Fort Worth Grows Up

Bridget Moriarity profiles a public-private partnership that is working to bring increased density and walkability deep in the heart of Texas.

1 minute read

May 23, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Financed in part by the Downtown Tax Increment Financing District (TIF), Sundance Square is "a roughly 35-block collection of shops, restaurants
and entertainment venues layered with office space and residences" that has dramatically changed downtown Fort Worth from "a sea of surface parking lots and abandoned buildings in the 1970s, to today's vibrant, walkable streetscape."

Just this month, oil industry billionaire Edward Bass broke ground on several new projects that promise to continue the evolution of the area, which has been guided by 1988's 150-block master plan, and helped along by stragetic public subsidies.

"Creative financing isn't the only thing that sets Sundance Square
apart. Unlike most development in car-centric Fort Worth, Bass isn't
kowtowing to that motorized god of the Texas landscape - the new
pedestrian plaza will replace two surface parking lots."

"Despite the grumbles from car-loving neighbors, Hoss
is proud of the vote in support of a more pedestrian-friendly
environment. 'I think the trend is moving in this direction,' he said. 'Fort Worth is probably ahead of the curve.'"

 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 in Next American City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

6 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

7 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press