Heritage & Paddock Parks Project

HERITAGE & PADDOCK PARKS

Downtown, The Courthouse, The Bluff, & The River - Connected At Last.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HISTORY

A BRIEF LOOK INTO THE PAST

Major Ripley Arnold establishes Fort Worth on the banks of the Trinity River (1849) 98 YEARS AGO Hare and Hare propose creating Paddock Park (1925) 54 YEARS AGO

Civic leaders create Streams & Valleys to restore Fort Worth’s ties to the river.

Lawrence Halprin hired to create a plan for Trinity River downtown (1969)

13 YEARS AGO

Heritage Park Plaza was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (2010)

53 YEARS AGO

Halprin plan was completed for downtown and a plan to activate eight miles of the Trinity River and create an overlook downtown with access to the river (1970)

9 YEARS AGO

$1.5M bond proposal approved by voters for Heritage Park Plaza restoration (2014)

Carter Stevenson forms Heritage Park Steering Committee (2008)

8 YEARS AGO

Construction documents for Heritage Park Plaza completed (2015)

5 YEARS AGO

City Council adopts Confluence, a plan produced by Streams & Valleys to conserve the river and its tributaries (2018)

1 YEAR AGO

$13.5M bond proposal approved by voters for Heritage and Paddock Park project (2022)

We are poised to connect Downtown with the river by launching the full development of Heritage Park thanks to the City, Tarrant County, North Texas Council of Governments, Amon G. Carter Foundation, Streams & Valleys, and Sid Richardson Foundation.

THE PROBLEM

Heritage Plaza, located just North of the Courthouse, has suffered at the hands of time. This park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is poised for a transformative renovation.

Daunting Weatherford Street and Belknap Street crossings

Paddock Park stands as an unused barrier with no attraction value

The “forecourt” of Heritage Park Plaza is intimidating and uninviting

The Plaza lacks visibility from the street

Lack of visibility into and out of the Plaza

Plaza isolation on the northern edge of Downtown

• There is no connection to the river and trails below

THE SOLUTION

A NEW SET OF BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC SPACES CONNECTING DOWNTOWN TO THE TRINITY RIVER

The entire project area improves circulation and increases safety and visibility for pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and cyclists. These improvements will make Weatherford and Belknap more manageable for pedestrians by providing shorter street crossings. The North Texas Council of Governments has fully funded this part of the project. BEFORE

STREET CROSSINGS AT THE COURTHOUSE-FUNDED

IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO PARKS

This redesigned space will connect Heritage Park and Plaza to Downtown and the courthouse. It will be a beautiful new public space where residents and visitors can enjoy the courthouse, the outdoors, and event programming. Paddock Park will include a waterfall, shallow pool, shaded decks, and elegant night-time lighting.

This redesigned space will connect Heritage Park and Plaza to Downtown and the courthouse. It will be a beautiful new public space where residents and visitors can enjoy the courthouse, the outdoors, and event programming. Paddock Park will include a waterfall, shallow pool, shaded decks, and elegant night-time lighting.

PADDOCK PARK

PADDOCK PARK

A GRAND NEW CIVIC SPACE AT THE TARRANT COUNTY COURTHOUSE BEFORE

A GRAND NEW CIVIC SPACE AT THE TARRANT COUNTY COURTHOUSE BEFORE

At the heart of this effort is the restoration of Heritage Park Plaza, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s been closed since 2007, and this project puts the Plaza in the middle of new exciting Downtown park experiences. Plans for reopening the Plaza include restoring water features, new and restored lighting, new landscaping, and safety improvements.

HERITAGE PARK PLAZA

CELEBRATES THE FOUNDING OF FORT WORTH

Heritage Park redesign consists of the Forecourt, Promenade, Foyer, Balcony, Canopy Walk, River Stairs, and The Landing. Circulation to and visibility of Heritage Park Plaza is improved through the crosswalk from Paddock Park and the intersection crossing at Belknap. The full redevelopment of Heritage Park will create a series of dramatic, new, programmable public spaces unlike anything found in this part of the country.

HERITAGE PARK:

THE FORECOURT & THE PROMENADE

FORECOURT

PROMENADE

The Forecourt creates a programmable gathering space in front of and complementary to Heritage Park Plaza. Site lines and circulation are designed to pull pedestrians into the new grand entrance to Heritage Park and Plaza.

The Promenade will be open and welcoming, inviting pedestrians to the bluff edge and to the park features beyond.

At the top of the Bluff, a deep Oncor vault receives power cables from under the river, connecting the Panther Island substation to Downtown. The concrete vault, which must remain, will be enclosed in a perforated metal wrap and illuminated, creating The Lantern. This new focal point, visible from Paddock Park, will anchor the Foyer and join the walls of Heritage Park Plaza to create a new outdoor “room.”

HERITAGE PARK:

THE LANTERN & THE BALCONY

LANTERN

BALCONY

The balcony is a grand new public space that slightly descends the bluff and projects out into and over the tree canopy, providing a programmable space with commanding valley views over the Trinity River.

An elevated Canopy Walk will connect the Balcony to the river trails 80’ below. This new ¼ mile-winding pathway will feature large observation decks at the turns, where educational exhibits will tell the remarkable stories of this place.

HERITAGE PARK:

THE CANOPY WALK & THE RIVER STAIRS

The River Stairs will provide another new public event and gathering space offering a beautiful, peaceful outdoor experience for visitors to enjoy the river and its surrounding landscapes.

The Landing offers a welcoming entrance from the river road to the Trinity Trails or the Canopy Walk, complete with seating, landscaping and exhibits.

HERITAGE PARK: THE LANDING & FRANKLIN STREET

THE LANDING

An alternate route to the Trinity River, Franklin Street will include enhanced lighting for a new pedestrian and bicycle path adjacent to the Balcony.

FRANKLIN STREET

TOTAL FUNDING GOAL: $50 MILLION

Our private fundraising campaign is now underway, with a total funding goal of $50 million. Our public and philanthropic partners have contributed $35.5 million to date. We ask you to be a part of this transformative project. Appropriate recognition will be made for every giving level.

Fundraising Chairs: Louise Appleman

Randy Gideon

Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. (DFWII) is a 501 (c)3 non-profit corporation that provides a pathway for foundation grants, philanthropic donations, and other contributions to help fund Downtown charitable, educational, and public-purpose Downtown projects.

DFWII developed the JFK Tribute in Fort Worth, renovated Burnett Park, renovated General Fort Worth Square, commissioned the Texas A&M University expansion studies, and is a partner in Jennings Place, a 12-acre, 172unit mixed-income Downtown neighborhood. DFWII has established maintenance endowments for each park project it has undertaken.

PROJECT PARTNERS

HERITAGE

& PADDOCK PARK

Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc.

City of Fort Worth

Amon G. Carter Foundation

Tarrant County

North Central Texas Council of Governments

Streams & Valleys

Fort Worth Public Art