Take a look: Developer proposes apartment & retail ‘village’ along Trinity River
Developers have revealed new details for a proposed mixed-use project that would tower over the banks of Trinity River off South University Drive.
Renderings show the proposed development, dubbed Merrimac, will have a village-like feel, combining a “retail grove” of small stand-alone commercial buildings with traditional structures that are hallmarks of large mixed-use developments across the Metroplex.
The vacant property sits at a bend in the river off Old University Drive, just north of the WestBend outdoor retail center. Trinity Trail passes by the site.
Plans for Merrimac show the development will have almost 306,900 square feet of residential property and over 52,000 square feet of commercial space. It will be home to a seven-story apartment building, which will have a parking garage, courtyard with amenities for residents and ground floor retail space.
The plans for the development were filed with the city on Monday and will go before the Urban Design Commission later this month.
A description included with the presentation conveys the architectural “story” of the proposal.
“Merrimac Fort Worth is a brilliant stone along a strand of green, lining the historic Trinity River,” the description states. “Carved from the rich heritage of the West, its design embraces the beauty of time and wear.”
The project will be led by Houston-based developer Transwestern. Fort Worth’s Urban Design Commission will have to approve the plans before the development can move forward.
The banks of the Trinity River have been a hotbed for new mixed-use development. Merrimac will neighbor the WestBend mixed-use development, which has plans to expand. Down the river, Clearfork is expanding its footprint with more upscale shops and new offices, which have lured Wells Fargo out of downtown.
