Artisan Circle is the new name for the 282,805-square-foot urban village area at the southeast corner of West 7th Street and University Drive. Formerly known as Crockett Row, and prior to that simply as the West 7th development, the new name was announced Nov. 14. Dallas-based Younger Partners acquired the mixed-use development, which includes about 25 businesses, in August 2022.
“We just felt like it needed a fresh new start and needed to be related to the Cultural District,” said Kathy Permenter, co-managing partner of Younger Partners.
“So many great things have been happening in the Cultural District and we want to be part of that, and we are part of it.”
Permenter said the words “artisan” and “circle” “seemed to resonate” and describe the area just east of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Kimbell Art Museum.
“We really love it, because we’ve got the circle at the intersection of Crockett and Currie streets, so it ties into the Cultural District,” she said.
There is more than a name change and rebranding coming to the development.
“Along with the new name, we have new digital signage, benches, landscaping and updates to the outdoor patio area and parking garages,” she said.
New businesses also have been announced, including the return of Terra Mediterranean Grill. Terra Mediterranean originally opened in Fort Worth in 2009 but closed during the pandemic. They will reopen in the former Patrizio space.
“People are so excited for that, and we believe it will be a much larger space than they had previously,” Permenter said. There will be a meeting space in the new restaurant as well.
Also coming will be La Cabrona, a new Mexican restaurant from the team behind Terra, Adam and Jalal Chanaa. Other new openings will be Sí Tapas and Rose Couture Nail Bar. All are expected to open early in 2024.
Parking and access have long been issues in the area, and Permenter said changes are taking place there.
Artisan Circle site map. Courtesy | Younger Partners
The redevelopment will install new elevators in three of the five parking garages, providing more efficient access from upper parking levels to shopping and dining destinations. In addition, two new valet locations are planned within two parking garages. Real-time parking capacity indicators for the 1,500 spaces in the development’s five garages will let customers know where empty spaces are located. Parking is free with validation in all five garages for Artisan Circle customers.
The central courtyard on Crockett Street will see the installation of new benches, lighting and landscaping. Outdoor dining patios will be redesigned, and there will be new lighting, digital signage and directories in the walkways.
Younger also has proposed adding two large-format, outdoor digital displays on buildings along West 7th and University Drive to showcase local imagery, including icons, locations, artists and fine art.
“Our commitment is to enhance accessibility, aesthetics and the overall user experience — to ensure that Artisan Circle becomes an iconic Fort Worth destination,” said Permenter.
Younger is proposing the closure of Crockett Street between Norwood and Currie streets as a way to improve pedestrian access to restaurants and shops around the central courtyard.
“We feel like this would create a very walkable gathering area for visitors and a stronger connection to outdoor dining, but we’ll see where that goes,” she said, noting that those details have yet to be worked out with the city.
Younger Partners worked with several consultants also involved in the revitalization project, including Bennett Partners, architecture and design; L.A. Fuess Partners, structural engineer; Summit Consultants Inc., mechanical engineer; Dunaway Associates, civil engineer; GoVision LLC, audiovisual; Eva Thornton, branding design; Susan Watt, marketing and public relations consultant; Comet Signs, signage; 2clighting, lighting designer; and Campise Consulting & Inspections LLC, elevator consultant.
Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2024 and is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete. Scott + Reid General Contractors will oversee the construction of these improvements.
Overair partners with DFW Airport, Arlington
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Overair — a developer of advanced electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft — on Nov. 16 announced a memorandum of understanding to explore the future of vertiport development and eVTOL aircraft operations.
The partnership will include a feasibility assessment for integrating passenger eVTOL operations across North Texas. Santa Ana, California-based Overair is developing Butterfly, an eVTOL. The company has announced several partnerships, including with Hanwha Systems, a defense electronics company based in South Korea and South Korea’s Jeju island government. According to the company, flight testing is scheduled to begin next year.
The agreement will create a working group to explore the policies and infrastructure needed to implement an integrated, sustainable eVTOL program at DFW Airport.
Overair has also announced a partnership with the city of Arlington. Together, Overair and Arlington aim to develop and launch eVTOL operations, starting at Arlington Municipal Airport and extending throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
As part of the agreement, Overair will also establish a base of operations in North Central Texas, bringing jobs, but the company did not say how many jobs would be created.
After opening distribution center, Carhartt opens retail site
In October, Carhartt opened a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in north Fort Worth and now, the Dearborn, Michigan-based, family-owned workwear brand has added a retail outlet.
The 4,300-square-foot Carhartt Fort Worth store is at 2217 N. Tarrant Parkway at Presidio Towne Crossing and marks the retailer’s second location in the state. The company opened its first store in the state in Tyler in September.
Carhartt was established in 1889 and remains family-managed by descendants of the company’s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. Carhartt makes work apparel including overalls, hoodies, pants, boots and gloves.
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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.
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