
Transit-oriented development planned at Fort Worth’s CentrePort near DFW Airport
A map shows the site of a residential-retail development that would include apartments, townhomes, retail stores and restaurants. The development is planned near a Trinity Railway Express train station. (Courtesy image | City of Fort Worth)
” data-medium-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CentrePoint_Courtesy-e1728502179470.jpg?fit=300%2C259&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CentrePoint_Courtesy-e1728502179470.jpg?fit=612,529&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button”>A transit-related residential-retail development adjacent to a commuter rail station is planned on more than 56 acres in far east Fort Worth’s CentrePort area, a strategic location south of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.The developer, Ken Schaumburg of Fort Worth-based Schaumburg Inc. Architects, is proposing a commercial-residential project addressed as 3500, 3508 and 3518 State Highway 360. The site is just south of the Trinity Railway Express CentrePort/DFW Airport station, 14470 Statler Blvd., in the eastern spur of Fort Worth that extends to the airport and the Dallas County line.The Fort Worth Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the plan at its Oct. 9 meeting. City Council members are expected to consider the development plan Nov. 13. Schaumburg, also the architect and partner in the project, said the development will use about 25 acres for buildings while keeping a majority of the land filled with trees to complement an extensive hike and bike trail on both sides of the Trinity River.“This is a true transit-oriented development,” the Lake Worth businessman said. The project will include about 500 apartments, 500 townhomes and more than 30 restaurants. Retailers would be adjacent to Highway 360. A grocer is also interested in the site, Schaumburg said, and those negotiations are continuing.Schaumburg is seeking a zoning change from agricultural to mixed use 2 for transit-oriented development to include multistory apartment buildings that would be within walking distance of public transportation, employment centers and recreational facilities — all supported facets of the city’s comprehensive plan.“Higher density, mixed-uses, and walkable developments are preferred near major transportation hubs such as the CentrePort station, which is in-between Fort Worth and Dallas and also provides access to DFW Airport,” a city staff report said.New warehouses are nearby and make good neighbors since they finish business activity by about 5 p.m. and don’t make noise at night, Schaumburg said.The development site, which fronts 3 miles of the Trinity River, is near a heavily treed area that encompasses a flood plain. Industrial sites and multifamily developments are to the north and east while undeveloped land in neighboring Grand Prairie is to the south. The CentrePort station is popular with mid-cities commuters and provides access to two freeways, DFW Airport and employment centers in the nearby business park. The Trinity Railway station, jointly owned by Trinity Metro and Dallas Area Rapid Transit, is part of a commuter line that connects downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas.Jeff Davis, chair of the Trinity Metro board of directors, attended the zoning commission meeting to show his support, but did not speak at the public hearing.“He’s pretty excited to see all these residences next to his train station,” Schaumburg said.The rezoning request, according to the staff report, would accommodate specific land uses and adhere to multiuse zoning district requirements.“This adjustment aims to harmonize the property’s classification with the nature of the surrounding area,” the staff report said. “By doing so, it paves the way for the development of compatible activities that enhance the commercial vitality and diversity of the neighborhood.”While the proposed zoning is compatible with surrounding land uses, it is not consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan, which informs the city’s long-term land use plans and zoning decisions. “However, the properties in question are strategically located between two major cities and along the Trinity Railway Express with direct access to the CentrePort station,” the report said. “It signifies a strategic step forward in nurturing sustainable economic growth while maintaining synergy with the overarching development strategies in the region.”To Schaumburg, the reasons to develop the property are simple. “It’s just an ideal site,” he said. Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@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.
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