Fort Worthology » Lancaster

Two Interesting Downtown Design Review Board Items

Kevin Buchanan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:14:00 +0000

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.

T&P Warehouse Project Going In Front Of Landmarks Commission

Kevin Buchanan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:39:18 +0000

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.

Weekend Happenings: Michelangelo At The Kimbell

Kevin Buchanan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:35:56 +0000

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.

City Of Fort Worth Issues Streetcar Design Request

Kevin Buchanan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:45:50 +0000

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.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
The City of Fort Worth is accepting responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a limited time from qualified consultants to perform the work described herein. Responses that do not comply with the requirements described in this RFQ may, at the City’s sole discretion, be deemed non-responsive.

1.0 PROJECT STATEMENT
The City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) are interested in selecting a qualified consultant for planning and design work related to potential streetcar routes within the central city (generally the area inside Loop 820).

2.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND
2.1 A Modern Streetcar Study Committee appointed by Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Fort Worth City Council has investigated the feasibility of modern streetcars as a transit mode for Fort Worth’s central city. The study committee visited modern streetcar systems and learned from local experts in Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, and Tacoma, WA. City staff provided background information pertaining to transit technologies, peer city streetcar systems, estimated capital and operating costs, and increased valuation of property taxes. A set of 12 objective criteria were developed by City staff to assist the study committee in evaluating potential streetcar routes. Based on this information, the study committee determined that a streetcar system is desirable for Fort Worth. With support from City staff, the committee identified a starter alignment, outlined potential funding sources, developed a preliminary funding strategy, and determined the next steps needed for implementation. The committee presented its recommendations to City Council on December 16th, 2008.

2.2 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. Seamless streetcar transitions with existing Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and future Southwest-to-Northeast (SW2NE) commuter rail stations would connect central city Fort Worth with the rest of the Metroplex by rail, furthering the effectiveness of the streetcar system within the context of the regional rail plans of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and Metroplex jurisdictions. 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.

2.3 The total cost of the starter project, if built as recommended by the study committee, is estimated at $250 million. This preliminary cost estimate assumes that most of the alignment is double-tracked at $20 million per track mile and includes procurement of vehicles and construction of a maintenance facility. The starter alignment would rely on multiple sources of local funding, including existing tax-increment financing districts and new or existing public improvement districts. The City does not currently anticipate using any New Starts or Small Starts federal funding for the starter project. However, the City has joined with NCTCOG and the City of Dallas in a regional TIGER grant application that could provide some limited funding for Fort Worth’s streetcar system.

2.4 The City of Fort Worth envisions modern streetcars serving as an urban circulator for the central city, providing an important alternative transportation option for employees, residents and visitors. Due to its unique characteristics as a transit mode, streetcars have been recognized as a strong catalyst for compact, walkable, high-density, sustainable developments. The streetcars would operate in mixed traffic within street rights-of-way, stopping every two-to-four blocks at curbside with 15-minute or less headways. The City of Fort Worth has established policies, goals, and objectives, such as an urban village program, mixed-use zoning, and designated mixed-use growth centers, which promote walkable urbanism in our central city. Award-winning form-based codes for the Trinity Uptown and Near Southside areas require mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly districts. Yet, most of the development occurring in the central city still is built with automobile parking facilities sized to meet the demand of a drivable suburban location. As the study committee learned on the fact-finding trip to the Pacific Northwest, developments within walking distance of a streetcar route are built successfully with significantly lower parking ratios and significantly higher residential densities than developments not located near a streetcar route.

3.0 PROJECT SCOPE OF SERVICES/TASKS
The following scope and approach is provided as basic guidance for responding to this RFQ. The chosen consultant will be provided with all of the information and documents produced by the study committee, including pertinent GIS shapefiles. Consultant proposals should identify the work that would be undertaken for each task item, and briefly describe how the work would be accomplished. The combined network of the recommended starter alignment should be evaluated as a whole. Additionally, the individual route alignments (Downtown, Near Southside, and West 7th Street.) should be evaluated separately for construction phasing purposes. Estimates should also be totaled for the recommended starter alignment as a whole. The timeline for this project shall not exceed 365 days in length from the Notice to Proceed and should advance as expeditiously as possible.

PHASE ONE
3.1. Task 1 — Recommended Alignment Evaluation and Development of Design and Operation Assumptions
The purpose of this task is to review the recommended starter alignment for issues that limit its effectiveness as an urban circulation transit mode and provide assumptions to be used for developing the necessary schematic design work for alignment refinement and cost estimate preparation.
A. Provide design assumptions of the starter alignment including an evaluation of recommended alignment, traction power system standards, typical sections, guideway selection, substation requirements, station/stop locations and appropriate guidelines for utility relocation, signal modifications, and roadway reconstruction.
B. Provide operational assumptions of the starter alignment including headways, hours of service, fare system, maintenance facility needs and potential maintenance facility locations.
C. Provide preferred technology options including vehicle specifications, propulsion system, fare collection method, and information and communication requirements.
D. Assess vehicle procurement timelines and preferred vehicle selection process.
E. Identify the specific alignment and circulation direction of the downtown one- way loop.
F. Identify the preferred connection to the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC).
G. Identify potential benefits and issues associated with initially single-tracking all or parts of the West 7th Street and Near Southside routes.
H. Assess issues with any necessary railroad and bridge crossings and clearances.
I. Assess issues with operation of the starter alignment in relation to multiple routes and termini and the interface of the multiple routes with the downtown one-way loop.
J. Evaluate Bus-Rapid Transit as a mode for the recommended starter alignment and provide a preferred scheme for the best utilization of existing or new bus routes to complement the recommended starter alignment.
K. Conduct a basic utility review indicating those utilities that will likely need to be relocated based on the utility relocation guidelines developed in the design assumptions.
L. Conduct a basic environmental assessment for all or portions of the recommended route.
M. Provide recommendation on phasing of the project.
N. Present streetcar information relating to regional transit systems, economic development, and growth management at the Fort Worth Rail and Economic Development Conference on December 11, 2009.

3.2 Task 2 — Economic Development Impact Analysis
The purpose of this task is to provide an analysis of economic development potential of properties within a 1000-foot buffer of all five lines identified by the Study Committee as possible routes (Downtown, Near Southside, West 7th Street, East Rosedale Street, and North Main Street.). Items to be considered should include:
A. Analysis of vacant and under-developed sites and their development potential.
B. Projected property value appreciation and forecasted increase in property tax revenues over a no-build scenario.
C. Projected new residential units.
D. Projected new commercial square feet.
E. Identify the effect on Fort Worth Convention Center scheduling and general attendance.
F. Evaluation of impact on parking demand.
G. Projected total economic impact of the starter alignment.

3.3 Task 3 — Ridership and Operating Cost Estimates
The purpose of this task is to provide estimated ridership and operating costs of the starter alignment based on the findings and assumptions developed in Task 1 and the economic development projected in Task 2.
A. Estimated ridership for opening year of service. B. Estimated ridership for the 5th year of service. C. Estimated 5-year operating and maintenance cost forecast.
PHASE TWO
3.4 Task 4 — Business Plan
The purpose of this task is to provide the framework for the organizational and financial structures necessary for a streetcar system in Fort Worth.
A. Organizational Plan
1) Identify the preferred organizational structure including defined roles for the City of Fort Worth, The T, Tarrant County, and others as necessary.
2) Identify the preferred administrative structure including management roles, staffing demands, training requirements, etc.
B. Financial Plan
1) Review and assess Modern Streetcar Study Committee funding recommendations.
2) Provide recommendation regarding the most viable and expedient financial package.
3) Provide a timeline and step-by-step procedures to implement the recommended financial package.
4) Assist in assessment of stakeholder willingness to participate in financing options.

PHASE THREE
3.5 Task 5 — Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Assessment
The purpose of this task is to provide schematic design and preliminary engineering for all recommended alignments or a selected first phase as determined by Task 1.M.
A. Drainage report
B. Floodplain study
C. Surveying and mapping
D. Geotechnical survey and analysis
E. Utility relocation
F. Typical track sections
G. Grade crossing layout
H. Stop locations and layouts
I. Traffic signalization plans
J. Site civil design
K. Right-of-way engineering and plans
L. Maintenance facility specifications
M. NEPA Environmental Assessment for selected first phase
N. Coordination with streetscape, street/bridge reconstruction, and adjacent private construction projects.

3.6 Task 6 — Public Involvement
The purpose of this task is to ensure transparency in the planning process while receiving input and building consensus among stakeholders. The City’s Community Relations Department will take an active role in organizing and executing pertinent portions of this task. A steering committee will be formed with representatives from key stakeholder groups to provide guidance to the consultant throughout the process.
A. Conduct up to ten meetings with the steering committee and pertinent City and The T staff.
B. Provide briefings at the conclusion of Phases One and Two to the City Council and The T Board of Directors, and provide final briefings to the City Council and The T Board of Directors.

4.0
5.0
C. Provide up to three briefings to pertinent TIF boards.
D. Conduct up to three community meetings to update and receive feedback from citizens.
E. Prepare meeting displays and conduct the technical presentation of these displays. Document the community meeting by transcription summary of pertinent comments. Prepare necessary written responses to questions received at the community meetings.
F. Communicate with the Project Managers (City and The T) on a regular basis to report on the progress of the project. Prepare monthly written progress report for use in the City’s computerized project management system; combined with evidence of the work accomplished since the previous report. The report must contain bar charts indicating the percentage of work completion of each task.
G. Establish guiding principles for the project.

Molly The Trolley Succeeds, Program Extended

Kevin Buchanan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:47:53 +0000

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.

Texas & Pacific Warehouse Redevelopment Update

Kevin Buchanan — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:12:08 +0000

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.

Public Meetings On Tower 55 Solutions Today

Kevin Buchanan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:49:41 +0000

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.

Weekend Events At T&P Tavern

Kevin Buchanan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:17:45 +0000

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).

Saturday – Live music by Brad Thompson, 8:00 PM to midnight.

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.

Scenes from the "Avenue of Light" Ceremony

Kevin Buchanan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:39:38 +0000

Lancaster Avenue “Avenue of Light” Ceremony from Kevin Buchanan on Vimeo.

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.

Lighting Ceremony for the "Avenue of Light" Sculptures Tonight

Kevin Buchanan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:16:25 +0000

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.