Commission wants to expand proposed Stockyards historic district

The city’s Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission wants to see a much larger swath of the Stockyards included in a City Council-initiated Historic District, saying they’re concerned about future development harming the historic appeal of the area.

The panel voted 8-0 Friday to approve resolutions that, among other things, recommend adding the former Swift & Co. property east of Niles City Boulevard, as well as the former Armour & Co. site to the north, to the proposed district.

The recommendation essentially would create a “meatpacking district” which could have its own set of guidelines and standards for development. The area stretches from NE 23rd Street on the south to just past Stockyards Boulevard on the north.

“I’m worried about encroachment,” said Commissioner Edith Jones. “It’s an area that put Fort Worth on the map.”

Development in a historic district requires additional reviews to make sure that what’s built is compatible with the area and meets certain guidelines and standards. Those guidelines also cover expansions or changes made to existing structures.

“Historic districts have value because they protect not only individual buildings and properties, but the streetscape, the context and the landscaping that makes a place like the Stockyards valuable,” Kate Schwartz, Historic Fort Worth’s preservation program director, told the commission before it voted. “To take the Stockyards into the future, we need to approach planning for the area and development in a holistic way.”

The Landmarks Commission will formally vote Feb. 8 to send its proposal to the Zoning Commission for consideration. The Zoning Commission will review and make a recommendation to the City Council, which could vote in March.

In addition, the Landmarks Commission said it wants to see the Marine Creek area at the northeast corner of Main and 23rd streets added, as well as the full cattle run just south of Stockyards Boulevard and a few properties on Exchange Avenue west of Main Street.

The areas suggested for addition were not part of a map drawn by the city staff proposing boundaries for a historic district. Rather, commissioners voted to accept some alternative boundaries submitted for consideration by the nonprofit Historic Fort Worth.

The council is scheduled to vote Feb. 2 on a Stockyards design overlay district, which sets interim guidelines and standards until more thorough form-based codes are created for the area.

Developments that include apartments are planned for both the former Swift and Armour sites. The owner of the Swift site has received demolition permits to raze the few remaining structures on the site. A historic district overlay will not stop the demolition. The Armour site has been cleared.

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Commission wants to expand proposed Stockyards historic district."