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.

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.

Took this one day whilst wandering through the Water Gardens. Thought you, The Readers, might enjoy it.

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.

While we’ve got streetcars on our minds, here’s some good news about the Fort Worth Streetcar project: the North Central Texas Council of Governments has approved using $1.6 million for a grant to the City of Fort Worth to fund a design consultant and study on the project. The city and The T will kick in funds to bring the total up to $2 million. The city will be bringing on a consultant to do detailed design schematics and operational details, which means that we’ll then start to see some concrete Fort Worth streetcar design plans.

This is a big step forward – the current streetcar plan doesn’t have specific design and operation details like actual track layouts, etc. so once this consultant and study are complete we should get a real, detailed plan for the streetcar network. It will be interesting to see how the specifics of track alignments, etc. all pan out.

Gordon Dickson at the Star-Telegram has the story – the Fort Worth Streetcar is now an official part of the FW/D region’s Mobility 2030 plan, and thus is now eligible for federal transit funding:

Fort Worth’s proposed streetcar system and a commuter rail line to Mansfield are now officially part of the region’s plans and eligible for federal funding.

The two projects were added to the region’s Mobility 2030 plan Thursday during a meeting of the Regional Transportation Council, North Texas’ congressionally recognized planning body.

Adding the Fort Worth Streetcar to Mobility 2030 is a smart move that should open up new doors for the system, and further reinforces the streetcar’s place as a part of a well-rounded regional transit system covering not only longer-distance mobility through commuter and light rail, but also mobility within neighborhoods and connections from the larger rail systems.

Tonight, at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth Public Art and the Fort Worth chapter of the American Institute of Architects are presenting “It Takes Two to Tango: Artist and Architect Shape Fort Worth Skyline.” This symposium will explore the opportunities and challenges that come into play when an architect and an artist collaborate in the early stages of design. Donald F. Gatzke, AIA, dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington, will moderate a discussion with Brent Byers, FAIA, LEED AP, Jacobs, and artist Christopher Janney as they reflect on their experiences working together to create the new Fort Worth Convention Center Parking Garage.

The symposium is tonight, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, in the Fort Worth Convention Center, meeting room 201 A & B. Tickets including dinner are available at the door for $30, first-come, first serve. Half-price tickets are available for those not wanting dinner. Cash bar will be available. Afterward, there will be a tour of the garage with the artist and architect.

Tomorrow, April 2nd, is the public grand opening of the new garage. A ribbon cutting will take place at 4:00 PM, with a reception to follow in the COnvention Center’s 12th Street Lobby. At 6:00 PM, artist Christoper Janney will give a talk on his work and sign copies of his recently published book, “Architecture of the Air.” This event is free to the public.

For more information, visit fwpublicart.org.

Image by the City of Fort Worth.

EDIT: For readers joining us from the Streetsblog Network or Streetsblog itself, check the bottom of the post for an overview map of the starter system and the areas it will serve.

Things have been a little quiet on the streetcar front since the presentation to the City Council in December, but that’s not to say there’s nothing going on. I’ve done some asking around and have some updates on how things are going for the Fort Worth Streetcar – steps towards both funding and more detailed planning are well underway. We are assuredly moving forward on this. Here’s the latest:

- Work is underway to get access to regional toll revenue that NCTCOG (North Central Texas Council Of Governments) wants to allow for partial funding of the project. This may require some work in Austin, but from what I understand, signs are positive. The hope is for everything to be lined up by late spring/early summer, with those NCTCOG funds available by the end of the year.

- In the meantime, the city is determining the feasibility of issuing an RFP (Request For Proposal) for a smaller study about economic development, ridership, and operational details in the spring, depending on available funding.

- The city is in the process of scheduling meetings with the boards of the three affected TIF districts as soon as possible. The TIF boards need to determine whether to amend their project plans to include the streetcar project.

- The city’s community relations department is working on a dedicated web site for the streetcar project, for public education & outreach purposes.

Things are definitely still moving towards getting the streetcar project fully designed & funded, and I’m sure that there will be plenty more news to come.

EDIT: For those of you joining us from the Streetsblog Network or Streetsblog itself, here’s a map of the proposed starter system:

The Fort Worth streetcar starter system would create a Downtown loop, linked via two major lines to the Cultural District and the Near Southside, and via a couple of smaller spurs to Uptown and Evans & Rosedale Village.

After Montgomery Plaza was redeveloped, we featured a video here showcasing the work done to the historic Montgomery Ward building over the course of its redevelopment. It was a popular entry and a very nifty video.

Now, its creator has returned with another Fort Worth architectural video. Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, morning show host of Big 96.3 KSCS, has created a brief (under 30 second) video showcasing the construction of the newly opened Omni Hotel in Downtown. It’ll be premiering Thursday at KSCS’s web site, but Hawkeye has graciously allowed us to give you a sneak peek at it here at Fort Worthology. Enjoy – and thanks again to Mark “Hawkeye” Louis for another very cool Fort Worth architecture video.

A new chapter in Downtown’s development starts today: the Omni Hotel is opening at long last.

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.