FORT WORTH -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth has shelved plans to move its administrative offices to downtown from the west side and has pulled out of a proposed $35 million project designed to bring apartments, shopping and office space to Lancaster Avenue.
The city project is now on the back burner until housing and economic development officials rethink how to move forward."We still have the residential and retail components," said Jay Chapa, director of the city's Housing and Economic Development Department."The project is able to be financed. We're down the road with that. It's just a matter of putting the project back together."A year ago, the diocese said it would participate in the project, planned for two blocks on the north side of Lancaster Avenue between Throckmorton and Monroe streets that have remained undeveloped since the road was rebuilt several years ago.The 230,000-square-foot project called for three five-story buildings and a parking garage.Together, the buildings would have 20,000 square feet for shops and restaurants, 60,000 square feet for office space and 130 apartments.The diocese initially wanted the top two floors of the office building, and it was going to help pay for the parking garage planned on nearby property that it owns at Jennings Avenue and 13th Street. It is also next to St. Patrick Cathedral.The diocese later said it wanted to buy the estimated $12 million office building, use the top three floors for its offices, and lease the street level to retailers and the second floor to tenants, Chapa said.In June, diocese officials changed their minds, Chapa said."They let us know the day after we got a loan commitment," Chapa said.The change of heart actually came in the spring, said Pat Svacina, a diocese spokesman.Bishop Kevin Vann and the diocese's financial advisers decided during budgeting that getting involved in a real estate development was not a priority and that the diocese should spend money building schools and parishes to meet demand, Svacina said."As it moved along, the bishop and his advisers looked at it and thought, 'Do we really have the money for this?'" Svacina said."We've just decided this is not the thing to do right now. A new office complex didn't rate up there right now."The mixed-used development is a project of the city's Local Development Corp., which has earmarked $1 million for it.The project also has a commitment from the city of $2 million in Housing and Urban Development funds.The Lancaster Tax Increment Financing District would pay for public parking in the garage to bolster the retail portion.The project is eligible for HUD funding because some of the apartments are designated workforce housing and would rent for below market rates.The rest of the apartments would rent at market rates.L2L, a firm of Randy Gideon and Tom Purvis, was hired a year ago as a development consultant.The Local Development Corp. was created in 1987 to promote, sponsor and coordinate activities centered on job creation and economic development.Sandra Baker, 817-390-7727Twitter: @SandraBakerFWSTHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
