Planned hotel in Waterside development causes flap with nearby Riverhills residents
The Fort Worth Zoning Commission dealt a potential setback Wednesday to the developers of Waterside, voting to recommend denial of the first hotel planned for the $170 million residential and retail project in southwest Fort Worth.
Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. was seeking a required zoning amendment because where the hotel would sit — on a 3-acre tract along an old channel of the Clearfork of the Trinity River, behind a drill site at the southwest corner of Arborlawn Drive and Bryant Irvin Road — is within 1,000 feet of eight homes in the Edwards Ranch Riverhills subdivision on the east side of Bryant Irvin.
About two dozen residents from Riverhills, an upscale housing development of Cassco Development Co., the company owned by the Edwards family and behind the Clearfork residential and retail project about one mile to the north of Waterside, presented their opposition.
"It's a concern of the land use itself," said Melissa Lindelow, an attorney representing the Riverhills Homeowners Association. The residents, she said, "simply don't want his type of land use close to their homes."
The case will be considered by the City Council April 3.
Terry Montesi, CEO of Trademark, said he was disappointed in the commission's vote, saying the opposition to the hotel project may have stemmed from Cassco.
"Our competition mischaracterized the permitted uses for the Waterside development, specifically the number of hotels allowed," Montesi said. "Whether that was intentional or not, we want quality economic development and plan to go forward with our council member to work toward a solution that is in the best interest of the entire community, not just one developer."
Cassco executives could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Raymond Management Co., a Wisconsin-based hotelier that developed the newly-opened Hampton Inn & Suites downtown and the Homewood Suites by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn in Midtown, plans a $20 million, five-story, 119-room Residence Inn by Marriott.
"This is not a hotel that will fail," said Barry Perkel, real estate director with Raymond Management. Perkel said the site is walkable to the shops and restaurants in Waterside and provides guests a unique experience.
The residents, though, pointed to initial development plans that show two other possible hotel sites within Waterside, one that is about 320 feet closer to the homes. The site is already zoned for hotel use.
Waterside, on nearly 63 acres of the former Lockheed Martin Recreation Association, underwent a three-phase zoning process in 2014.
A hotel project is said to be planned for the northeast corner of Arborlawn Drive and Bryant Irvin, within Edwards Ranch.
Bob Riley, a consultant with Halff Associates, representing Trademark in the zoning request, said the developer held three meetings with residents living within 1,200 feet of the proposed hotel site and addressed more than a dozen concerns they had, ranging from noise and lighting to traffic and providing the neighborhood association direct contact to on-premise management should an issue arise.
Riley said the hotel site is 25 feet lower in elevation to the nearest home.
Sandra Baker: 817-390-7727, @SandraBakerFWST
This story was originally published March 14, 2018 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Planned hotel in Waterside development causes flap with nearby Riverhills residents."