FORT WORTH, Texas — Editor's note: This article was originally published in the Dallas Business Journal here.
Two months after the explosion at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel, the city of Fort Worth continues to help surrounding businesses that were impacted.
The Fort Worth Local Development Corp. on March 26 approved $250,000 in funding for a small business disaster recovery stimulus program. Businesses that were affected by the Jan. 8 blast can apply for up to $50,000.
To be eligible, businesses must have a physical brick-and-mortar location within the immediate area of the Sandman Hotel at 810 Houston St., have between one and 50 employees and show proof of a decline in employment or decrease in revenue because of the explosion. The businesses must also be a City of Fort Worth utility customer and be in good standing with city licensing, permits, utility payments, and property taxes.
Businesses can use the money for expenses such as rent or a mortgage, employee salaries, insurance expenses and utility payments.
Applications for the funds will be reviewed and awarded by the end of April, said Ori Fernandez, Fort Worth’s assistant director of economic development. In the application, the city will ask for multiple years of financials during the same time periods to determine whether the business lost money because of the explosion.
PHOTOS: Hotel explosion scatters debris across Downtown Fort Worth
"Where it will get a little difficult is we do have one of those businesses that's fairly new, just under a year old," Fernandez said in a presentation. "So we're going to pretty much ask for everything that they have so that they can provide a full picture of how their business was doing. And based on that ... we would score them and hopefully give them the correct amount based on that information."
Robert Sturns, Fort Worth's economic development director, said most of the businesses that will likely apply are in the service sector. He gave Barber’s Bookstore, speakeasy bar Thompson’s Bookstore and the ice cream shop La’Creamian as examples.
The January explosion injured 21 people. In the explosion's immediate aftermath, surrounding roads were closed. Some local businesses were forced to temporarily close.
The cause of the blast has not been determined by investigators.
A commercial remodel permit was filed Jan. 30 by First Onsite Property Restoration for selective demolition and shoring for the hotel. The job value is listed as a little more than $1.5 million.
Northland Properties, which owns the Sandman Hotel, did not immediately respond to questions about restoring the hotel.
The Sandman opened in March 2023 inside the historic W.T. Waggoner Building in Fort Worth. Sandman Signature, which is led by Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, received $8 million in incentives to bring the hotel to the city.
