Fort Worth is steeped in the history of the cattle and oil businesses. From its beginnings as a frontier outpost, Fort Worth grew to a booming cattle town and now has grown to a corporate center. Fort Worth's
pride in its history is evident in many areas, including its architecture. Re purposing old buildings is part of what lends the city its historic flavor and gives Fort Worth its distinctive character. Here are some examples of adaptive reuse in downtown Fort Worth:
Texas & Pacific Lofts: Located on the south boundary of the downtown Fort Worth area is the
Texas and Pacific Railway Terminal. Originally built in 1931 as part of a 3 building complex, the building (
pictured on the left) was also envisioned as a
dirigible station with a tethering anchor on one of the four columns at the top of building. The buildings continue to serve as a pass through to the train, but a significant portion of the building has been converted into
urban lofts. The art deco style is evident both inside and outside the building and the re purposing has kept a beautiful building as part of the Fort Worth community.
714 Main & W.T Waggoner Building: Two other example of restores and re purposed architecture in downtown Fort Worth are
714 Main Street and the
W.T. Waggoner (
pictured on the right) building on Houston and currently owned by
XTO Energy. Each of these structures, along with a number of others, shows a commitment on the part of businesses and developers to use existing buildings in new and creative ways. The result of this effort is a downtown area with a sense of history and a character that is reflective of the early settlers who traveled west.
For more information on the history of downtown Fort Worth's architecture click
here.
