For the first time in three years, Camp Bowie District Inc. held an in-person annual meeting to celebrate the district’s accomplishments and plans for the future. The nonprofit organization that focuses on the development of the historic brick-lined boulevard on the west side of the city hosted about 100 members and others on March 29 at Ridglea Country Club.
“Our organization has been through a lot of change with the pandemic and leadership over the past three years,” said Mark Harris, chairman of the Camp Bowie District and founder of 8 Feet Development. “We wanted to take this time to celebrate our accomplishments and progress.”
Founded in 2001, Camp Bowie District Inc. is the administrator of the public improvement district that focuses on the six miles of Camp Bowie Boulevard from University Drive to Lackland Road and some areas of West 7th Street.
Plenty of economic activity exists in the area, from the Bowie House Hotel, an 88 room/12 suite hotel expected to open later this year, to the new site of the Fort Worth ISD administration building, slated to open by the start of school in the fall. Seven other construction projects are underway as well.
Three public infrastructure projects are planned for the next five years that will impact intersections located at Horn Street and Bryant Irvin Boulevard, the organization said.
There is more in the pipeline, said Lydia Guajardo Rickard, executive director of the Camp Bowie District.
“We are working with other organizations as we speak, to create a pipeline for additional funding for opportunities to help fund larger projects where public dollars are just lacking,” she told members at the meeting.
The Camp Bowie District will roll out four or five new initiatives on improved public areas, a safer environment and a cleaner boulevard over the next year, Rickard added.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also spoke and praised the way the Camp Bowie District has developed the area and maintained the character of the neighborhood that dates back more than 100 years.
“If any of you that have been to Austin, Texas lately know how much a city can change rapidly,” she said. “If you go down their Sixth Avenue corridor and you see most of their historic buildings have been taken down for large condos. There’s a mixture in-between, but it’s been a really hard fought battle in the city.”
Instead of taking down historic buildings, city officials and the Camp Bowie District have worked together to maintain the integrity of the area, she said. “You can still be a big city like Fort Worth and feel like a small town. And I don’t know about you when you go down the bricks, but that’s what it feels like to me.” Parker said.
Camp Bowie District also honored its past with special recognition of organizations celebrating 100 years of service along the corridor. Leaders from each of the organizations were on hand to receive the special awards.
- Arlington Heights Masonic Lodge #1184 – at 4600 Camp Bowie Blvd.
- Arlington Heights United Methodist Church – at 4200 Camp Bowie Blvd.
- Fort Worth Fire Station #18 – at 1908 Carleton
Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, KSCS radio personality, was honored for his work along the boulevard 25 years ago when he lived nearby. He and others developed a fundraising effort to plant the first trees in the medians, from Montgomery Street to Hulen Street. Within a year’s time, the irrigation system and the trees were funded and planting began in 1998.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@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.
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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