City Council approved the temporary closure of Commerce Street between East Ninth and East 14th streets through Nov. 1 for construction work related to straightening the downtown roadway.

The City’s Transportation & Public Works Department, on behalf of North Texas Contracting, requested the temporary closure for new storm drains, sanitary sewer lines, water lines, paving and roadway improvements for the realignment of Commerce Street.

Access will be available at all times to local businesses and for delivery and construction for the Fort Worth Convention Center (FWCC) via East 12th Street.

Commerce Street, which was straight until the early 1980s when the convention center annex was added, will be straightened once again to allow these improvements:

  • Demolishing the underutilized annex to increase the number of loading docks from seven to 11, with two additional box truck docks.
  • Expanding and renovating the southeast entrance to respond to the Texas A&M campus development and create more casual networking space inside, including a coffee bar.
  • Creating a site pad for a future convention headquarters hotel on the east side of Commerce Street.

The Commerce Street parking garage will still be accessible at the corner of Commerce and 14th streets during road construction.

Here is the timeline for FWCC renovation:

August 2025        Southeast corner entrance complete

Summer 2025      Loading docks renovation/expansion

December 2025    Phase 1 construction complete

Fall 2026              Phase 2 design complete

Early 2027           Arena demolition

2027-2029            Phase 2 construction, existing center modernization

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