More details of the plans for downtown Fort Worth's Sundance Square Plaza are in, and they include closing a block-long section of Main Street to make the entire plaza pedestrian-only.
While that's something that people who are used to driving in the northern part of downtown will need some time to get used to, it will make the new plaza stand out even more as a year-around, day-and-night attraction.And although downtown traffic is easily navigable during the day, maneuvering around obstacles and busy streets at night has been standard practice for a long time. It's clear that downtown draws crowds of visitors who consider the benefits worth the effort.The city Zoning Commission is scheduled to receive a presentation on the plaza at a meeting beginning at 9 a.m. today at City Hall. Johnny Campbell, Sundance Square's president and CEO, has told the Star-Telegram that the city will support closing the portion of Main Street between Third and Fourth streets. Traffic will be diverted north on Commerce Street and south on Houston Street.Groundbreaking for three new Sundance Square buildings on the perimeter of the more-than-an-acre plaza, and on the plaza features themselves, was last May. At the time, the plan was to keep Main Street open and traffic flowing through the middle of the project, closing it only when events were being held there.Sundance Square officials said at the time they were still working on some of the details of the plan. The area being redeveloped, formerly parking lots on either side of Main Street, has been designated on the city's master plan for more than two decades as a downtown square or plaza. It includes the widely recognized Chisholm Trail mural, which will remain.The western side of the plaza will include an interactive fountain and an outdoor stage with permanent lighting and audiovisual equipment. On the eastern side, four large umbrellas will provide shade and weather protection covering 6,400 square feet. Completion is scheduled this fall.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
