Fort Worth goes back to the drawing board on plans for the community arts center

The reimagining of Fort Worth’s Community Arts Center will need a little more imagination after the city rejected two proposals for the building’s redevelopment.

Fort Worth solicited proposals to redevelop the 70-year-old public art building in late 2023 after a city task force recommended updating it to become a “world class cultural hub.”

This recommendation raised fears among some members of Fort Worth’s art community who worried about losing one of the only publicly owned places in the city dedicated to local art.

Dallas-based Garfield Public Private and Nebraska-based Goldenrod Companies presented their visions at an October 2023 public meeting, but after a review by city officials neither firm was selected.

The building at 1300 Gendy St. is a jewel in the heart of Fort Worth’s Cultural District, and the city only has one opportunity to get its redevelopment right, said Mayor Mattie Parker in an email to the Star-Telegram.

“Though there was a lot to appreciate about both proposals and the work each developer put into them, we ultimately have not hit the mark for a home run project yet,” Parker said, adding the city needs to be more clear in its vision for the building.

“I am confident as we move forward we will be able to find that visionary project that all residents of Fort Worth can be excited about and proud of for generations to come,” she said.

Fort Worth Economic Development Director Robert Sturns thanked the two firms for submitting their proposals and participating in the process, in a city statement emailed to the Star-Telegram.

Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa thanked members of the public for offering feedback on how the city should redevelop the building.

“We encourage those residents to stay involved as plans for the site continue to evolve,” he said in the city’s statement.

Costa also thanked members of a city task force that studied the building’s needs and made recommendations to the city council in a July 2023 report.

It not clear exactly what the city plans to do next, however, nothing is off the table, a city spokesperson said in an email to the Star-Telegram.

“The City continues to evaluate future options for the site to better reflect the growth of the area and the long-term needs of the City’s vibrant arts community,” the spokesperson said.

It’s a good thing the city didn’t pick one of the two proposals, but the move raises more questions than answers, said Wesley Kirk, a Fort Worth-based photographer and organizer with the group Support Fort Worth Art.

The building still needs around $30 million in deferred maintenance, Kirk said, adding he hoped the city would offer more specifics on its future plans soon.