Fort Worth’s Foundry District Gets a Sweet Tooth Motel, New Bike Power and More in Major Expansion

Fort Worth’s Foundry District is about to get even sweeter.  The redevelopment is being brought about by M2G Ventures, the masterminds currently serving as the exclusive retail driver of the $200 million redevelopment of Mule Alley.

Now, M2G Ventures will be turning attention back to one of its earliest projects ― The Foundry District — this summer.

This includes Fort Worth getting its own The Sweet Tooth Hotel. With a twist. This iteration of the Dallas hit will be a mobile experience ― dubbed The Sweet Tooth Motel. This portable, pop-up is set to open in the Foundry District on June 5.

Anybody else having trouble shaking off that line from The Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight? “Everybody go: hotel, motel, Holiday Inn.” Just me?

Dallas’ Sweet Tooth Hotel is a 5,000 square foot experiential art venue and bar located in Victory Park, and its fourth installation called “Intangible” featuring an all-female cast of fiber artists is running now. The first installation of Sweet Tooth Hotel delivered five sugar-themed rooms based on popular treats. New chapters of The Sweet Tooth Hotel will bring different themes and concepts for guests to explore in this permanent Dallas gallery space.

The Sweet Tooth Motel, on the other hand, will bring a portable art experience to Fort Worth, showcasing installations from the past two years of exhibits as well as new works.

This summer will also see an expansion of Foundry District’s mural filled Inspiration Alley, and a new partnership with Fort Worth Bike Sharing. Because Fort Worth has become one of the most bike friendly cities in Texas (by design) and if you don’t provide bikes for exploring, you can’t really call yourself a tourist destination.

“The collaboration will include a new cycle station with a few signature Foundry additions including specialty branded bikes and the creation of  ‘unicorn’ cycles that will be released for city-wide use. These unicorn bicycles will integrate design and art by artist and M2G Ventures chief creative officer Katie Murray. The Fort Worth Bike Sharing collaboration will also bring curated bike ride events and programming that starts and ends in The Foundry District allowing locals and out of towners alike to experience the city from a novel vantage point,” a release notes.

The Foundry District encompasses nearly 100,000 square feet of redeveloped mid-century warehouses. It has been filled with art from the very beginning. More than 60 art pieces can be found meandering through it. Another new expansion includes the walkthrough from Carroll Street to Vacek Street with the addition of a number of new murals from DFW artists along its walls.

“From the early stages of The Foundry, we realized that the district became a sort of beacon for innovative businesses and patrons seeking something new,” says Jessica Miller Essl, M2G Ventures co-president, says in a statement.

“The Foundry has been a place where taste making brands are laying down roots while immersed in culture. So our choice to double down on the success and bring new art and events to The Foundry was a simple one to make. Our team understands that inspiration, beauty and connection are possible through art, innovative ideas and curious conversation and that is something that will carry us into the next phase of our city’s expansion.”

That expansion means new landmark signage, district-wide wayfinding ― allowing visitors to easily navigate their way through the area. More new retail tenants will also be revealed soon.

The Foundry District is growing up while still staying arty — and whimsical.