As streaks of sunlight broke through an overcast morning, dozens of city staff, elected officials, local developers, and other guests recently gathered for coffee and conversation under a large white tent. To the west, earthmoving equipment sat beside a football field-sized excavation site — the earliest stage of the $1.7 billion Westside Village that will unfold in four phases through 2035.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker began by acknowledging city staff and the two partners behind the ambitious project: Fort Worth-based Keystone and Larkspur Capital.
“We are here today because this project is a catalyst in so many different ways,” she told the crowd. “The city of Fort Worth has invested $125 million in this project. This is a very important place in the city of Fort Worth. It is just a mile or so from the Central Business District, just a mile or so from the Fort Worth Stockyards, and near our beautiful Cultural District. This development will bring all those [areas] together.”
A Walkable District and Legacy for Future Generations
Last summer, we spoke with Schafer Smartt, Larkspur’s VP of development, about the 37-acre development. Keystone’s longtime ownership of nearby car dealerships, he told us, along with acquisitions of former FWISD buildings, “unlocked the opportunity.”
Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA) developed the master plan, which blends diverse building types with walkable experiences for visitors and residents. The current plan calls for plazas, paseos, and courtyards that create a diverse district. Select industrial buildings on the site will be adaptively reused, while public spaces designed by Seattle-based GGN will connect the development to the Trinity Trails and surrounding neighborhoods.
MHOA partner Jeff Clarke told us that developments over the past several decades have focused on accommodating cars and parking. Westside Village will focus on “moments of connection” that invite locals to walk or bike throughout the space while making new discoveries, adding that there will be elements of Art Deco architecture and thoughtfully sourced materials that reflect Fort Worth’s rich history.
Continued Growth and Progress for Fort Worth
Councilmember Elizabeth Beck, whose District 9 includes the project site, told the crowd that the development will grow the city’s tax base, which in turn will provide further financial resources for “continued growth and progress” in Fort Worth.
“Over the next 10 years, you will see this piece of property transform, not just this area, but the areas around it,” she said. “There will be a 175-key hotel here, residential spaces, and one of the largest additions of office buildings in the last 40 years here in Fort Worth.”
Councilmember Macy Hill emphasized the positive experience the city had working with Keystone and Larkspur Capital, adding that the area surrounding University Drive and White Settlement Road has historically dealt with “infrastructure issues.”
“This project is going to be tremendous in making headway and getting those problems fixed,” she continued. “[The city] is going to support this project with over 45 million dollars in eligible infrastructure costs. I just want to reiterate: I know this has been a lot of work to go into this project. I’ve actually been shocked at how quickly dirt has moved.”
And with that, project leaders and elected officials in attendance donned construction helmets and grabbed silver shovels for the official groundbreaking of Westside Village.