Will this overlooked Fort Worth neighborhood finally have its moment?
Race Street in Fort Worth’s Six Points remains sleepy after more than a decade of speculation that the urban village would be the next up-and-coming district in town, but a new craft brewery might be the catalyst the Riverside neighborhood needs.
Sean Doublet and Stan Hudson plan to open Neutral Ground Brewing by mid-2020 in a 4,200 square-foot building at 2929 Race St. It is the small off-white building with a tile-roofed steeple next to brunch and music spot The Post.
The brewery takes its name from the strip of neutral ground along the border of Louisiana and Spanish Texas that was in dispute after the Louisiana Purchase. It’s a way to acknowledge the owners’ past — Hudson was born and raised in Texas, and Doublet moved from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
It’s also how the pair sees the brewery — a neutral hub for the Six Points community.
“I loved the neighborhood, loved everything that was happening on Race street,” said Hudson, who lived in nearby Oakhurst for nearly 10 years. “I just kept ending up over here.”
They plan to take out most of the front wall, opening a large space for outdoor seating set back from the street a bit. A half wall with a garage door that can be opened when the weather is nice will separate the outdoor and indoor space.
Doublet said it is designed to encourage people walking by with their dog or family to stop in for a pint before heading on to another shop.
“We’re going to be very family friendly and our hours are going to be pretty tame,” he said.
The brewery may be what Race Street and the surrounding Six Points area need to stimulate interest.
A study released earlier this year from Neil Reid at the University of Toledo and Isabelle Nilsson at the University of North Carolina found a correlation between craft breweries and increased property values in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, homes within a half mile of a brewery saw a 10% increase in value from 2002 to 2017, and condominiums saw about 3% growth in value. They found no effect on commercial properties.
“It’s clear that for at least some people, a craft brewery is an amenity,” Reid told the Star-Telegram in April. “The ability to walk a few blocks and have a pint is just as appealing as walking to an art gallery or show.”
Race Street development
Development along Race Street has been a long time coming.
The city first designated Six Points an urban village in 2005, opening the door for city investment. But unlike Magnolia Avenue or the South Main urban villages, interest in the area north of East Belknap Street between North Sylvania Avenue and North Riverside Drive has been muted.
Over the past decade, some have lost faith, said Belinda Norris, president of the Vintage Riverside Neighborhood Association, which includes Six Points.
“It’s been hard in the neighborhood,” she said. “We’ve been promised something for a long time. It feels like we can look around and say ‘Oh my God, it’s finally happening.’”
The population in the 76111 ZIP code, which includes the Six Points area, was about 21,600 in 2010. It hasn’t gone up by much, according to the 2017 US Census survey. The ZIP code how has a population just over 22,400 with a median income of nearly $42,938.
People stayed away from the main drag, she said, because of a lengthy city street project.
The first phase of the more than $5 million project ended earlier this year and features widened sidewalks, landscaping, protected bike lanes and back-in parking, which has confused some drivers. The federal government pitched in about $1.6 million through the Federal Highway Administration, which delayed the project a bit, said city planning manager Eric Fladager. Construction crews also ran into unforeseen issues under ground and with weather delays. The second phase of work is underway and continues the streetscaping west of Sylvania to Oakhurst Scenic Drive.
Dallas-based Criterion Development Partners has built two loft-style apartment complexes with more than 460 units. Another 540 units are in the works from other developers in the area.
With street work finished and more people living on Race Street, Norris said she remains optimistic that a change for Race Street is on the horizon.
Neutral Ground Brewing is one sign of that, she said. She thinks the brewery will attract folks from outside the neighborhood to visit Race Street, which will spur interest in other local businesses.
“We’ve just been waiting and waiting and waiting,” she said, lamenting the number of vacant buildings along Race Street. “We don’t have enough traffic coming down the street for businesses to be willing to take a chance.”
Chad Colley, director of development for Criterion, said the momentum has finally reached Race Street.
His firm owns a large portion of the property on both sides of Race Street in the Six Points area, which they’ve branded River East, including the Neutral Ground building. For years, leasing was difficult, he said, with few calls from interested tenants.
One major challenge, Colley said, is that even longtime Fort Worth residents overlook Six Points.
Recently, Criterion and some area businesses formed the River East Association, which has hired a marketing manager and will host neighborhood events. One of those is the Acoustic Solstice on Dec. 21, featuring live music from more than 30 bands. It’s the sort of thing designed to introduce outsiders to the area.
“We’ve been really encouraged,” he said. “We want to continue this momentum.”
Craft beer
Inside Neutral Ground there will a beer for everyone and plenty of seating, the partners said. They’ll have 10 to 15 brews on tap and hope to seat around 100.
Hudson, who has been home brewing for about 10 years, will craft the beer. He’s a fan of English style golden and dark ales and German style Rauchbier. One of those English ales will have a coffee variety. Like any good craft brewery, Hudson has an India Pale Ale, a rye IPA and a double IPA.
Hudson plans to brew about 1,000 barrels in the first year, but production could be ramped up later.
Their signature beer is unique: A King Cake-themed British golden. Pastry beers are typically stouts, but this one has a bready malt body with lactose that gives it a creamy sweetness, Hudson said.
“We’re going to be all over the board with styles,” Hudson said.
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
