Latest update on the project - June 2024
A five-member panel, comprised of two task force members and three department heads, evaluated several proposals and selected two finalist firms.
- Staff subsequently invited these firms to prepare more detailed development proposals in consultation with community stakeholders.
- After receiving and carefully evaluating their final proposals, it has been determined that neither proposal meets the expectations desired as outlined in the Council’s guidelines.
As a result, staff is recommending that the City not advance either proposal, but instead, to reevaluate how to proceed with the redevelopment of 1300 Gendy Street to better reflect the growth of Fort Worth's Cultural District and the long-term needs of our city's vibrant arts community.
Background on the 1300 Gendy Redevelopment
In 2023, the City Council appointed a 1300 Gendy Task Force to oversee research, evaluate options, and provide advice about the future use of the City-owned property that now houses the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. A list of Task Force members and meeting information is available in the links below.
City Council accepted the task force’s findings and recommendations in June 2023, and the Economic Development Department drafted an RFP to solicit proposals soon afterwards. Those evaluation guidelines included:
- Health and Safety: Impact upon the health and safety of workers and visitors
- Preservation: Impact upon the preservation of Fort Worth’s history
- Architectural: Impact upon the Cultural District’s architectural character
- Cultural: Impact upon Fort Worth’s overall cultural vitality
- Social: Impact upon the size and diversity of the building’s visitor base
- Economic: Impact upon economic activity in the Cultural District and in Fort Worth as a whole
- Financial: Impact upon the City’s capital and operating budgets
October Public Meeting on Proposals
On October 11, the City of Fort Worth held a public meeting on the redevelopment of 1300 Gendy. During the meeting, the two finalists selected from the submitted proposals were given time to present their preliminary ideas. These proposals were in response to the RFP(PDF, 2MB). The evaluation criteria being used for selection is located in section 16.2 on pages 12 – 14.
If you weren’t able to attend the meeting, please watch the recorded meeting.
The presentation slides are also available for review(PDF, 20MB). The slides represent the proposers’ preliminary proposal, which may be revised prior to their interviews with the evaluation panel. Once a final proposal is selected, it will be subject to negotiation between the selected vendor and the City.
The 1300 Gendy Task Force members:
- Councilmember Leonard Firestone (chair)
- Dr. John Barnett, Fort Worth African American Museum and Cultural Center
- Lillie Biggins, retired healthcare executive
- Johnny Campbell, City Center Management Group
- William Giron, Artes de la Rosa
- Matt Homan, Multipurpose Arena Fort Worth
- Wally Jones, Casa Manana
- Glenn Lewis, Linebarger Goggan Blair
- Estela Martinez-Stuart, Visit Fort Worth
- Patrick Newman, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
- Pat Riley, National Cowgirl Museum
- Dawn Taft, artist
- Scott Wilcox, Amon Carter Museum of American Art and Cultural District Alliance
- Ann Zadeh, Community Design Fort Worth
- Michael Hyatt, Fort Worth Zoological Association
- Matt Carter of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo
The 1300 Gendy Task Force receives staff support from the following departments:
- City Manager’s Office
- Communications and Public Engagement Department
- Development Services Department
- Economic Development
- Law Department
- Planning and Data Analytics Department
- Property Management Department
- Public Events Department
Thanks to all the residents who came out to voice their opinions about 1300 Gendy. If you weren’t able to make the public meeting, here is a link to the recording.
Information shared at each Task Force meetings: