\u201cThe only reason we haven\u2019t put it on (the list more recently) is because we haven\u2019t heard anything more from Tarrant County College,\u201d said John Roberts, a Fort Worth architect and longtime Historic Fort Worth board member who has played a key role in production of the Endangered Places List for years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were really waiting to see,\u201d he said, adding he\u2019s worried about the lack of historic protection for the building.<\/p>\n
Bid submissions to buy the property must be received before 2 p.m. Nov. 20, according to the documents.<\/p>\n
Tarrant County College\u2019s move marks the second major announcement in days from Panther Island property owners. The Tarrant Regional Water District on Thursday sought requests<\/strong><\/a> for qualifications from development groups interested in a 20-acre first phase along North Main Street or, more broadly, the entire project.<\/p>\n TRWD\u2019s decision, in particular, attempts to build developers\u2019 interest and momentum on Panther Island as it moves through what it projects will take at least 10 years to dig out a bypass channel to reroute the Trinity River from south of downtown to north of downtown, creating \u201cPanther Island.\u201d<\/p>\n The flood control channel \u2014 and removal of levees \u2014 will create significantly more developable land than exists now; TRWD estimates it owns 36 acres of land that\u2019s currently developable.<\/p>\n Tarrant County College acquired the North Main site<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>when it bought land for its Trinity River Campus East Center for Health Care Professionals at 245 E. Belknap St. downtown.<\/p>\n The college spent years exploring potential uses, in 2014 issuing a request for interest and qualifications from prospective buyers. After TCC confirmed it would list the property for sale, the Report posed a number of questions to the college but as of press time had not received responses.<\/p>\n Roberts said he believes the North Main plant can still be saved and repositioned, pointing to similar projects, such as the circa-1950s Seaholm Power Plant<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>in Austin that was converted <\/strong>into condos, office space, retail shops and more. Historic Fort Worth has hosted that developer as part of a lecture series.<\/p>\n Roberts said he sees potential for a performing arts center in the North Main building. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t even be against putting apartments in it, in some sort or fashion. I don\u2019t know how you\u2019d pull it off. Maybe you put multiple levels inside.\u201d<\/p>\n He even sees an atrium-style development built around the plant, with apartments on the outside.<\/p>\n Over the years, he said, Historic Fort Worth has asked Tarrant County College to pursue historic protection. He declined to say what the officials\u2019 responses were.<\/p>\n Jerre Tracy, Historic Fort Worth\u2019s executive director, said she\u2019s been able to walk through the building and thinks \u201cthe sky\u2019s the limit\u201d with it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s almost cathedralesque with its windows,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s got lots of possibilities. It needs to be someone the city has great confidence in.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Taft, president of economic development nonprofit Downtown Fort Worth Inc.<\/strong><\/a>, said the property presents a big opportunity for Panther Island.<\/p>\n He attributes that to its location on the banks of the expanded Town Lake \u2014 the piece of the river that borders downtown and will be expanded in the Panther Island plan \u2014 and below Heritage Park, which a public-private partnership is revitalizing with planned river access.<\/p>\n \u201cIt represents a real opportunity if the historic building is kept\u201d and revitalized, he said.<\/p>\n Downtown Fort Worth Inc. has entertained conversations about future uses for the power plant through the years, Taft said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great building,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s got great mass and human scale and could convert nicely into a dining or entertainment or mixed-use waterfront development.\u201d<\/p>\n Challenges include access to the site from North Main and parking, he said.<\/p>\n Kenneth Barr, a former Fort Worth mayor and former Tarrant County College board member who didn\u2019t seek reelection this spring after several years as a trustee, said in an interview he\u2019s not aware of any environmental problems on the property.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the premiere piece of property on Panther Island,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019ll front the lake. The building has lots of problems, but there\u2019s enough carry to it that, with skillful renovation, it could be a great asset.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Barr became a TCC board member, he did consulting work for a client that was interested in putting a public market in the building.<\/p>\n Barr said he views \u201cthe biggest challenge right now (as) the uncertainty about when the total project will move ahead. The second (one) that concerns me is how to maximize the quality of the development, because I think the whole Panther Island, if developed in an orderly fashion, will be a tremendous asset to Fort Worth and Tarrant County.\u201d<\/p>\n Barr said he hopes the Tarrant Regional Water District and Tarrant County College will jointly market the power plant.<\/p>\n \u201cThe greatest potential comes from marketing the land together, in my opinion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Scott Nishimura is a senior editor for the Documenters program at the Fort Worth Report. Reach him at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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