FORT WORTH, Texas — Neighbors got the chance to voice what they wanted in a project built to bring new commercial development and investment to Fort Worth’s Historic Southside.
Fort Worth city leaders invited people who live, work, and are invested in this part of the city to a brainstorming block party Wednesday afternoon. The block party, held outside the Ella Mae Shamblee Library, gave neighbors a chance to give input on future development centered around Rosedale and Evans Avenue.
It's where James Walker serves as the president of the Historic Southside Neighborhood Association. Walker has been fighting for improvements in the area for years.
“This development has been long overdue," said Walker. “When I grew up here grocery stores and restaurants were all up and down Evans. So this will be the rebirth of that happening again.”
Dozens of people at the block party shared their ideas with different city department leaders. People wrote their ideas on sticky notes. While others added their suggestions to vision boards.
Money for the Historic Southside development will come from private, public, and grants. The development and the contracts will all be overseen by the city.
"So with the history and with Juneteenth Museum coming online in the next couple of years, we want to make sure that this development is right. We had one developer that did not pan out, which is water under the bridge,"Walker said, “We just stayed diligent and continued to work with the city until we got it back on the agenda in order to find another developer.”
The City of Fort Worth hired Oregon-based developer Kevin Newell. He is the CEO and founder of Royal Capital. His company competed with other developers for the job.
The City will share all of the new ideas for the historic area gathered from the block party to help his company design its future. The event also gave residents a chance to meet Newell in person.
"We're hoping in a visioning session we'll gather more input from the community around housing, entertainment, food, and beverage, and take next steps in the master plan," Newell said.“We are zoned in on bridging the old to the new. This community deserves it.”
Fort Worth city leaders say what happens next on the Historic Southside is just the beginning.
The Rosedale and Evans Avenue corridor is in the district of Fort Worth City Councilman Chris Nettles. He has worked non-stop to share the potential of the historic Southside with fellow council members to garner their support as well.
"We want to make sure that this development is right. So, there are shopping opportunities when you leave the museum, you can go get a haircut, get your nails done, have a spa day, and have an opportunity to sit down to a good hot cooked meal here in the Evans and Rosedale project," said Councilman Chris Nettles, "We are going to go up and down Evans and keep the development moving.”
Kevin Newell and his team at Royal Capital will eventually present the Fort Worth City Council with new renderings for the Historic Southside based on the feedback from the Vision block party.