A new nonprofit soon could be planning, advocating and managing Fort Worth’s Stockyards.
Talks are ongoing about creating an organization, Historic Fort Worth Stockyards Inc., to serve as a district liaison for residents, business owners and community groups in the area north of downtown.
This organization would mirror the models Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and Near Southside Inc. implemented.
“I think an Inc. like this is a very effective structure so that the property owners, businesses, residents, community stakeholders have a structure so that they can work with city staff, city leadership, and policymakers to work for the best interests of the stockyards,” council member Carlos Flores said.
Historic Fort Worth Stockyards Inc. would be created using in part existing Stockyards Public Improvement District funds. District boundaries include Clinton Avenue to the west, Decatur Avenue to the east, 29th Street to the north and slightly past 23rd Street to the south.
The city is looking to allocate $50,000 from the PID to contract with Paul Paine, who previously worked with Near Southside Inc., to help set up Stockyards Inc. An informal report will be presented to the Fort Worth City Council on May 16.
Featuring a rich history of Fort Worth’s Western heritage and ties to the livestock industry, the area is officially known as the Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It’s long been a tourism hotspot in Fort Worth, and Visit Fort Worth calls it “one of the most popular attractions in Texas.”
The idea of a nonprofit organization like Historic Stockyards Inc. has been broached before, Flores said. But in the past, a lack of funding stopped the plan from taking shape.
“Stockyards redevelopment back then certainly had not started. It was looking towards the future, where the future is now,” he said.
Craig Cavileer, executive vice president at Majestic Realty Co. and Stockyards Heritage Development Co., declined to comment on the matter.
Cheryl West, president of the Stockyards Business Association, also declined to comment.
Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards has seen redevelopment over the past three years, with the development of Mule Alley and the opening of Hotel Drover. Phase two of the Stockyards Heritage Development Co.’s plan for the district is expected to start soon, Flores said.
“Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and Near Southside Inc., are both successful nonprofit organizations that helped shepherd and advocate for planning and redevelopment matters for those areas,” Flores said. “Stockyards is very successful. It’s on an upward trajectory… Conditions are right to have this conversation now for the establishment of a Historic Stockyards Inc.”
Editor’s note: this story was updated April 28 to include Paul Paine’s correct name spelling.
Sandra Sadek is a Report for America corps member, covering growth for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at sandra.sadek@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter at @ssadek19.
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