Report to Members & Stakeholders

March 2000

St. Joseph Garden's - Only 13 of the 160 Alzheimer's patients remain in the building, and they will be relocated by April 15. Expect bankruptcy. Things didn't work as they should have. Heritage invested significant dollars ($15.0+ million) to rehab 200,000 square feet of the 600,000 sf St. Joe campus and created a beautiful facility for use by dementia and Alzheimer's patients. The facility was permitted for the higher standards of dementia patients and therefore had higher operating costs than other senior care facilities. Medicaid (covering about 70% of the clients) reimbursed expenses at the low standard level, creating a financial gap. There were also other facility issues such as the relatively high cost of running a power plant that was designed to serve the entire complex. 60,000 sf are now leased to other users who are wondering about the future. Anybody in Fort Worth need office space?!

Tarrant County Public Health - The County Commissioners decided on March 14 to proceed with the design of a new $9 million 76,000 sf County Public Health facility and to locate it on S. Main Street (south of Rosedale) on property recently acquired by JPS. The current schedule is to move quickly through the design stage and be ready to start construction later this year. This is the same area that JPS plans to build their new Health Center for Women.

For-Purchase Residential - We have frequent requests for information about Fort Worth South and the Fairmount Historic District from individuals interested in buying a home in the area. The market is improving. Today in Fairmount you can purchase a livable home (but one needing renovation) for between $45 to $55 per square foot. A fully renovated, ready to move in historic home can be acquired for between $65 to $70 per sf. The most popular homes are the three bedroom single level bungalows. The most expensive sale last year was the former Bloomsbury B & B on Lipscomb Street which sold for $176,000.

Lancaster Avenue Redevelopment Project - The consultant team has been selected and the design workshop is scheduled for April 10-14. The objective is to produce the best redesign of Lancaster Boulevard, and to create a plan for the renovation of the underpasses at Main and Jennings and the extension of Hemphill under the railroad between Vickery and Lancaster. Fort Worth South is represented on the Mayor's Steering Committee by Jim Watts, Troy Jordan, and Don Scott. The Lancaster Advisory Committee includes Ray Boothe and Joan Kline. The consultants are expected to interview John Freese, M.D., Chair of FWS's Transportation Committee and David Motheral, Chair of FWS's Development Committee.

Magnolia Street Festival — Do we do it again? It's gonna take some money and, or, a redesign of the concept. The past two years have not attracted the numbers of people or the necessary revenues to cover costs. Main Events International has taken the financial hit, and needs some help if they are to stay involved. We will convene the task force that worked on last year's event at the offices of FWS on April 6 at 6:00 pm to develop a plan of action. Others are welcome to join us.

Law Office - Attorneys Gino Borchardt, Brandon Boehme and Lou Barkholtz are relocating their practice from Brentwood Stair Road to a building now under construction at 1821 Eighth Avenue, a block south of Park Place, west side of 8^th. The building, and two adjacent planned structures, are being designed by Hahnfeld & Associates. A doctor and a dentist will occupy the two future buildings. There was a rose bush on the site planted years ago when the property was a residence. Although the bush was removed to make way for the new development, cuttings were taken and will be replanted as part of the new landscape.

Quorum - Everyone is welcome to the open house of the new offices of Quorum Architects at 4:30pm and 7pm Wednesday, April 19 on the SW corner of Vickery and Hemphill. The Mayor cuts the ribbon at 5:30 pm.

Elementary School - The Fort Worth Independent School District has contracted to purchase 8.73 acres of land and buildings from Motheral Printing Company along the west side of S. Main Street, both north and south of Pennsylvania Avenue for $3.9 million. Motheral is to be out by April 2002, and are now looking for a new site in . Four other adjacent property owners have receive purchase offers from the ISD. The School District plans to redevelop the site for use as a elementary school. No plans have been developed for reuse or demo of the existing buildings, which includes the old bottling plant on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue.

The combination of this and the JPS development a short distance south on Main will have a significant impact on the redevelopment of the Main Street corridor.

Bars - In support of the effort to create an environment that encourages new commercial, retail, and residential development, we are formally opposing the re-permitting of troublesome bars in the District. Applications to reopen the Oasis at 1263 W. Magnolia and the Imperial at 150 W. Rosedale are currently under consideration by the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission. Fort Worth South will support applications for permits when the establishment generates more than 50% of their revenues from food sales. Palermos Italian Café, now open in the space formerly occupied by Jerry Van Dykes, will be applying for a beer and wine license. This permit will require a variance with wide support, because it's located within 500 feet of the Accelerated High School, which normally wou. The permit review period will be over the next 60 days.

Nice Thing to Do - Bill Keefer recently fed 18 honor roll students from the FWISD Accelerated High School, which is also located on Magnolia, at his restaurant B.J.Keefers in recognition of their academic accomplishment. There is an important connection between the schools and the revitalization initiative.

Palermo's Italian Café - It's open at 1000 W. Magnolia in the space formerly occupied by Jerry Van Dykes. Give it a try. It’s BYOB for a short while.

Income - ?Median household income in Fort Worth South ('98 data)??$20,784

Within the Development District there are 3,500 residential units and 8,600 residents. Between 1990 and 1998 Residential population decreased 1% and housing stock declined 6.2.

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Surprising - Over the last ten years 50,000 babies have been born at JPS Hospital, 150 physicians are currently in residency training there, last year they had 484,000 patient encounters, and 18,000 inpatient admissions.

Membership - There are now 173 members with the recent addition of:

Texas Drug Company, Medical Clinic of North Texas, FSB Texas recently upgraded their memberships.

Don Scott - President, 1606 Mistletoe Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76104, Phone 923-1649, Fax 923-1649, www.fortworthsouth.org