Hunter Plaza Mixed-Income Apartment Transformation Under Way in Fort Worth
BOKA Powell and Fort Worth Housing Authority have started construction on a redevelopment project that will transform Hunter Plaza in downtown Fort Worth into an 11 story, mixed-use and mixed-income residential building.
By Joshua Ayers, Senior Editor
Fort Worth, Texas—BOKA Powell and Fort Worth Housing Authority have started construction on a redevelopment project that will transform Hunter Plaza in downtown Fort Worth into an 11-story, mixed-use and mixed-income residential building. The project kicked off on Nov. 5 following a “wall-breaking” celebration at the project’s site located at 605 West 1st Street in Fort Worth, and the $29 million redevelopment will add 164 units and 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space to the area market.
“The redevelopment of Hunter Plaza will add and restore additional quality affordable workforce housing to the Central Business District in Fort Worth,” says Brian Dennison, vice president of development and asset management, Fort Worth Housing Authority, which owns the building. “BOKA Powell has been a great architectural collaborator on this transformation project and we are excited to see the project becoming a reality.”
Renovation efforts will aim to preserve the structure’s existing façade, as well as other interior components including the lobby, corridors and door frames. The upgraded apartments, which will be offered in loft-style one- and two-bedroom options that range in size from 550 to 850 square feet, will feature exposed concrete columns and ceilings in addition to large operable windows.
The community’s amenities package will include a media room, community activity room, library, business center and a fitness center, as well as convenient ground-floor retail. The current parking lot on the back of the property will see the addition of a four-story, 182-space parking structure that will be screened with a coated fabric.
“The nature of this historic property creates unique unit configurations,” says Robby Reid, project manager with BOKA Powell, which is providing architectural and interior design services for the project. “Shallow floor-to-floor heights in this historic building requited creativity to make the spaces feel open and inviting. These loft-like environments feature lots of windows and light, including floor-to-ceiling glass walls in certain units to facilitate natural light infiltration.”
BOKA Powell is working closely with the Fort Worth Housing Authority, as well as developer Carleton Development LTD and general contractor SEDALCO Construction. Quimby McCoy Preservation Architecture LLP was tapped as the preservation consultant for the project.
Public partners include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the City of Fort Worth and Downtown TIF #3. Other private partners include PNC Bank, Stonehenge Capital, Community Bank of Texas NA and Bank of Texas.
Hunter Plaza was originally built in the 1950s and operated as an apartment hotel, offering an alternative housing model for professionals, singles and married couples without children. The Fort Worth Housing Authority purchased the building in 1971 and housed its offices at the location, while also utilizing the space for use as public housing for elderly and disabled residents. The property was vacated in 2010 and has remained closed since then. The building, which is currently eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, is expected to complete in December 2015 and will garner a formal listing on the register at that point. Pre-leasing opportunities are expected to open up in October of the same year.
