Businesses, Fort Worth police want to change perception of West 7th district
Fort Worth-area leaders gathered Nov. 13 for a luncheon hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber to discuss efforts to improve the public’s perception of the West 7th district and address concerns and opportunities identified by business owners.
A task force made up of developers, business owners and Fort Worth police representatives talked about new safety measures and upcoming developments that they hope will draw more customers to the entertainment district.
“We’ve actually seen a 36% decrease in overall crime in this area, and for a two- to three-year period that’s really significant,” Fort Worth police Lt. Paul Genualdo said.
In one high-profile case, 31-year-old Patrique Allen was killed and five people were wounded in an apparently gang-related shooting inside Social LIVV bar on Bledsoe Street on Oct. 7, police have said.
Genualdo said that “perception often becomes reality,” but crimes in the area have been isolated incidents and not a nightly occurrence. Despite the homicide last month, which resulted in two arrests, police are making progress, he said.
Officers in a special unit patrol the area from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., often staying later when needed, Genualdo said. They shift to foot patrols after midnight.
The department also has implemented zero-tolerance traffic stops, and officers have seized 115 illegal guns in 2023, 90 in 2024, and 25 so far this year, Genualdo said.
An open-container ordinance is in place in the area where people cannot walk around the bar district with alcoholic drinks, he said.
“We have significant relationships with the bar owners’ association and the Cultural District Alliance,” which has helped to reduce public intoxication incidents, Genualdo said.
“One of the next projects we’ll be working on is to significantly improve lighting, particularly at night,” he said. “So that we can turn on all the lights and everybody gets a message — the party is over.”
He said the city also is introducing an ordinance to limit any new bars that open to under 2,000 square feet.
“I’ve worked really hard to improve my officers’ morale. When I first came down here, morale was not very high because I didn’t feel supported,” Genualdo said. “But now they know they have a lieutenant who’s going to back them up if there’s a problem.”
Changes needed for West 7th to thrive
Moody Younger, a managing partner with Younger Partners, which owns multiple blocks of apartments and businesses in the area, said the main issues he sees are mobility and parking. One-way streets make the area hard to navigate and hurt retail. The on-street parking system is cumbersome and unintuitive, leading to frequent tickets and discouraging visitors, he said.
“No other city has cultural districts and museums and entertainment venues like Fort Worth has all right here in one spot, and this is part of the cultural district, then it should be synergistic with it,” Younger said.
Business owners and other stakeholders in the community “are taking all the steps to ensure that people are safe in the area,” he said.
“We’re considering launching a districtwide Facebook, or Instagram communications channel, so if anything is going on, in one of the bars, everybody knows about it, or wherever it’s going on, you can instantly notify everyone else,” Younger said.
Younger said several new businesses in the district’s Artisan Circle area are set to open soon, including:
- Henry McCarty Irish Pub, which is coming to 2869 Crockett St.
- Top of the Morning, a breakfast and brunch restaurant opening in December in the former Mash’d location at 2948 Crockett St.
- Tandy Leather flagship store opening in January
- Partenope, an award-winning Italian restaurant, which is coming to 2949 Crockett St.
Recent shooting’s impact
Toan Luong, CEO and cofounder of Ampersand, a coffee shop next to Social LIVV, said sales have dropped in recent years. The publicity has not helped, but they are grateful for patrons who continue to support them.
Luong said he hopes the task force will take action to boost the economy and move the community in the right direction.
“What happened next door was super tragic,” Luong said. The staff at Ampersand were concerned, “but life moves on,” he said.
At least one business is relocating from the area, in part, because of the perception of crime. The Crockett Street Bottle Shop will move at the end of the month, the store’s owner told the Star-Telegram. The liquor store, which closes at 9 p.m., hasn’t been a target of crime, but employees hear about incidents that happen in the area later at night, and they have lost a lot of customers including residents who have moved out of nearby apartments, he said.
His family has lived in Bedford for the past 10 years and are relocating their business there because they think the area is safer compared to West 7th.
Business owners at the Chamber event said they want to highlight how much the district has to offer beyond nightlife.
The area is “rich in community and people,” and challenges have made the team stronger, and local business owners more resilient and more willing to work together for change, Luong said.
He said the Cultural District area is “truly a gem,” with three world-renowned museums, a nationally recognized botanical garden, an award-winning zoo, and a world-class arena all nearby.
“That perception (after the shooting) not only hurts our businesses, it hurts our community — for a place that truly deserves more,” he said.
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM.