triple the level of bicycle transportation in the city, to reduce the number of bicycle-related accidents by 1/4, and to attain official designation as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” from the League of American Bicyclists – all by 2015.
With “Bike Fort Worth,” it is clear that the city is making a huge new commitment to the “Complete Streets” movement and that the attitude of planning and transportation at City Hall has truly radically shifted. Now, let’s dive into some of the details of “Bike Fort Worth.”
(Apologies for the weird photos – seating was limited and we were at an angle.)
Some of the challenges identified in “Bike Fort Worth” are our high-speed arterials with no bike provisions, unsafe behavior by both motorists and bicyclists, street design features that are unfriendly to bicycles, missing connections between bike facilities and neighborhoods, and a lack of convenient and safe bike parking & storage at destinations. “Bike Fort Worth” aims to address all of these issues – and let’s start by taking a look at the subject most near and dear to our hearts here at Fort Worthology: bike lanes, routes, and trails.
In the 2007 bicycle survey, the message from respondents was strong: when asked what would encourage residents to bicycle more often, 86% said “bike lanes,” 84% said “new trails,” and 68% said “signed bike routes.” “Bike Fort Worth” addresses all three forms of infrastructure.
The new bicycle transportation system aims to provide links to existing and planned bike facilities in neighboring cities, provide safe bicycle routes along major corridors, identify alternative parallel routes to major arterials too large for safe bicycle accommodation (think six-lane plus designs), fill gaps in bicycle routing and linkages, overcome barriers to bike travel between neighborhoods and destinations, and provide connections to major destinations. Links to transit centers, existing and planned rail stations, the Urban Villages, Downtown Fort Worth, schools, colleges, universities, major employers, the Trinity Trails, and parks and recreation areas are all part of “Bike Fort Worth.”
“Bike Fort Worth” identifies three categories of bike infrastructure and uses them all: on-street striped bicycle-only lanes, on-street bike routes marked with “sharrows,” and off-street trails. Related are several other pieces of bike-friendly infrastructure, including intersections with sensors properly tuned to detect bicycles, bicycle-only traffic signals where trails and on-street facilities cross, and new crossings of barriers such as the Trinity River.
“Bike Fort Worth” proposes a huge increase in the scope and quality of bike infrastructure in the city of Fort Worth. At present, there are approximately 39.6 miles of “sharrow” bike routes, 8.5 miles of striped bicycle-only lanes (including the new Magnolia Avenue “road diet”), 58.4 miles of off-street trails, and 3.9 miles of “sidepaths” (wider sidewalks in situations where bikes-on-sidewalk is appropriate). In all, there are 109.4 miles of bike infrastructure in Fort Worth.
Under “Bike Fort Worth,” our bike infrastructure would be radically increased:
Sharrow routes would jump from 39.6 miles to 224.1 miles.
Bus-only lanes in Downtown would change to bus & bike-only, for a total of 1.75 miles.
Striped bicycle-only lanes would massively increase from 8.5 miles to a truly impressive 475.9 miles.
Off-street bike trails would increase from 58.4 miles to 153.3 miles.
Sidepaths would increase from 3.9 miles to 43.1 miles.
Total on-street bicycle infrastructure would jump to 704.75 miles, and total off-street would go to 196.4 miles. Truly, this is a paradigm shift in bicycle transportation in the city of Fort Worth.
Highlights of new off-street trails include:
New Trinity Trails extensions, connections, and crossings.
A new connection between the Trinity and Sycamore trails.
Trail Drivers Park to Trinity.
New trails along the Trinity Uptown waterfront.
Above is a view showing primarily Downtown, the Cultural District, and the Near Southside. Among the highlights:
New dedicated lanes in the Near Southside – at a minimum, the plan wants all of Magnolia from 8th to South Main, all of Rosedale from 8th to South Main, all of Pennsylvania from 12th to South Main, all of Vickery from Adams into the east side of the city, Jennings from Magnolia into Downtown where it joins up with Throckmorton, South Main from Lancaster all the way south to Morningside, Summit from Rosedale to 5th Street in Downtown, 12th Avenue from Pennsylvania to Rosedale, Cooper from 12th Avenue to Summit, and College from Pennsylvania to Rosedale. These dedicated lanes would be supplemented by existing and new “sharrow” routes. We say “at a minimum” because it was made clear that this is the “Bike Fort Worth” minimum and the even greater number of striped lanes in the Near Southside design standards are still available through the Near Southside TIF and other mechanisms.
A large network of sharrow routes in Downtown, in a reversal from the previous plan’s position that Downtown was already bike friendly enough.
Re-marking the Throckmorton and Houston bus-only lanes in Downtown into bus & bike-only lanes.
Dedicated bike lanes on 3rd Street from the east side of Downtown all the way out to East 1st, continuing on to the east from there.
Dedicated bike lanes on Sylvania running long-distance from north to south.
Dedicated bike lanes on East Lancaster from Downtown to Tennessee.
A new sharrow route on Henderson from 5th to Belknap that turns into a dedicated lane from Belknap to White Settlement.
Dedicated bike infrastructure on all the new Trinity River Vision bridges at White Settlement, Henderson, and North Main.
Dedicated bike lanes on White Settlement from North Main west past Rockwood/Westview.
Dedicated bike lanes on Bailey from White Settlement to the big University/7th/Camp Bowie/Bailey intersection.
Dedicated bike lanes on Carroll from West 7th to Whitmore, joining a sharrow route from Whitmore to White Settlement by way of Foch.
Dedicated bike lanes on Foch from West 7th to Crestline.
A close-up view of Downtown. One of the biggest changes and improvements in “Bike Fort Worth” is the creation of real bike connections between districts in the central city – dedicated bike lanes will carry riders between the Near Southside and Downtown on South Main, Jennings, and Summit. Dedicated bike lanes will also connect to the Cultural District – which we’ll get to in a moment.
Looking further south:
A number of new sharrow routes increase connections between existing routes and new bike lanes. A new route more directly connects to Forest Park, for example – a sharrow route will run down Park Place to the trails.
New dedicated bike lanes on Forest Park and McCart from Huntington to West Devitt.
New sharrow route down Rogers, between Cantey and new dedicated bike lanes on Lovell and West Vickery.
New dedicated bike lanes on University, from Cantey heading south past Berry (not shown here but presumably to Bluebonnet Circle at least).
New sharrow route on Hartwood, Mockingbird, and Colonial.
New dedicated bike lanes on Stadium from Cantey to Berry, then dedicated lanes heading out West on Berry and Bellaire.
New dedicated bike lanes on East Allen and East Maddox from I-35 to Comer.
New dedicated bike lanes on Nashville.
Also seen here is the long-distance route of the new dedicated bike lanes on Sylvania/Riverside.
In the Cultural District, we see:
The previously mentioned dedicated bike lanes on White Settlement, Bailey, Carroll, and Foch.
New dedicated bike lanes on Lancaster from Currie to Montgomery right past the museums.
A sharrow connection on Lancaster between Currie and Foch.
Dedicated bike lanes on Montgomery from West 7th south.
New sharrow routes on Crestline, Trinity Park, Cedar Elm, West 7th west of University, Dorothy, Bailey north of White Settlement, Hillcrest, Ashland, El Campo, Byers, Owasso, and Harley west of Montgomery.
New dedicated bike lanes on Harley between Montgomery and University through the Will Rogers Memorial Center, joining the sharrow route on a brief stretch of University to Crestline.
New dedicated bike lanes on West 7th between the big University/7th/Camp Bowie/Bailey intersection and Lamar in Downtown.
The dedicated bike lanes on West 7th are an especially big addition, especially with all the development activity along the street.
In addition, the plan adds extensive new signage for bike lanes, bike routes, trails, and wayfinding to destinations using the system.
“Bike Fort Worth” also looks at bicycle parking and storage. The plan calls for the adoption of mandatory bicycle parking requirements in zoning and development plans for new commercial, office, industrial, and multi-family residential development. In addition, the city will implement a “significant” bike rack installation program to radically increase the amount of public bike parking in the city. The plan calls for the placement of bike parking in convenient and logical locations by the main entrances of businesses – not stuck in the back or in the middle of nowhere. “Bike Fort Worth” will also implement preferred bike rack designs, favoring designs like the “inverted U” and “lollipop” racks and discouraging designs like the “wave” and “wheel-bender.” The plan also calls for new parking garages to provide bicycle parking space.
The plan even has strategies for replacing some on-street car parking with on-street bicycle parking, which allows the parking of a great number of bicycles in the space previously reserved for just one or two cars. A good example is shown in this Streetfilms video about bicycle parking in Portland, Oregon:
In addition, the plan calls for the construction of a Downtown Bicycle Commuter Station. An example of bicycle commuter parking can be seen in this Streetfilms video about Alewife Station in Cambridge, Massachusetts:
“Bike Fort Worth” also features extensive education, enforcement, and outreach programs:
The plan ties into the national “Safe Routes to School” initiative, encouraging more kids to walk and bike to school.
The city plans a “Share the Road” educational campaign to educate Fort Worth drivers and riders on safe, correct motorist/bicyclist interaction.
A new, better bike map will be published.
The city will participate in National Bike to Work Day and reinstitute the Clean Air Bike Rally.
The plan calls for Fort Worth to hold Sunday Parkways – weekend days when sections of road are closed to car traffic and turned over exclusively to bicycle and pedestrian usage.
The plan for Sunday Parkways is inspired by other such events in more bike-friendly cities, such as Portland, Oregon. This Streetfilms video shows some scenes from Portland’s own Sunday Parkways:
In addition, the plan calls for changes to street design standards, subdivision standards, and the development review process to ensure bicycle support is “built-in.” The city intends to fully embrace the “Complete Streets” movement and it will be policy that street planning, design, and construction will accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users from the very beginning.
The plan also calls for the city to launch an accurate bicycling count program, and a bicycle-related crash data & reporting program.
“Bike Fort Worth” is in draft stage and the city is currently accepting public input on the plan. The last of the three public meetings will be tomorrow night at 6:30 PM at LMRA River Pavillion, 3400 Bryant Irvin Road. After the plan is refined based on public input, it’s off to implementation. As said before, the plan’s goal is to triple bicycle travel, reduce bicycle accidents by 1/4, and attain a “Bicycle Friendly Community” rating from the League of American Bicyclists by 2015.
It’s a radical plan for a city that’s been more slow and measured in the past, but it shows the fundamental shifts in thinking and planning that are occurring at City Hall. Fort Worth is a city that is changing its thinking, and “Bike Fort Worth” is a great example of progress towards creating a more livable, sustainable Fort Worth. We came away from the presentation very impressed indeed – a big thanks to Don Koski, the Senior Planner in Fort Worth’s Transportation and Public Works Department, for putting on the presentation last night.
The T&P Tavern and Grill, in the ground floor of the Texas & Pacific Lofts building on Lancaster Avenue in Downtown, is open and running – including lunch hours. Currently, the T&P Tavern is operating in the covered breezeway between the T&P building tower and the train platforms to the south, creating what is essentially Fort Worth’s largest outdoor patio.
While operating with the patio, the owners of the T&P Tavern are restoring an ornate 1930s-era diner located in the building proper for an indoor dining area. The restored diner looks to be amazing – a nearly perfectly intact ’30s Art Deco diner sealed away since the ’60s.
The T&P Tavern features an extensive menu of sandwiches, soups, and breakfasts, and features a bar with Rahr on tap. For warm days, the patio features a huge ceiling fan, and for colder temperatures each table has its own gas heater.
On the owner’s recommendation, Fort Worthology had the Panino alla Margherita, a tasty panini featuring roasted garlic, fresh basil, sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese grilled on rustic white bread. The sandwich came with chips and a tasty salsa. It was quite tasty and filling (the photo shows just half the sandwich).
If you’re looking for a flavorful and fun indie cafe in Downtown Fort Worth, the T&P Tavern and Grill is a great new choice. Bonus points for the awesome atmosphere of the T&P’s awesome Art Deco architecture and the occasional rumble of the Trinity Railway Express pulling into the station.
The above photo is by Laura Seewoester from this Pegasus News article on the Lancaster sculptures. Lighting tests were conducted last night – and yes, the lights change. Artist Cliff Garten was on hand tweaking the lights himself.
Fort Worth Public Art has a slideshow up of the installation of the first pieces of Cliff Garten’s “Avenue of Light,” the final piece of the reworking of Lancaster Avenue in Downtown. Here’s the show (I’ve noticed that it runs backwards, probably due to the sort order on their Flickr photoset):
The above illustration gives a preview of the new public art installation that’s planned for the breezeway linking the Texas & Pacific train terminal & lofts to the Trinity Railway Express tracks & platforms.
At the top left, a 4 ft. x 1.5 ft. bronze plaque will display an excerpt from the poem “Freedom Train” by Langston Hughes. Against the wall, running from the lower left to the upper right, will be a flat aluminum silhouette of a train and tracks. This silhouette serves as a timeline, and along it are arranged three other aluminum silhouettes: a slave building the tracks, a porter carrying luggage, and a businessman holding a train ticket – meant to symbolize the progression of African Americans in the United States from slavery to freedom and success. The silhouettes will be mounted six inches out from the wall and will be backlit.
Below the track are four bronze plaques ranging in size from 3 ft. x 2 ft. to 5 ft. x 2 ft. These plaques will provide information about State Representative Garfield Thompson, the T&P’s old segregated benches and ticket counter, and black railroad workers in Fort Worth’s history. The plaques will feature Art Deco ornamentation drawn from the T&P itself, and the bronze plaques and aluminum silhouettes will have the same contrast of colors as the T&P’s actual segregated waiting room.
A restored bench from the segregated waiting room will be installed facing the wall, with ten feet of space between the two. The 18.5 ft. bench will provide visitors a place to sit and look at the installation and will also establish a more formal setting around the installation.
The final piece of the redesign of Lancaster Avenue in Downtown is underway at last – Cliff Garten’s “Avenue of Light” sculptures are being installed. The swirling Deco-inspired stainless steel towers aren’t standing just yet, but their bases are starting to pop up along the median. I grabbed these shots of two of the in-progress foundations over the weekend. Click for a bigger view.
When finished, sculptures 30 feet tall will stand atop these foundations. Below are a couple of renderings, showing the finished sculptures and their siting in the street’s median.
After more than a decade of studies, proposals and a public petition, the city is finally getting its convention-center hotel.
The 614-room Omni Fort Worth, directly across Houston Street from the Fort Worth Convention Center, will open its doors Monday with its first guests expected Saturday.
I have to say, I’m a fan of the Omni. It’s glassier than I usually like, and that glass condo tower won’t be fun when the westward sun starts bearing down in the summer, but on the whole it’s an attractive building and a fine addition to Downtown. It’s got proper urban orientation and ground-floor retail, which is better than a great many modern hotels I’ve seen elsewhere. My biggest problem with the hotel is that they built it on a superblock, which are bad for pedestrian circulation in urban environments. On the whole, though, it’s a win.
I’m also excited for what it might be able to do for the revitalization of the south end of Downtown. Between the Omni and the T&P are plenty of newly and long-vacated lots just ripe for infill. It may take time, but I look forward to seeing some of those get replaced with new development.
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