
Hundreds of rent-to-own cottage homes planned at two Fort Worth sites
More than 450 cottage-style single-family rental homes are planned in Fort Worth’s east and south sides as two gated multifamily projects were approved by zoning commissioners.The first project will be built on 31.32 acres of undeveloped land near Gateway Park and is addressed as 521 and 2109 Beach St. and 4021 and 4025 4th St. A zoning change from “PD/D” planned development to “D” high density multifamily with developmental standards that include setbacks and fencing. Each acre will contain 32 units.Travis Clegg, a director at Westwood Professional Services, represented the developer and told the panel that 308 cottage homes — marketed as rent-to-own houses — will be built at the site, along with an amenity center.Five community meetings held with neighbors were “positive and thoughtful” and will act as a buffer between an established single-family home neighborhood to the west and outdoor storage to the east, he said.“We’re excited to bring this project to our corner of the world,” Clegg said.More than 300 trees will be planted for the development, he added.Central Meadowbrook resident Dan Hayes said he supported the project as it would add development near Gateway Park, helping to make that amenity “more of a destination.” Fort Worth officials approved a $140 million master plan for Gateway last year, with plans to invest millions into the city’s largest park over the next decade. “I think this is a good project,” zoning commission chair Rafael McDonnell said.A similar southside development is planned on undeveloped land near a single-family neighborhood at the intersection of Altamesa Boulevard and Village Parkway south of the town of Edgecliff Village.Clegg, also representing the developer in the project, said homeowner associations and Edgecliff Mayor Dennis Rigney supported the development, which will be gated and fenced off from nearby homes.Zoning commissioners, in a 7-4 vote, recommended the rezoning of the land from “ER” neighborhood commercial restricted to “D” high-density multifamily development plus detached multifamily with development standards. No one spoke in opposition to the project, although a city staff report said the project’s rezoning was not compatible with nearby zoning. The project has no commercial uses, although commercial zoning is nearby.The City Council is scheduled to consider the two housing projects at their April 8 meeting.Montgomery Street/Bryce Avenue hotel, mixed use proposalA proposed Cultural District five-story hotel and mixed-use development — separate from the 12-story hotel project planned at the Montgomery Street Antique Mall site near Interstate 30 — is proposed at 3621 Bryce Ave. and 2050 Montgomery St.Developer Darin Norman of Urbanworth LLC proposed changing zoning for the three-acre site from “J” medium industrial and “CR” low-density multifamily to “PD/MU-2” planned development for all uses in “MU-2” high-density uses excluding short-term rentals, event centers, rental halls, service stations and pawn shops.Residents said they were concerned about the project — which would include 120 hotel rooms and 120 apartments — because the developer has not presented a site plan.Commissioner Jeremy Raines suggested that Norman work with neighborhood groups to resolve any issues about density and traffic.The project was denied by the zoning panel but is expected to be considered by the City Council on March 25.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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