Oct 16, 2009 Comments Off
By: Kevin Buchanan
The grand opening party for Eddie Vanston’s newest development, the Miller Lofts at 311 Bryan in the Near Southside’s South Main Village, is tonight from 7:00 to 10:00! Beer and music will be on hand, the latter in the form of the awesome local band The Theater Fire. Make sure to stop by and get a look at this incredible adaptive reuse.
Oct 13, 2009 5
By: Kevin Buchanan
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:
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.
Oct 7, 2009 6
By: Kevin Buchanan
Just heard from our friend Eddie Vanston that there will be a big opening party for his new Miller Lofts at 311 Bryan Ave. this month, on Friday the 16th. Beer, snacks, and plenty of good times will undoubtedly result. Word is that local awesome band The Theater Fire will be performing, so it’ll be a grand evening all around. More details to come.
For more on the development, make sure to check out our most recent walkthrough of Miller Lofts.
Sep 29, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
The Stayton, which we gave you an early look at back in April, looks to be starting construction next month, according to the S-T:
Dallas-based Senior Quality Lifestyles Corp. has closed a $4 million deal to buy 2.5 acres in the near-west-side So7 development, where the company expects to start construction on a retirement community next month.
It will take about 22 months to build The Stayton at Museum Way, said Charles Brewer, president and chief executive of Senior Quality Lifestyles.
Over 140 of the Stayton’s 188 units have been pre-sold. The three 11-story towers will have units ranging from 800 to over 2,400 square feet.
For more on the Stayton, see our preview of the development.
Sep 22, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
The final phase of Westview, the condo development by Centex in Downtown’s Upper West Side, is now rising from its foundation at 10th & Lexington, just off Henderson. Westview features condos from 822 sq. ft. to 1,342 sq. ft. with prices ranging from the $175,000s to the $259,000s.
Sep 21, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
The West 7th development is coming together nicely, and walking around the development shows that the streetscape is finally starting to feel complete.
Along Crockett, between the two loft buildings, strings of festival lights have been installed. The lights run between the two buildings for the length of the street, except in the center of the block. There, the buildings set back a bit, creating a sizable plaza space. Leaving the plaza area open overhead gives a kind of “tension and release” feel to the development’s streetscape, with a more cozy sensation between the building walls under the lights opening up to a larger central “room.” It’s a nice piece of spatial definition.
Landscaping looks to be very nearly complete. Here, we’re looking into one half of the central plaza.
Bollards have been installed to define the two halves of the curbless plaza and to prevent cars from entering. The sculptures in each plaza have been given their permanent installations and the water features around them are being installed.
Here’s a close-up of one of the sculptures and its in-progress water feature.
One of the central plaza spaces. One of the development’s mid-block pedestrian passages can be seen behind the sculpture. These serve to break up the longer blocks into segments similar in size to a standard downtown block, allowing improved pedestrian circulation.
Decorative paving can be seen between the two plazas. It’s easy to imagine that this central area could be entirely blocked off to car traffic for special events.
Typical Crockett streetscape, showing off the wide sidewalks and trees planted out at the edge of the sidewalk, not near the building – the proper way to go about it in an urban setting, to create a better sense of enclosure for pedestrians.
The corners of the central plaza space each have a large outdoor dining area for the adjacent retail space. This will be the outdoor dining area at Tillman’s Roadhouse.
This will be outdoor dining for Patrizio.
Looking up at the lofts above the central plaza.
Streetscape in front of Patrizio and Paciugo.
Another angle on one of the sculpture/water feature installations in the central plaza.
Looking up through the festival lighting at the lofts above.
Looking down Crockett at Movie Tavern.
Speaking of Movie Tavern, their signage is going up now. A neon “Movie Tavern” sign adorns the building at Crockett & Currie, while the company’s slogan “Movies Never Tasted So Good!” has been installed over the ground-level entrance & plaza on the corner.
Looking up at the Movie Tavern sign.
The Movie Tavern slogan and plaza in front of the ground-level entrance.
Leasing at the lofts is going on now. Retail tenants of West 7th are looking to start opening soon. Some tenants, including Movie Tavern, Tillman’s Roadhouse, Paciugo and Yofe should be opening in October, while more will open in December, including LA Fitness, Bailey’s Prime Plus, Patrizio and Delaney’s Irish Pub. Bowling alley Lucky Strike Lanes looks to open later, in March 2010. March will also be the official “grand opening” of the development as a whole. Two further pieces of the development – a second office tower and the likely third loft building replacing the originally planned hotel component – will be built later.
Sep 16, 2009 5
By: Kevin Buchanan
In a Fort Worth Business Press story, Cypress Equities VP Kirk Williams has revealed that the planned hotel on one of the few vacant blocks left in the West 7th development at Crockett & Currie will likely be replaced with more residential lofts:
The decision to add multifamily units in place of the hotel is likely to be made soon, Williams said.
“It would add 100 units onto The Lofts [at West 7th] and just be a continuance of that development. I’m not saying the hotel is absolutely not going to happen, but we’re weighing the delivery of both projects and it appears the residential has a greater demand in the market.”
Should Cypress decide to go forward with The Lofts expansion, it would be the only mid-priced rental units under construction along the West Seventh corridor, though the nearby Museum Place development has plans for a similar multifamily component.
This was something hinted to us during our last walkthrough. Honestly, we don’t see this as a bad thing – 100 more lofts would bring more residents to add vitality to the streets of the area. We’ve heard that leasing activity at The Lofts at West 7th has been strong, and this is more evidence of that (and of the general health of Fort Worth’s urban apartment market, which has long seemed under-served to us considering the high occupancy rates of existing rental buildings in Downtown, Uptown, the Near Southside, and the Cultural District).
In addition, Williams revealed that the development’s “Grand Opening” has been pushed to March 2010, but retail tenants will be coming online well before then. Some tenants, including Movie Tavern, Tillman’s Roadhouse, Paciugo and Yofe should be opening in October, while more will open in December, including LA Fitness, Bailey’s Prime Plus, Patrizio and Delaney’s Irish Pub.
The biggest tenant delay is Lucky Strike Lanes, the bowling alley/lounge setup. Lucky Strike has hit a funding snag and is delayed, but Williams says it is still happening. It looks like Lucky Strike will be aiming for a March 2010 opening date now. They had a similar problem recently opening their new Houston location, which also wound up delayed. The Houston location has re-started and is on track for a fall opening, and Williams says that once Lucky Strike Houston gets complete, the company will then turn its attention to construction on the Fort Worth location.
More to come, certainly. Check out our last tour of West 7th for an in-depth look at the development and its progress.
Sep 10, 2009 6
By: Kevin Buchanan
Dunn Haven Apartments, 1228 Adams – photo from Fairmount Southside Historic District
We’ve gotten several questions and comments about the old apartment building at Magnolia & Adams:
Any idea what is going on with the 6-plex apts. on the corner of Magnolia and S. Adams across the street from Junsuree? I lived there 2 years ago and as I last heard, it is now vacant. Is it being sold, refurbed, gutted? Anyone?
@Justin & @FortWorthology: if anybody can get info on that 6plex, please let us know.
I’m curious about that 6-plex as well. It’s a beautiful building.
For what it’s worth, the builder at Texana told me several months ago that the nearby 6-plex was supposed to be renovated. Of course, he could have just been blowing smoke to get me to buy one of his town homes.
We’ve not heard anything about the old apartment building (seen above) in some time. At one point, there was work being done – the interior was being emptied, and in fact if you look over the fence to the north of the building you might be able to see some of the old tubs and such. One of the folks at Fort Worth South, Inc. mentioned that they believed somebody bought the building and had plans to convert it to ground-floor office space and upper-floor apartments, rather than the all-residential layout it’s had since it was built, but we never heard anything beyond that. Whatever the case, we have not seen anything happening at the building in quite some time – it appears that whatever was going on there is either dead or on hold.
For the curious, the building is located at 1228 S. Adams. It is more properly known as the Dunn Haven Apartments. The building was built in 1914, making it one of the oldest structures on Magnolia. It shows elements of various styles, including the Prairie School. It is of a configuration not common in this area, with its three stories and full porches at each level. A similar structure can be found in Fairmount, the currently also-vacant Bomar Apartments of 1907 at 1507 Alston:
Bomar Apartments, 1507 Alston – photo from Fairmount Southside Historic District
The Dunn Haven Apartments is one of only a handful of structures on the north side of Magnolia that are part of the Fairmount Southside Historic District, and as such it is a fully protected historic building carrying the city’s “Historic and Cultural Landmark” designation. As a result, it is protected from demolition or significant alteration. In addition, being part of Fairmount means any development there will have to conform to the Fairmount Design Standards, as well as the Near Southside Design Standards. The building was re-zoned as part of the Near Southside Design Standards and re-zoning effort, and now carries the NS-T4 zoning – in longer form, that means “Near Southside – General Urban.”
We hope that somebody will acquire the Dunn Haven Apartments and give it the full, complete restoration that such a building deserves, and re-open them as a well-run and nicely cared-for apartment, condo, or mixed-use development. It would be a shame to see the building continue to sit for an extended period or re-open as an un/half-restored trashier development.
Sep 1, 2009 16
By: Kevin Buchanan
The former Miller Manufacturing Building at 311 Bryan in the Near Southside’s South Main Village area has come a long way since the last time we took a look at it. The historic 1910 factory is being reborn as 15 loft apartments after years of neglect. The developer is Eddie Vanston (the Carillion Group), responsible for a string of successful, funky-cool apartment redevelopments in the Near Southside – the LaSalle Apartments on College in Fairmount, the Leuda-May Apartments on Leuda Street just off Jennings, the Markeen Apartments on Daggett near Broadway Baptist Church, and (most recently) the Sawyer Grocery Apartments on South Main itself.
The newly christened Miller Lofts is turning out to be a very cool development indeed. More than any other loft conversion we’ve seen in Fort Worth, the Miller Lofts really allows the character of the building to come through. These are not posh “soft lofts” – the units definitely embrace the classic industrial character of the building. Exposed concrete, industrial fixtures, minimalist contemporary design – these are the sort of lofts not really found in Fort Worth. The units feature very open floor plans and tall ceilings, and range from 688 square feet at the small end to over 1,700 square feet at the upper end, in configurations featuring both one and two bedrooms and one and two baths.
Here, we’re in a first-floor unit. Kitchen cabinets will feature doors made from the original wired safety glass taken from the building’s windows during redevelopment. There are multiple kinds of kitchen counters, in different varieties of granite as well as soapstone.
Light fixtures are very eclectic, and come from a number of sources. Some are from Old Home Supply, while some – such as this – are industrial units. They all help reinforce the feeling of the units being carved out of the old factory space.
Bathrooms are large and minimalist. For a bit of contrast with the rough factory architecture, the bathrooms feature classic claw-foot bathtubs painted in a variety of colors.
Some first-floor units, such as this one, have smaller windows. Because of the tall ceilings, Eddie was able to use industrial ceiling fans, which are very powerful. Their minimalist metal design compliments the look of the building nicely.
Close-up of one of the industrial fans.
This first-floor unit on the north side of the building is one of the most unique apartments you’ll find in Fort Worth – it’s built out of the old factory manager’s office. The kitchen windows here look out into the hallway.
Here’s a good look at this countertop finish, one of several different kinds used in the building.
The north wall of this unit features the building’s characteristic extra-tall tilt-out windows.
This second-floor unit showcases one of the interesting pieces of interior design by architect Robert W. Kelly. Even in floorplans where parts of the unit, such as the kitchen or bathroom, don’t have direct window views, cut-outs in the walls allow natural light to flood the interior all the way to the back of the unit.
Another view in this second-floor unit. The closet on the right stops short, giving a potentially interesting bit of space from the closet up to the ceiling.
Another of the cut-outs, which allow light to flood through the units as well as exposing more of the pipes, conduits, and ducts to give an extra bit of industrial flair.
This second-floor unit shows how the building’s two-piece tilt-out windows work.
Another 2nd floor kitchen area.
Another 2nd floor unit, showing off the building’s sixteen-foot ceilings.
Some 2nd floor units, such as this one, feature big north-facing skylights – which also tilt open.
2nd floor kitchen – the “pillbox” for the skylight can be seen at upper left.
Another 2nd floor view.
One really gets a sense of the height of the ceilings and skylights in this shot.
Another 2nd floor unit, showing off yet another style of kitchen counter.
Another 2nd floor space, with more of those great old windows. The windows were built by Mesker Brothers Iron Works of St. Louis, Missouri. The plaques from this manufacturer can be seen on the window frames.
A 2nd floor bathroom shows off one of those great claw-foot tubs.
This view is a good demonstration of the wall cut-outs. Even with the door shut, the bathroom can still receive natural light from above.
Another view in a 2nd-floor skylight unit.
2nd floor space.
The unique angle on the Downtown skyline from the 2nd floor of the Miller Lofts.
Kitchen cabinet doors under construction, showing off the original wired glass that used to be in the windows.
This first-floor unit has a split level design thanks to the old loading dock. Some first-floor units, such as this one, have direct entrances on the exterior of the building.
The Miller Lofts is in the final phase of completion, and Eddie is renting units now. Check out oldbuilding.com, or give them an e-mail or call 214-850-3408 for more information. We look forward to seeing work finishing up and checking out the building once move-ins start.
Aug 31, 2009 9
By: Kevin Buchanan
We recently toured the new Colonial Park and Gallery 1701 apartment developments near Forest Park just off University. Colonial Park and Gallery 1701 are located on Rogers Road, next to the Trinity River and Trinity Trails and just down the street from University Park Village. Both are run by Lincoln Property Company, the same company running the Lofts at West 7th, Lincoln Trinity Bluff, Lincoln Park, and other similar large-scale developments.
Colonial Park and Gallery 1701 are complimentary developments, with Gallery 1701 being the more upscale of the two. Both developments feature a wide range of floor plans and finishes. They are the first two projects we’ve seen completed in this particular part of Fort Worth that actually have an urban feel and design to them, so in a sense they are the first step in densifying and urbanizing University Drive between I-30 and the zoo/Forest Park.
We begin our tour in Colonial Park, seen above from Rogers Road.
Colonial Park’s ground floor features apartments and the building’s fitness center, with three-sided views of the Trinity Trails and surroundings.
Here, we’ve moved in to a first-floor unit. Some units, like this one, feature bamboo floors. Units in Colonial Park range from efficiencies of 357 square feet, to one bedrooms between 672 and 1,038 square feet, and two bedrooms between 1,036 and 1,654 square feet.
The living room area of the first-floor unit. The units at both Colonial Park and Gallery 1701 feature open loft-style floor plans.
The dining area, and a view out the sliding glass doors to the exterior.
The loft-inspired design carries over into the bedrooms, separated by a low partial wall rather than being fully enclosed.
The contemporary styling goes all the way to the bathrooms.
Colonial Park’s parking garage is located behind the building, allowing the interiors of the block to become courtyards ringed with apartments. This courtyard contains the building’s swimming pool.
This courtyard features pavers, grass, picnic tables and grills.
Next up is a higher-floor two-bedroom unit. This is the second bedroom.
Here’s the kitchen. This unit features boomerang-patterened Formica counters.
The living room, with balcony overlooking Rogers Road.
The master bedroom.
The view from the balcony. The thick trees mark the location of the Trinity River and Trinity Trails.
Looking down Rogers Road, with Gallery 1701 across the street.
Typical balcony at Colonial Park.
Inside one of the bathrooms of the two-bedroom unit.
Another angle in the bathroom, looking back out toward the bedroom.
Another view of the two-bedroom’s living room.
Another view of the kitchen, showing off the bamboo floor and track lighting.
Looking through the kitchen to the dining area.
The second bathroom.
Next, we go across the street to Gallery 1701, which is a bit more upscale with higher-end finishes and features like stainless steel appliances and granite counters. Gallery 1701 is built atop a partially below-grade parking garage.
The Gallery 1701 lobby. The common spaces at Gallery 1701 are spacious. While Colonial Park has open-air hallways, Gallery 1701′s are climate-controlled.
Gallery 1701′s pool, which is located at the corner of the development looking out toward the Trinity River and Trinity Trails.
Another pool view, showing off the park-side setting of the development.
We start off in a two-bedroom unit. Apartments in Gallery 1701 range from one bedrooms of 659-930 square feet to two bedrooms of 1,276-1,371 square feet.
Living room. The units in Gallery 1701 feature very large balconies, and they can be accessed from either the living room or bedroom.
Master bedroom with balcony view.
Typical balcony at Gallery 1701.
The loft-inspired design is also found at Gallery 1701, as living room and bedroom are separated by partial walls allowing light to spill over between them.
Gallery 1701 master bathroom. This bathroom featured large shelves and cabinets, a tub in the center, and a large walk-in shower behind it just out of camera view.
Reverse angle looking out toward the master bedroom.
This shot of the kitchen shows the typical finishes in Gallery 1701.
Dining area view.
Second bedroom.
Next up is a one-bedroom, one of the larger one-bedrooms in the building. This unit featured a spacious bedroom with the same sort of wall cut-out seen in the two-bedroom.
This one-bedroom showed off a different color scheme.
This unit’s bathroom featured a separate tub and glass shower.
The kitchen in the one-bedroom unit.
Colonial Park and Gallery 1701 are leasing now. Lincoln is offering three free months, which can be prorated out over the course of a 13-month lease. Colonial Park is located at 1700 Rogers Road, while Gallery 1701 is across the street (1701 Rogers Road, naturally). For more information on the developments, check out their web sites:
http://www.colonialparkapts.com/
http://www.gallery1701.com/
Aug 28, 2009 Comments Off
By: Kevin Buchanan
Next up in the seemingly endless wave of small mixed-use buildings being constructed in the Near Southside is this structure, which will be built on Lipscomb across from the mixed-use building we featured yesterday. That’s the explanation for the fenced-in vacant lot across the street noticed by some of you.
This building will be a ground-floor office for Dr. Gurpreet Bajaj’s orthopedic clinic, with loft apartments above. It is another in the long line of mixed-use buildings designed by TMA Architects, who designed the Aggarwal Building, Dalal Building, and more.
Construction hasn’t quite started yet on the Bajaj Building, but from the looks of the site, it may not be much longer. Click the renderings for a larger view – the rendering above is the Lipscomb (west) facade, while the rendering below is the south facade.
Aug 27, 2009 3
By: Kevin Buchanan
We reported on this not long ago – another new mixed-use building rising in the Near Southside – and now we’ve got a look at the finished product. The building will feature a ground-floor medical office for Dr. Ved V. Aggarwal, while the second floor will feature four apartments, two of which are 1 bedroom/1 bath plans and the other two of which are 1 bedroom/1 bath/study plans. Above is the building’s eastern elevation, facing Lipscomb, while the other elevations are of the west, south, and north elevations. The building is the latest in an ever-longer string of small mixed-use buildings by TMA Architects, who previously designed Oleander Plaza, Pennsylvania Lofts, the Dalal Building, and the Red Oak Foundation mixed-use building near Montgomery Plaza.
Aug 21, 2009 2
By: Kevin Buchanan
This new infill development is rising just to the north of Rosedale. While there isn’t much information visible on the signage around the site, we’re going to guess that it’s another example of a medical office on the ground floor and apartments on the second floor (the site is located in an area with the Near Southside’s T4-N zoning – the “N” indicates that all developments must include residential uses). No architect sign was visible, though it resembes some of the other developments designed by TMA Architects, so they’re our leading candidate.
It’s good to see some infill activity to the north of Rosedale, and we look forward to seeing the building finishing out in the weeks ahead. Click the photos for a larger view.
Aug 19, 2009 2
By: Kevin Buchanan
The Tarrant Dialysis Center is planning a new home in the Near Southside. To be located at College & Tucker on a currently vacant lot, the new TDC home looks to be another example of the sort of small-scale infill building that the Near Southside is becoming known for.
EDIT: We’ve been told the TDC building is, in fact, a single-use structure, which is disappointing.
The information for the new TDC building says “Summer 2010,” so it might not be all that long before we see some construction activity beginning. Click the rendering for a bigger view, and check the location in Google Maps below.
Aug 18, 2009 7
By: Kevin Buchanan
Sandra Baker in the S-T is reporting that Incap Fund, the Dallas-based development firm who has been buying up land in the 7th Street area for some time, is planning a development on property it owns bounded by Lancaster, Currie, Bledsoe, and Norwood. Incap says the development likely won’t start for a couple of years, though, as they wait out the economic situation and watch how renting goes at the nearby Lofts at West 7th.
What’s likely to be built, says Incap’s Dirik Oudt, is a four-story building with 260 units on the block boarded by Lancaster Avenue, and Currie, Bledsoe and Norwood streets.
The church at Lancaster & Currie hasn’t sold to Incap, so if/when the time comes, they’ll probably just get built around unless they decide to move. It will be interesting to see the actual design that Incap comes up with – since the block is located on the planned streetcar line, will they be reassured enough that the streetcar is coming and build something with a lower parking-garage-to-residential-unit ratio, or will they still be unsure of the city’s commitment to the streetcar project and build the usual “Texas Doughnut” – a large parking structure surrounded by a skinny ring of apartments?
Above is the site, and below is a shot of a Google Street View look at one of the existing structures on the property.
Aug 17, 2009 7
By: Kevin Buchanan
In the 1930s, as the Great Depression brought on tough times for the city of Fort Worth, a concrete engineer named Charles M. Davis and his daughter Zoe became interested in transferring that concrete engineering knowledge to the creation of affordable, compact homes. They adapted that engineering work to the Streamline Moderne style and created a series of one-bedroom “Aparthomes” (apartment-homes) in the TCU/Berry Street area. The homes were sponsored by the Portland Cement Association.
Today, four of the C. M. Davis Aparthomes are still standing, and here’s a look at how they are today.
By a wide margin, the Aparthome that is in the best condition today is this one on Lubbock. It’s been radically restored, revamped, and expanded, and is the home of local architecture & design firm Firm 817.
From the front, the home is mostly original, the biggest change being the windows ringing the new raised roof, allowing vastly more natural light into the structure than the original design.
At the back, the radical nature of the remodeling is apparent, as the home has a large addition in a very modern style (one of the few examples of such contemporary design in Fort Worth). Given the futuristic mindset of the original Streamline Moderne style, the addition actually works very well with the original home.
So far, so good – one of the Aparthomes transformed into a cutting-edge design studio & residence. From here on out, the Aparthomes become somewhat less well-cared for.
One of the better examples of the other remaining homes is this one on Waits. While it’s not in the best of shape, it appears reasonably original and looks like it could be restored fairly easily.
Across the street is another of the Aparthomes, and it’s in slightly worse condition. Still looks restorable and in decently original shape on the exterior.
In perhaps the worst shape is the house on Devitt, though even it appears restorable and not too badly modified. It shows off the style of Streamline Moderne quite nicely, especially with that curved corner.
Another angle of the Aparthome on Devitt.
It’s our understanding that none of the Aparthomes has any sort of historic protection (we imagine that the only one that might is the Firm 817 home). Apart from Firm 817′s on Lubbock, they’re not located in areas that have seen any real redevelopment booms, but it’s hard to say how long that could last. The remaining C. M. Davis Aparthomes might be prime candidates for a historic preservation push, to preserve not only the works of a local engineer as a group, but also to preserve examples of Streamline Moderne residential architecture in Fort Worth, a style that was popular for commercial buildings in the city but which is rather rare in homes around here.
Aug 7, 2009 11
By: Kevin Buchanan
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.
Aug 7, 2009 5
By: Kevin Buchanan
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.
Jul 31, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
With the opening of Tim Love’s second Love Shack in the SoSeven (or So7, depending on how brief you wish to be) development today, we have news of more tenants announced for the mixed-use development next to Trinity Park. SoSeven has added “Crust Pizza” and “So7 Bistro” to their upcoming ground-floor tenants list. There’s little info out there on either establishment, but SoSeven says they’re “opening soon.” More info to come, we’re sure.
Jul 30, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
Here’s an update on the Dalal Building, which we featured a couple of days ago. The two lofts on the building’s second floor will be leasing for $1,195 per month. They are 1,050 square feet and include front-loaded washers & dryers, stainless-steel kitchen appliances, and wall-mount flat-screen TVs.
To inquire about the lofts, contact Sameer Dalal at 817-915-7685.
Jul 28, 2009 7
By: Kevin Buchanan
The Dalal Building is the latest small infill development in Fort Worth’s Near Southside urban revitalization district, just south of Downtown. Designed by TMA Architects, the Dalal Building features a ground-floor medical office, and two loft apartments upstairs.
The lofts are 1,050 square feet, and each unit is different. They feature tall ceilings with exposed wood beams, exposed brick walls, tall operable windows, exposed ducts, Ikea cabinets, stainless steel appliances, front-loading washers & dryers, glass tile backsplashes, flat-screen TVs, ceiling fans, and a cool industrial style.
The Dalal Building is located at the corner of Jennings & Rosedale. It is one block from the proposed Fort Worth modern streetcar line. It is also a block away from Magnolia Avenue. Bike lanes are already present on Magnolia and are planned for Rosedale. Jennings is a sharrow’d bike route.
The Dalal Building is a good example of how small-scaled infill can make a real different in revitalizing urban neighborhoods, rather than just large-scale development. Now, let’s take a look through the building and check out the interiors.
The ground-floor medical office occupies the entire ground floor and is entered from Jennings.
The lofts are entered from a stairway on the building’s south side.
The stairway brings you up to a small landing, where doors to the two lofts face each other.
Visible structural details set the loft/industrial style even before you enter the lofts.
Heading in to unit 103. Each of the lofts is 1,050 square feet, but each has a unique floor plan. Both feature exposed brick walls and exposed ceiling structure.
The living & dining area of unit 103. This unit is on the building’s west side, along Jennings and Rosedale.
Both units feature ceiling fans. The exposed structure really adds to the look and feel, and the natural wood is a nice contrast to the exposed brick.
Details of the exposed structure.
Another angle of the exposed structure.
This exposed brick wall is along the building’s south side.
Living area of unit 103, and door to second bedroom/study. Both units include flat-screen TVs.
The second bedroom, or study, of unit 103. Closet doors on the right.
The second bedroom/study of unit 103 is on the corner of the building at Jennings & Rosedale. One would have a great view from here of future urban infill replacing the existing development on Rosedale.
View across to the historic office building across the street.
Looking from the living area to the kitchen, second bedroom/study on left.
The kitchen. Utility room can be seen just beyond. Both units feature stainless steel appliances (featuring through-the-door water and ice on the refrigerators), black granite counters, glass tile backsplashes, and soft-close Ikea cabinets.
A closer angle on the kitchen.
The master bedroom of unit 103. Master bedrooms feature walk-in closets.
Walk-in closet. Features industrial-style light fixture.
Bathroom in unit 103.
Bathroom sink, unit 103.
Bath/shower, unit 103.
Kitchen inside unit 101. Same square footage, different floor plan.
Main living/dining/kitchen area, unit 101.
Kitchen details, unit 101.
The kitchens of both units feature tall pantries.
Kitchen space and lighting, unit 101.
Master bedroom, unit 101.
Master bedroom w/ closet, unit 101.
Bathroom, unit 101.
Second bedroom/study, unit 101.
Living/dining/kitchen, unit 101.
The utility room in 101 is located near the front door instead of the kitchen area.
Ceiling detail, unit 101.
Back downstairs, here’s a few shots inside the ground-floor medical office.
The Dalal Building lofts should be ready for occupancy any day now. As seen, the lofts not only include the kitchen appliances and washer/dryer, but also a flat-screen TV. The lofts are $1,195 per month to rent – if you’re interested, contact Sameer Dalal at 817-915-7685.
Jul 27, 2009 11
By: Kevin Buchanan
Chef Tim Love has just announced via Twitter that the new SoSeven location of his burger joint, the Love Shack, will be open to the public for lunch today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. For these three days, they’re serving up food at 50% off while they finish putting the finishing touches on the new location. If you’re interested, head over to SoSeven (the development next to Trinity Park) for lunch through Wednesday.
Jul 24, 2009 Comments Off
By: Kevin Buchanan
We couldn’t help but noticed the Kress Building in Downtown is looking better than ever. After getting the leasing process for the lofts upstairs going again, the building’s new owners look to have embarked on a cleaning program to brighten the classic Art Deco building up a bit. The ground floor of the building is looking shiny and new again.
Even the freight elevator on Main Street has been cleaned up – the awesome Deco ornamentation above it is shining again. Click for a bigger view.
Jul 23, 2009 3
By: Kevin Buchanan
A brief look at the progress on 311 Bryan, the former clothing factory turned loft apartments that’s underway now in the Near Southside’s South Main Village.
Much work has been done inside, and we’ll be bringing you an update from within soon. On the outside, more cleanup has been done, and new fencing is in place around the building’s outdoor areas. The exterior doors are also being painted in bright colors.
311 Bryan’s lofts range from 688 square feet at the small end to over 1,700 square feet at the upper end, in configurations featuring both one and two bedrooms and one and two baths. Very open and spacious, they also have great views through the old, tilt-to-open windows. Some second floor units also have large skylights.
Click either of the photos for a larger view. To contact about leasing one of the lofts, check out OldBuilding.com.
Jul 22, 2009 1
By: Kevin Buchanan
The Dalal Professional Building, the newest mixed-use structure in the Near Southside, is just about complete. The building, which sits at the corner of Rosedale & Jennings, is ground-floor medical office and second-floor loft apartments. It was designed by TMA Architects, who have made quite a business of small mixed-use buildings. They also designed Oleander Plaza (lofts over medical space on Oleander west of 8th Avenue near Baylor All-Saints), Pennsylvania Lofts (lofts over office space on Pennsylvania near Harris Methodist), and the building on Carroll across the street from Montgomery Plaza’s Target (condo over office space), and they’re now working on other mixed-use designs in the Near Southside.
We’ll be bringing you a tour of the Dalal Building next week, with a look inside the lofts upstairs. For now, here’s a couple of photos of the nearly-finished building – click for a bigger view.
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