Images Fort Worth, TX: 2012

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LOGISTICALLY SPEAKING Transportation assets attract investment

CLASS ACTION School district undergoes transformation

Cool Meets Comfortable Learn about key areas that make up the city

PRESENTED by the FORT WORTH Chamber of Commerce

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fort worth 2012 edition | volume 2

Texas

co nte nt s F e atu r e s 10 COOL MEETS COMFORTABLE

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Learn about the key areas that make up the city

14 Cultural Oasis Fort Worth Cultural District overflows with fascinating museums

18 CLASS ACTION New initiatives transform the Fort Worth ISD

22 Logistically Speaking Transportation assets attract investment

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What’s Online imagesfortworth.com Photos

See more great photos of Fort Worth in our online photo galleries

fort worth 2012 | IMAGESFORTWORTh.COM

TExAS

LOGISTICALLY SPEAKING Transportation assets attract investment

CLASS ACTION School district undergoes transformation

Cool Meets Comfortable Learn about key areas that make up the city

PRESENTED bY ThE FORT WORTh ChAMbER OF COMMERCE

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Get the most up-to-date info on cost of living, top employers, schools, population demographics and more

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content Director Lisa battles Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Copy Editor Jill Wyatt Contributing writers barbara biehler, joe morris, jessica mozo, kate parham, karen schwartzman, jessica walker, betsy williams Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Vikki Williams Graphic Designers Rachael Gerringer, Taylor nunley Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier color imaging technician Alison Hunter Integrated Media Manager Hurchel Williams Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./business Development Scott Templeton senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing Kim HOlmberg V.P./business Development Charles Fitzgibbon V.p./External Communications Teree Caruthers V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester

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V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens v.p./Travel publishing Susan Chappell V.P./Sales Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky Controller Chris Dudley Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman sales support Coordinator alex marks

d e pa r tm e nt s

sales support project manager sara quint system administrator daniel cantrell Web creative director allison davis Web Content Manager John Hood Web project manager noy fongnaly Web designer II Richard stevens Web development lead Yamel Hall Web developer i nels noseworthy Web Account Manager Lauren Eubank Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Creative Services Director Christina Carden publication design Director murry keith Creative Technology Analyst becca ary, audience development Director deanna nelson Distribution Director Gary Smith Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake Receptionist Linda Bishop

6 Almanac 26 Biz Briefs 28 Chamber Report 29 Economic Profile 30 Image Gallery 34 Local Flavor 36 Arts & Culture 38 Sports & Recreation 42 Health & Wellness

Fort Worth magazine is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

45 Education 47 Community Profile 48 Through the Lens

For more information, contact: Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce 777 Taylor St., Suite 900 • Fort Worth, TX 76102 (817) 336.2491 • www.fortworthchamber.com Visit Fort Worth online at imagesfortworth.com ©Copyright 2012 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member

on the cover Tarrant County College’s Trinity River East Campus Photo by Antony Boshier

The Association of Magazine Media Member

Custom Content Council

Member Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

All or part of this magazine is printed on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

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Almanac

Welcome to Fort Worth An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Down in Cowtown For a day full of shopping, eating, dancing and bar-hopping, head to Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards, a center of the city’s entertainment scene. The Stockyards officially opened for business in 1890, covering 206 acres and eventually selling 1 million cattle a year, hence the city’s nickname of “Cowtown.”

The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

A Round of Applause Fort Worth has garnered its fair share of praise, and the awards keep rolling in. Among its most impressive accolades are the No. 4 spot on CNBC’s list of Best Cities to Relocate to in America, and the runner-up spot in a national ranking of Best Cities for a Fresh Start compiled by Relocation.com. Beyond relocation, Fort Worth is recognized as the top 2011 destination where you can get the most for your money by a Hotwire® Travel Value Index study, and its Texas Christian University was listed among U.S. News’ Top National Universities.

And – sound the drumroll – Southern Business & Development Magazine named Dallas-Fort Worth as the No. 1 Major Market of the Decade.

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Fast Facts

New and Improved

n Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is one of three U.S. institutions to own biblical Dead Sea Scroll fragments.

The Tarrant County Courthouse is getting a makeover. The Renaissance Revivalstyle building already serves as one of the city’s most eye-catching pieces of architecture and is the focal point of Main Street. Built in 1895, the courthouse underwent extensive renovations in 1983 and is now up for another round. The $5 million renovations include replacing the copper on the roof dome, sealing joints between granite blocks and clock repair.

n The nonprofit Partners for Livable Communities named Fort Worth one of America’s Most Livable Communities. n Sixty percent of America’s paper money is printed at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth.

Fort Worth At A Glance population Fort Worth: 741,206

Army outpost overlooking the Trinity River.

location Located in north Texas, Fort Worth is just 13 miles from Arlington, 23 miles from Irving and 32 miles from Dallas.

for more information Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce 777 Taylor St., Ste. 900 Fort Worth, TX 76102 Phone: (817) 336-2491 Fax: (817) 877-4034 www.fortworthchamber.com

beginnings The city was established in 1849 as an

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n The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is the second-largest museum gallery space for modern art in America, next to MoMA New York. n Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the oldest botanic garden in Texas, displays more than 2,500 species of native and exotic plants.

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n Camp Fire USA runs El Tesoro de la Vida, a week-long grief camp for children who have lost a loved one. Counselors from Japan visited the camp to learn how to help children affected by the 2011 tsunami.

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Take a virtual tour of Fort Worth, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imagesfortworth.com.

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n The Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 and houses nearly 7,000 native and exotic animals.

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10 Gardens

Where Inspiration Grows

TYLER MUNICIPAL ROSE GARDEN Tyler, TX CHEYENNE BOTANIC GARDENS Cheyenne, WY JAPANESE GARDENS AT LAKE SACAJAWEA Longview, WA WATER GARDEN Fort Worth, TX CINNAMON CREEK TROPICAL BUTTERFLY GARDEN Boerne, TX UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIASANTA CRUZ ARBORETUM Santa Cruz, CA

Fort Worth made the list.

10 Gardens to Inspire See more Top 10 lists at Livability.com.

SWAN LAKE IRIS GARDENS Sumter, SC WICHITA GARDENS-BOTANICA Wichita, KS DANIEL STOWE BOTANICAL GARDEN Gastonia, NC CAPE FEAR BOTANICAL GARDEN Fayetteville, NC

Introducing the Livability.com Top 10 Lists New lists every month | Not your average lists | Not your average website

Big changes are happening at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport thanks to the $1.9 billion terminal renewal and improvement program (TRIP). Officials broke ground at Terminal A in February. The sevenyear phased program targets the four original terminals which opened with the airport in 1974. TRIP will redefine the passenger experience with new concessions, enhanced gate areas and many other customer-focused improvements, along with new technology and environmentally efficient building systems.

Photo Courtesy of of Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport

Taking Off

Photo Courtesy of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.

Let There Be Light The holiday season comes alive in downtown Fort Worth with the annual Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights. Held annually the Friday after Thanksgiving, the event draws more than 100,000 people and is recognized as one of the top illuminated parades in the country. Marching from Belknap Street to Commerce Street, around 6th Street to Houston Street and up to Weatherford, the parade lights up the downtown area with its 500,000 lights. The parade begins at 6 p.m., but entertainment, children’s holiday craft-making, food and coffee are available beginning at 2 p.m.

Extending the Olive Branch Multiple branches of the military coexist at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base. Established in October 1994 as the first joint reserve base in the country, the base served as a model for the joint reserve concept. Today, the base is home to a variety of Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army and Texas Air National Guard units. More than 10,000 active-duty and civilian team members currently inhabit the base, ensuring reservists receive proper training in preparation for mobilization.

Photo Courtesy of Rusty Baker, U.S. Navy

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The Wells Fargo Tower dominates the skyline above Sundance Square. photo by antony boshier

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COMFORTABLE Learn about the key areas that make up the city

Story By Kate Parham

West 7th/Cultural District Just west of the city’s center, the West 7th urban-retail and residential development stands out as one of the rare real-estate success stories of late – even for Texas, which is one of few states to weather recent rough economic times. In only about three years, restaurants, shops, lofts and

apartments all have sprung up within this area that was once dominated by industrial buildings.

More apartments are on the way for the West 7th area, which is situated near the park-like setting of Fort Worth’s Cultural District.

With its brick roads and manicured

Fred’s Texas Cafe in the West 7th area of Fort Worth

gardens, the Cultural District is anchored by five distinct museums that collectively draw more than 2 million visitors a year.

Camp Bowie District The Cultural District marks the beginning of the Camp Bowie

Brian M c Cord

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on’t be fooled: Texas may be known for its cowboys, but there also are world-class museums, award-winning restaurants, shopping and historical landmarks. Fort Worth residents enjoy all of these things and more throughout the city, but there are definite concentrations of specific amenities that help define certain districts and areas. Here’s a snapshot of the various mostreferenced parts of town – a handy starting point for exploring the neighborhoods and home options found near or within each of them.

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Downtown/ Sundance Square The 35-block district at the heart of the city thrives with offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Downtown is perhaps best known for its unique retail stores like Barse Sterling Silver, Leddy’s and Earth Bones, just to name a few. Downtown residents and workers can literally step out of their homes or offices for an afternoon of shopping, followed by a wonderful meal prior to catching a Broadway-style show at Bass Performance Hall.

with one of the nation’s Near Southside richest collections of Victorian History, health care, innovative architecture. Fairmount also won dining and creative types converge the top award from Neighborhoods in the Near Southside portion of USA in the Social Revitalization/ the city. While the district’s Neighborliness category in 2011 medical industry employs more for its community garden. than 30,000 people, still others come from all parts of town to Outlying Areas enjoy the growing dining scene on Numerous subdivisions, Magnolia Avenue. Meanwhile, the suburban cities and other architectural charm of residential residential developments surround options attracts people looking for homes with character. For example, the core urban area of Fort Worth, including several master-planned Near Southside contains the city’s communities with homes preferred oldest neighborhood, Fairmount by many employees working in the National Historic District, which is the largest historic neighborhood Alliance business development north of the city. in the southwestern United States, TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

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Stockyards District Northwest of downtown, Fort Worth’s Stockyards District, primarily the reason for the city’s “Cowtown” nickname, is mostly a tourist draw with its Western retailers, historical landmarks and attractions. The area is home to the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive, and professional cowboys ride bulls weekend nights at the Stockyards Championship Rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum.

And you can’t miss Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk. But beyond the tourist scene are interesting living options, including the Oakhurst neighborhood, just to the east of the Stockyards. Oakhurst has the city’s oldest neighborhood association and has won several national awards from Neighborhoods USA, most recently a second-place award in 2011.

Grapevine Lake

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District, which actually is a boulevard that stretches 9 miles. The district features more than 30 blocks of dining, shopping, wineries and galleries (that’s more than 800 businesses), making this area one of the most eclectic in the city. The district is further divided into three segments: On the Bricks, Ridglea and Camp Bowie West.

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Cool School TCC’s new campus highlights downtown improvements Downtown Fort Worth, a thriving, walkable city center, provides residents and visitors alike with the perfect combination of work and play, living and learning.

Tarrant County College’s new Trinity River East campus, overlooking the river, recently built brand-new classrooms and state-of-the-art labs in a 3-acre plaza complete with a welcome center and a coffee bar. The estimated $203 million new building is certainly one of the most aesthetically stunning campuses in the Lone Star State.

The school district and RadioShack have also extended their buildinguse lease through 2016 for facilities that are in walking distance of the new building.

The beautiful, 3-acre urban Burnett Park also saw renovations and now includes a monumental sculpture, play areas, granite walkways crossing through a lush green lawn (perfect for concerts) and shady areas with moveable bistro-style tables and chairs. The district also got its first grocery store when Oliver’s Fine Foods brought its neighborhood-market concept to area.

Downtown’s most modern amenities are imbued with a sense of the city’s rich history, however.

Historic architecture blends with

new, while grand scenes of the Old West unfold vividly at the Sid Richardson Museum, which houses one of the country’s finest collections of Western art. At Second and Commerce streets,

visitors to historic Fire Station No. 1 can explore “150 Years of Fort Worth,” a satellite exhibit of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

– Kate Parham

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CULTURAL

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OASIS Fort Worth Cultural District overflows with fascinating museums

Story By Jessica Mozo Photography By brian mccord

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ort Worth citizens don’t need to travel far for a little mental stimulation, thanks to a plethora of museums in the city’s Cultural District that are always reinventing themselves. Located minutes from downtown Fort Worth, the Cultural District attracts more than 2 million visitors from around the world annually with its quaint shops and restaurants, fascinating museums and galleries, beautifully manicured Left: A class at Amon Carter Museum of American Art

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In May 2011, The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) opened its new, LEED Platinum-certified facility, which includes a herbarium, library and a “living roof.�

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grounds and bustling performing arts venues.

Botanical Research Institute of Texas One of the latest arrivals in the Cultural District is the Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ new 70,000-square-foot LEED Platinumcertified headquarters, which opened to the public in May 2011.

It is the first building in Tarrant County to achieve the LEED Platinum rating and the eighth in the state of Texas.

“It shows the public our mission of conservation and sustainability from the roof down,” says Dr. S.H. Sohmer, president and director of BRIT. “Everything about our building focuses on conservation and reusing natural resources.”

Founded in 1987, BRIT is an international scientific research and learning center that documents the diversity of plant life and conducts research around the world. Over the past 10 years, BRIT scientists have located and described many plant species previously unknown to science, and Fort Worth residents can take advantage of their knowledge.

“We have a number of community outreach programs and workshops, mainly on Saturdays,” Sohmer says.

“People can also bring plants in to be identified. We get a steady stream of visitors with our property being adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, and lots of people come to see our building.”

Visitors also come to explore BRIT’s herbarium, a collection of more than 1 million dried plant specimens from around the world, and the BRIT library, which houses more than 125,000 volumes of books from various countries and 3,000 children’s books.

Kimbell Art Museum’s need to exhibit more of its permanent collection and accommodate special exhibitions. It is located to the west of Kimbell’s existing building and features a 300-seat auditorium, library and expanded classroom facilities for educational programs. The museum broke ground on the new facility in October 2010 and plans to open it to the public in fall 2013.

“We are thrilled to get this project started,” says Eric Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum. “It is an important

moment in the history of the museum and our community.”

More Fort Worth Museums Other attractions in the Cultural District include the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

All offer membership opportunities with extra benefits for members, such as unlimited free admission, gift shop discounts and invitations to exclusive special events.

Kimbell Art Museum Addition Another new addition to the Cultural District is the Kimbell Art Museum’s new facility designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano.

The new facility grew out of

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CLASS

ACTION New initiatives transform the Fort Worth ISD

Story By Barbara Biehler | Photography By brian MccOrd

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omprising 97 elementary schools, 28 middle schools, 13 high schools and a number of special campuses, the Fort Worth Independent School District (ISD) is experiencing a new period of growth, transformation and revitalization.

With the completion of a massive capital improvement project and other new strategic initiatives, the Fort Worth ISD’s diverse population of approximately 82,000 students can anticipate attending schools in a personalized, state-of-the-art and supportive learning environment.

Students also gain distinct learning advantages from classroom instruction provided by skilled instructors held to rigorous teaching standards.

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As a result, graduates of the Fort Worth ISD can expect to be well-prepared to pursue a college education or gainful employment.

Capital Improvement Program Brings Dramatic Changes To Entire System The Fort Worth ISD recently completed its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) on time and under budget, greatly enhancing the credibility of the ISD as a responsible steward of public money. The $594 million bond package, overwhelmingly approved by 71 percent of voters in 2007, built five new schools, eight major additions and funded renovations for more than 100 schools within the district.

Initial estimates during the

assessment phase placed the cost of improvements at $700 million, but successful planning and preplanning of construction projects allowed the Fort Worth ISD to save considerable amounts of time and money while executing the project.

With a plan in place before the referendum even passed, the district hired architects and engineers for pre-construction services.

The district also realized a hefty 20 percent savings due to a construction price drop.

The new schools built as a result of the CIP are sustainable, energyefficient facilities that conserve resources. Other significant building and technology improvements were made systemwide, including the addition of new fire and security systems, updated public address

Students at John T. White Elementary School, one of five new schools built as part of the Fort Worth ISD Capital Improvement Program.

Below: Hazel Harvey Peace is another new school for the district.

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Mrs. Duerson’s second-grade class at John T. White Elementary School

systems, soundproof music rooms and 5,000 interactive whiteboards, the largest installation of its kind in the U.S. The entire school system has seen “dramatic improvements,” reports Clint Bond, spokesperson for the Fort Worth ISD. “Every campus has been touched in some way.”

Bond says because the initial CIP was such a tremendous success, the savings are allowing the district to immediately move into phase four of the project.

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Career Programs As Good As Gold Students also benefit from many innovative programs that prepare them for college and career success, such as the district’s Gold Seal Programs and Schools of Choice.

Since 2010, every high school and several middle schools in the district have offered specialized programs in college and career categories that include hands-on learning, internships, college credits, licenses and certificates,

core instruction and Advanced Placement.

In addition Gold Seal Schools of Choice, which offer non-traditional approaches to learning, are available at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

New Leadership From A Familiar Face In February 2012, Walter Dansby took the post of district superintendent. A graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High

School, Dansby is not only a product of the Fort Worth ISD, but has worked in the district since 1974, when he was a history teacher and coach at Rosemont Middle School. Dansby served half of 2011 as the district’s interim superintendent before being chosen for the role permanently.

Prior to that, he served as the district’s deputy superintendent for operational management and human resources, also providing leadership for the CIP.

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Business

Logistically Speaking Fort Worth transportation assets attract investment

COMPANIES WITH HEADQUARTERS IN FORT WORTH • Acme Brick • Alcon Laboratories (US HQ) • Allied Electronics • American Airlines • Bell Helicopter • Ben E. Keith • BNSF Railway • Cash America • D.R. Horton • FTS International • GM Financial • Healthpoint Biotherapeutics • Justin Brands • Pier 1 Imports • RadioShack • TTI Inc. • Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company

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Story By Betsy Williams

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eography is a powerful ally – a concept the leaders of Fort Worth recognized long ago and leveraged.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of the largest points of distribution and logistics in the nation for good reason.

Located in the geographic center of the continent’s four major business centers – New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City – products from the region can reach 98 percent of the U.S. population within 48 hours by truck or rail.

“Our central location in the United States is a major asset,” says Christina Weeks, vice president at Hillwood, developer of AllianceTexas. “But the success we’ve had is the result of the transportation components.”

AllianceTexas Generates Jobs AllianceTexas is a 17,000-acre masterplanned, mixed-use community located in north Fort Worth. AllianceTexas offers a variety of commercial real estate options, including new industrial, office and retail space. Anchored by the inland port known as the Alliance Global

Logistics Hub, AllianceTexas is home to 265 companies and 30,000 employees.

The success in generating jobs and economic development investment is tied to its logistical advantages – the ability to move goods to customers.

“The Alliance Global Logistics Hub connects Fort Worth to the rest of the world,” Weeks says.

The inland port, which boasts all modes of access except for a seaport, is one of the first and largest in the nation. It includes the BNSF Railway Intermodal Facility, two Class 1 rail lines, Fort Worth Alliance Airport – the nation’s first purely industrial airport – and access to Interstate Highway 35, known as the NAFTA Superhighway.

GE Transportation Invests $96 million Those transportation assets attracted FedEx, which located its third-largest American hub in the Fort Worth region.

In the third quarter of 2012 another 500 people will have new high-tech manufacturing jobs thanks to the opening of the $96 million GE

Jeff Adkins

The new GE Transportation facility

Photo Courtesy of GE Transportation

Transportation locomotive manufacturing facility. GE could add another 275 jobs in the coming years. The company is expanding the size of its existing building to 900,000 square feet and points to access to rail lines as critical in its decision to invest in a manufacturing plant in the region.

“We are excited to expand our operational footprint in the U.S. and build on our more than 100-year commitment to the rail and related transportation industries,” says Stephan Koller, director of communications for GE Transportation. “The facility in Fort Worth helps us to strengthen our overall competitiveness. It’s an asset that allows us to manufacture our leading heavy-haul, freight locomotives, test them on an adjacent rail line and deliver them to our railroad customers in North America, including BNSF. We are looking forward to joining Fort Worth’s business community.”

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Results – we walk you through every step of the way to ensure a smooth and happy transaction

agents when you’re on the go. Get property and community information the quickest way possible. In the market to sell? We offer state-of-the-art listing details on our website … providing buyers with the most important details.

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Photo Courtesy of Lockheed Martin

Business

Lockheed Martin’s engineering and manufacturing facility in Fort Worth

Dream Location business community benefits from diversity, friendly climate

F

ort Worth business leaders are hard pressed to list all the positives about running a company in this town, and they couldn’t be more pleased to have this difficulty.

MADE FOR SUCCESS Whether large or small, a natural gas company or a new high-tech entrepreneurial startup, Fort Worth’s business climate is tailor made for success. The city is known for legacy defense manufacturing facilities, including such corporations as Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter. It’s also the international headquarters for the likes of American Airlines, BNSF Railway, Pier 1 Imports and RadioShack. Justin Brands, FedEx, Ben E. Keith and Williamson-Dickie also have settled into Fort Worth and are growing their presence all the time. As a matter of fact, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex has the fourth largest concentration

of Fortune 500 company headquarters in the United States.

Multiple Airports, Transportation Links

Diverse Commercial Center

And this kind of success gets noticed: Forbes magazine ranked Fort Worth fifth in its Best Cities for Jobs list in 2008, calling special attention to the city’s central location and transportation system, which is highlighted by four area airports – DFW International, Alliance, Meacham and Spinks.

Between them, these international hubs serve more than 57 million travelers a year.

The city and its economic development officials are leveraging these assets by investing in both new development and infrastructure improvements to keep businesses moving into, and expanding within, the region.

Add in a low tax structure and business-friendly climate, and it’s easy to see why Fort Worth is literally growing up, and out, in every direction.

– Joe Morris

In addition to these major players, Fort Worth is also a commercial center for equally well-known players in health care, finance, telecommunications, education, tourism, retail trade and services, all of which combine to create a diversified local economy that not only is withstanding the current economic slowdown, but is poised to go full throttle as the national and international climates improve.

Sometimes those numbers are hard to measure, but the hard facts are that employment here is growing at the fourth strongest rate of the country’s top 25 largest metro areas, and Fort Worth has the third largest percentage increase in employment among metropolitan divisions.

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Business

Biz Briefs Businesses – both large and small – that help define fort worth’s economic climate

Scorecard Business At A Glance

$10 billion Annual Retail Sales

$14,088 Retail Sales per Capita

$1 billion Annual Retail and Food Sales

54,916 Total Number of Firms Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

XTO Energy Inc. Biz: Gas and oil producer Buzz: Focused on providing clean-burning natural gas, XTO Energy Inc. is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil based in Fort Worth that buys and develops properties that produce oil and gas while also searching for new reserves. XTO Energy Inc. employees use the latest technology, innovative solutions and hard work to ensure customers’ needs are met. www.xtoenergy.com 26

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Fidelity Investments Biz: Financial services provider Buzz: Fidelity Investments is located on a 337-acre campus in the Westlake area. Employees assist clients with investment management, retirement planning, brokerage and more. The company supports the local community as a member of the Amon Carter Museum and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, as well as the Fort Worth, Fort Worth Hispanic and Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chambers of Commerce. www.fidelity.com M.L. Leddy’s Biz: Handmade boot and saddle retailer Buzz: In 1922, M.L. Leddy began crafting boots and saddles with his brothers in Brady, Texas. They found success, and in 1941 the business expanded to a second location in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Today, M.L. Leddy’s is owned and operated by fourth-generation family members, and continues to offer handmade leather products at two locations in Fort Worth and a shop in San Angelo. www.leddys.com Alcon Laboratories Inc. Biz: Eye care company Buzz: Alcon Laboratories Inc. works to help meet vision-related needs worldwide, offering the most expansive range of eye-care products in surgical, pharmaceutical and vision care across 180 markets. The company’s main corporate office is located in Fort Worth, as well as the William C. Conner Research Center, two major manufacturing plants and more than 2,500 employees. www.alcon.com Mrs. Renfro’s Gourmet Salsas & More Biz: Salsa and condiment company Buzz: Mrs. Renfro’s Gourmet Salsas & More began in 1940 when founders George and Arthurine started selling packaged spices and pepper sauces in the Fort Worth area. The family-owned company grew quickly, and today more than 30 salsas, sauces and relishes are available in various retailers in all 50 states, Canada, the Caribbean and England. www.renfrofoods.com

Business

Chamber Report Chamber hosts Big Brainstorm For Young Professionals

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hat’s the big idea?

Everyone started to know in December 2011.

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce supervised a campaign in 2011 to have its Vision Fort Worth young professionals organization think of ways to improve the area’s quality of life in the future. Vision Fort Worth is open to any young

professionals ages 21-40, and there are currently more than 350 people in the organization.

“We want these young professionals to have a hand in helping to shape the community they hopefully want to live in longterm,” says Brianna Broussard, Vision Fort Worth program manager with the Fort Worth

Chamber. “The chamber has been hosting focus-group meetings, then we put together an anonymous online survey of what assets or changes the Vision members would like to see for the future. The meeting in December 2011 formally showcased the best ideas.”

In partnership with Steer Fort Worth (the mayor’s young professionals initiative) and facilitated by Leadership Fort Worth, the Big Brainstorm occurred Dec. 2 to explore key topics identified through the focus groups and survey, and those topics will be discussed throughout 2012 by community leaders.

“Topics relate to transportation, education, future entertainment venues, the arts, green space and more,” Broussard says. “It is all about the young professionals providing us with their vision for the next 25-30 years.”

Perfect Vision Vision Fort Worth was created to help retain more of the approximately 325,000 students attending colleges and universities in the Dallas/Fort Worth region.

“The chamber wants them to want to stay in Fort Worth,” Broussard says. “Vision Fort Worth is an organization that gives young professionals a connection with one another, helping to work toward a better community.”

Broussard says Vision Fort Worth has 20 mentors on the chamber board who are older, well-established, successful business leaders who can provide one-on-one career mentoring.

“We want the young professionals to be involved in Fort Worth as early as possible, and hopefully for a lifetime,” she says. “They are the future, and we want their input now.”

–Kevin Litwin

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Economic profile Economic Overview Of the nation’s 20 largest cities, Fort Worth is the fastest growing.

People choose to start their business here due to the impressive workforce. Those businesses thrive because Fort Worth is a major center for industry, technology, distribution and transportation.

workforce

57% top employers AMR/American Airlines 22,169 employees Texas Health Resources* 18,866 employees Lockheed Martin 14,988 employees NAS Fort Worth JRB 11,350 employees Fort Worth ISD 11,000 employees Arlington ISD* 8,126 employees

White-Collar Jobs

43% Blue-Collar Jobs

income

$22,613 Per Capita Income

$47,927 Average Annual Household Expenditure

University of Texas Arlington* 6,239 employees

taxes

City of Fort Worth 6,195 employees

1%

JPS Health Network 4,872 employees Cook Children’s Health Care System 4,826 employees Tarrant County Government* 4,173 employees

City Sales and Use Tax

1/2% Fort Worth Crime Control

1/2% MTA (Mass Transit Authority)

*Includes Tarrant County Cities

education

6.4% Associate Degree

18.5% Bachelor’s Degree

7.5% Graduate Degree

6.25% State Sales Tax

8.25% Total Sales Tax

TRANSPORTATION RAIL: BNSF Railway www.bnsf.com

Union Pacific www.up.com Trinity Railway Express www.trinityrailwayexpress.org AIR: DFW International Airport www.dfwairport.com Alliance Airport www.allianceairport.com Meacham International www.fortworthtexas.gov/ aviation/meacham Spinks Airport www.fortworthtexas.gov/ aviation/spinks ROAD: Fort Worth connects to national and international markets through four major interstate highways – I-20, I-30, I-35 and I-45 – and is encircled by Loop 820.

economic resources Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce 777 Taylor St., Ste. 900 Fort Worth, TX 76102 (817) 336-2491 www.fortworthchamber.com Fort Worth Business Assistance Center 1150 S. Freeway Fort Worth, TX 76104 (817) 871-6025 www.fwbac.com City of Fort Worth www.fortworthtexas.gov

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Image Gallery

Stores, restaurants and businesses line the streets of Sundance Square.

Photo by Jeff Adkins

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Image Gallery

The Bass Performance Hall’s 48-foot limestone angels.

Photo by Antony Boshier

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Image Gallery

Man With Briefcase by Jonathan Borofsky at Burnett Park in downtown.

Photo by Brian McCord

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The Active Water Pool is part of the Fort Worth Water Garden in downtown.

Photo by Antony Boshier

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Local Flavor

Tex-Mex and BBQ and Beef … Oh My! Fort Worth restaurants serve it right

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on’t underestimate Cowtown USA: There’s much more to be eaten than tacos and steaks – although they do have some of the best of those too!

photos by Brian M c Cord

Beef/Barbecue

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With nine locations in the Metroplex, James Beard Award-winning Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse serves up authentic, legendary BBQ, from brisket and pulled pork to their famous onion rings. Dickey’s BBQ opened with one restaurant in 1941, and today is the largest quick-serve chain in the country. Spring Creek’s hickory-smoked BBQ has made it a favorite in Fort Worth for more than 30 years; chargrilled ribs and homemade secret sauce might

have something to do with it, too. Try Railhead Smokehouse, where the fork-tender beef brisket is so good they ship it (along with ribs, sausage and their famous sauce) nationwide. There’s also Angelo’s, where three generations of the George family have put out barbecue so good that city officials take them on the road to promote Fort Worth.

Latino/Tex-Mex Cantina Laredo uses only the best ingredients (think Certified Angus Beef) topped with their signature sauces, like chipotlewine with portabella mushrooms.

For the best margarita in town, hit up Gloria’s, where you munch on free chips, salsa and black-bean

Above: Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana Left: Texas T-Bone Steak with baked potato, onion rings and margarita at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse

dip before your meal arrives.

Check out Dos Gringos, home of the original Mexican pizza and a staple in Fort Worth for 36 years and counting. Keep it in the family at La Familia, where owner Al Cavazos greets guests at the door before serving up what is arguably the best fresh, made-daily salsa in town. For something more upscale, try Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana, where the celebrity chef combines haute cuisine with Mexican culture to bring diners a truly unique experience.

LOCAL & FRESH

attention nationally, including being named one of Bon Appétit’s 10 Best New Restaurants in America (2010) and one of the South’s Best New Shops

by Southern Living (2011).

Ellerbe Fine Foods is a don’t miss destination for farm-to-table dining devotees. It includes an upscale restaurant featuring seasonal menus relying on fresh, local ingredients, as well as a market full of wine, gifts and edibles. Ellerbe has gained much

For organic, vegan cuisine, the retro Spiral Diner and Bakery is the go-to, while the cook-yourown crowd fares well at local farmers markets on Saturday mornings at the Cowtown Farmers Market and the New Public Market.

– Kate Parham

delicious Chinese food inside never gets old. Cacharel and SaintEmilion offer up French cuisine; Thai Tina’s is a favorite, as well.

Steak & MORE For an award-winning wine list and a fine American dining experience, try Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, where the menu is built around USDA Prime Beef.

Fresh off their 45th anniversary, Ruth’s Chris, the world’s largest fine-dining company, is the master when it comes to extra-thick-cut steak; don’t miss the eight potato selections. For an international experience, check out Texas de Brazil, a steakhouse that combines the cuisine of Brazil with the spirit of Texas, complete with seasoned beef, lamb, pork, Brazilian sausage and a 60-item salad bar.

Cattlemen’s internationally renowned steaks are so juicy and tender that they ship them all over the country; try the Texas T-Bone, Strip Sirloin, or 24-ounce Cattlemen’s Porterhouse. Steaks are also the order of the day at Saltgrass Steak House.

International Want bona fide Mediterranean flavor? Try Chadra Mezza & Grill, a Lebanese hot-spot specializing in wine and mezza, family-style feasts served in the customary Lebanese tradition. Prefer an allyou-can-eat locale? Try Zorro’s, the largest buffet in Texas featuring a variety of cuisines, from Tex-Mex and BBQ to Italian and seafood.

We’ve all seen those majestic horses at the entrance to P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, but the

Six Convenient Campuses located throughout Tarrant County

GET READY FOR THE NEXT STEP! Make TCC Your FIRST Choice.

• Open-access admission • Affordable tuition costs • Specialized career training (817) 515-TCCD (8223) • www.tccd.edu

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Arts & Culture

Musically Inclined Fort Worth is alive with the sound of music Rob Dixon performs at Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk.

F

ort Worth may be bestknown for its cowboy culture, but musicians around the world have praised it for its vibrant music and performing-arts scene.

Fort Worth music venues rival those in much bigger cities, and with so many to choose from, there is always something to see when you’re in the mood for a good show. Whether it’s orchestra, theater, opera or latenight live music, you’ll find it in Fort Worth.

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Bass Performance Hall One of Fort Worth’s most impressive music venues is Bass Performance Hall, located on a full city block in the historic Sundance Square district of downtown.

Named by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the Top 10 Best Opera Houses in the World, Bass Performance Hall opened in 1998 and seats 2,056 people. It is the permanent home of many

Brian M c Cord

performing-arts organizations, including the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Opera, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and Cliburn Concerts.

Fort Worth Theaters A number of Fort Worth venues are devoted to live theater, bringing the excitement of Broadway shows, children’s performances and nationally

known musicians to the region.

They include Casa Manana, Jubilee Theatre, Circle Theatre, Hip Pocket Theatre and Stage West. Film fans enjoy events such as the Lone Star International Film Festival.

Live Music Scene When the sun goes down over Fort Worth, the city’s live music scene heats up. In the historic Fort Worth Stockyards district, you’ll find Billy Bob’s Texas, which proudly claims the title of the world’s largest honky tonk. Billy Bob’s hosts concerts by popular country-music artists such as Billy Currington and Ronnie Dunn, as well as live bull riding and

free line-dance lessons.

Another favorite live music venue is 8.0 Bar in the Sundance Square district, which hosts local and regional bands. Other local dives that offer live music include Lola’s Saloon, Magnolia Motor Lounge, Wild Rooster, Capital Bar, Fred’s Texas Cafe, Basement Bar and White Elephant Saloon.

Main Street Arts Festival Every April, music and arts fans from around the country converge on Fort Worth’s Main Street for the highly anticipated Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival. The free four-day event showcases live concerts, street performers, a

juried arts fair, food and family fun, and has been a local tradition for nearly three decades. It is the Southwest’s largest arts and entertainment festival and has been rated the No. 1 arts festival in Texas and the third-largest arts festival in the country.

Several other annual events also bring live music to Fort Worth.

They include MúsicArte de Fort Worth, Arts Goggle, Modern ’til Midnight (held at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth), Fort Worth Music Festival (previously known as Jazz by the Boulevard), The Ranch 95.9 Texas Music Series, and KXT 91.7’s Concerts on the Square.

– Jessica Mozo

Sports & Recreation

Plenty to See and Do city’s parks and sports teams have all bases covered

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ant a place full of green space, trails to try and a little healthy competition? Fort Worth is for you, with major sports galore and plenty of parks and trail systems for those who want in on the action.

Armed Forces Bowl, College Athletics College athletics have their pride of place in Fort Worth as well. Texas Christian University’s Horned Frogs made a 2010 Rose Bowl appearance and join the Big 12 Conference starting with the 2012-13 school year. Meanwhile, TCU’s baseball team continues to close in on a College World Series slot. Nearby Texas Wesleyan University competes in the NAIA. Fort Worth also is home to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

As for big-name sports events, Fort Worth hosts the Crowne Plaza Invitational Golf Tournament at the Colonial Country Club each May, where spectators watch the pros take to the course that was home to legendary native son Ben Hogan. For more action, the Texas Motor Speedway is home to both NASCAR and IndyCar racing events, including the Bombardier Learjet 550. Or take yourself out to the ball game with the Fort

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Antony Boshier

Crowne Plaza, Cats Draw Crowds

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Worth Cats at historic LaGrave Field. Want to cool off a bit? Then the Texas Brahmas hockey team at NYTEX Sports Centre is the place to be.

Green Space Galore One jewel of the Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department is the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, one of the largest city-owned nature centers in the United States. With more than 20 miles of hiking trails and an interpretive center, the area offers residents and visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the natural history of north central Texas.

Trinity Trails For recreation with a river view, try Trinity Trails. Trinity Trails is a system of trails located along the Trinity River for walking, biking, cycling or horseback riding. The trails collectively cover 40 miles, and connect with 21 parks, the Fort Worth Botanical Garden and Japanese Garden, Log Cabin Village, Fort Worth Zoo and downtown Fort Worth.

– Joe Morris

Left: Biking on the Trinity River Trails in Trinity Park Above: Texas Motor Speedway

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WE’RE SEARCHING HIGH

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Golf

Antony Boshier

In the Swing of Things Golf in Fort Worth is way above par

T

he Fort Worth club scene is always in full swing with more than 20 nice golf courses located within the city itself.

Here is some interesting background on five of them:

Mira Vista Country Club Well-known PGA golfer Tom Weiskopf helped design Mira Vista, where native grasses and thousands of wildflowers provide a park-like environment.

The par-71, 6,849-yard public course is highlighted by hole No. 11, a 540-yard par 5 that was ranked Best Hole No. 11 in America by Golf Digest in 2000.

The Golf Club at champions circle The Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Hotel overlooks this impressive 18-hole golf destination that was

designed by Greg Norman and Jay Morrish. It opened in 2000 and the public course plays 7,147 yards for a par 72 from the back tees. Champions Circle features bermuda grass, undulating greens and challenging fairways.

Ridglea Country Club Ridglea Country Club offers two challenging courses: the Family Course and the Championship Course, each complete with its own driving range, short game area, indoor teaching facility and stocked golf shop. Both courses have played host to local, state and national amateur golf tournaments.

Colonial Country Club Colonial was built in 1936 by Marvin Leonard of the locally

famous Leonard Bros. department stores. The 18-hole, par-70 private layout is consistently rated one of the best courses in the United States, as evidenced by it hosting the 1941 U.S. Open, the 1975 Tournament Players Championship and the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open.

It continues today to showcase an annual PGA Tour event, the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

HAWKS CREEK GOLF CLUB This challenging 6,847-yard, par 72 layout opened in 2002 and was designed by respected golf course architect John Colligan.

Hawks Creek has a number of tree-lined fairways as well as strategically placed bunkers and natural water hazards. The public venue also features a putting green, chipping area and driving range. – Kevin Litwin i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m

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Health & Wellness

Healing Power An array of health-care facilities help residents stay well and rest easy

H

ome to a variety of topnotch hospitals and medical centers, Fort Worth is a healthcare haven. The city’s many facilities, conveniently located throughout the area, provide quality care to the community.

Jeff Adkins

Major Hospitals, Satellite Clinics

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A major provider of care is Baylor All Saints Medical Center, which has been taking care of medical issues both major and minor for more than 100 years. The 525-bed hospital has spent more than $300 million on upgraded facilities and services, including research and community service programs in education and screenings.

Within Baylor All Saints is Andrews Women’s Hospital, a facility just for women that includes innovative programs like the Survivor Gals Salon, featuring stylish wigs, fun scarves and hats for cancer patients. The Joan Katz Center at Baylor All Saints works specifically with breast cancer patients, providing patient navigation services to help patients find community resources, support and help coordinating medical appointments.

Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth is another core provider in the city’s Medical District.

The 320-bed facility offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services, and has undergone a $105 million expansion project to add and/or renovate more than 70,000 square feet of space for a new day-surgery

center, private patient rooms, outpatient chemotherapy and more.

Accidents happen, and JPS Health Network stands ready to treat them regardless of severity.

The facility has been verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons, which is big news for an area where more than 20 percent of deaths are attributable to some form of trauma, according to public health data.

Huguley Memorial Medical Center shoulders its share of the community care duties around here as well, with more than 350 primary care and specialty physicians offering a full range of in- and outpatient services.

The center also includes a 213-bed acute care hospital and a 24-hour emergency room.

Scheduled to open in 2012, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance will be the state’s newest full-service hospital. It will be located on 40 acres near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Golden Triangle Boulevard, and will include a 24-hour emergency room, outpatient services, advanced imaging services and more.

At Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, the latest accolades are for the treatment of hip fractures. The hospital is only the fourth in the United States and the first in Texas to receive the gold seal of approval in the treatment of hip fractures in the elderly. The designation, which comes from the Joint Commission, recognizes only those hospitals that have proven to have excellent outcomes for patients and also a strong multidisciplinary program.

North Hills Hospital also makes the grade and then some, having

achieved all three levels of Chest Pain Accreditation, and also became the first Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery in Tarrant County. North Hills’ rehab center is one of the top 10 percent nationwide, and its nurses have received the Pathway to Excellence Award.

Fort Worth’s littlest patients get top-flight care at Cook Children’s Medical Center, which has spent millions on renovations

and expansions to its facilities, including adding a fracture clinic, urgent care center and heliport in recent years. Cook Children’s has been recognized as a Nurse Magnet-designated organization in honor of its quality patient and nursing excellence, and in 2007 opened the first dual-room IMRIS intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging suite for pediatric patients in the world.

– Joe Morris

Left: The lobby at Cook Children’s Medical Center

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Jeff Adkins

Education

Lots of Class Fort Worth schools lead state, national rankings

A

ttention, class. Education is a priority in Fort Worth, where advanced learning programs begin at the earliest grade levels and continue throughout high school and into some of the country’s best-known higher education institutions.

Colleges and Universities Local high school graduates don’t have far to go to pursue a quality degree. The region’s mix of colleges and universities means there are more than 325,000 students enrolled in higher education at any given time here, with more than 30,000 degrees awarded annually.

They include such notable names as Everest College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Tarleton State UniversitySouthwest Metroplex Center, Tarrant County College, Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, Texas Woman’s University, the University of Texas

at Arlington, University of North Texas and the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Each of these institutions regularly adds to both core courses and degree programs, and partners with local municipal and economic development officials to ensure that graduates have a direct pipeline into the local and regional workforce.

Fort Worth ISD The Fort Worth Independent School District is the largest district in Tarrant County, which has 20 other school districts within its borders. The Fort Worth ISD has approximately 80,000 students in 144 schools for grades K-12, including 27 special campuses.

Its awards and honors include the What Parents Want designation from SchoolMatch, a private firm that assists companies with relocation. The honor has come for seven years in a row, and only goes to 14 percent of the nation’s schools. It’s no surprise that the

Fort Worth ISD scores this well, considering it had an 83 percent increase in high-performing schools in recent years, and continues to rise at all levels of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills standards.

Fort Worth also is home to more than 200 private schools, giving parents of different faiths and backgrounds multiple options for their children’s education.

North Texas Small Business Development Centers There also are multiple smaller centers of learning in Fort Worth devoted to specific job-related training and education, such as the North Texas Small Business Development Centers. So whether a graduate degree or just some brushing up on skill sets, the Fort Worth area educational and community support system has just the right program – often just down the street.

– Joe Morris i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m

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visit our

advertisers Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District www.emsisd.com First United Methodist Church www.myfumc.org Fort Worth Country Day School www.fwcds.org Fort Worth Independent School District www.fwisd.org Fort Worth Museum of Science & History www.fortworthmuseum.org Fort Worth Transportation Authority www.the-t.com Keller Independent School District www.kellerisd.net Lockheed Martin Corporation www.lockheedmartin.com Mira Vista Realtors www.miravistarealtors.com Northwest Independent School District www.nisdtx.org Sid Richardson Museum www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org Sundance Square www.sundancesquare.com Tarrant County College District www.tccd.edu TCU Energy Institute – Texas Christian University www.energyinstitute.tcu.edu Texas Health Harris Hospital Fort Worth www.texashealth.org/fortworth Texas Wesleyan University www.law.txwes.edu The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth www.themodern.org Towne Place Suites www.marriot.com/dfwtd Trinity Terrace www.retirement.org/trinity/ University of Texas Arlington www.uta.edu UNT Health Science Center www.hsc.unt.edu Williams-Trew Real Estate Services www.williamstrew.com 46

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Can you imagine … a world without children?

6039-TR12260M_TGB_Livability.indd 1

3/22/10 11:40:09 AM

We Can’t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org

Community profile Snapshot Fort Worth offers culture, beauty, education, entertainment and much more. It’s no wonder Fort Worth was ranked the fourth Best City to Relocate to in America by CNBC.com in 2010.

weather

cost of living

96° F

$49,530

July Average High

32° F household information

January Average Low

AGE:

Annual Rain Fall (vs. National Average Annual Rain Fall of 37”)

31 Median Resident Age

32% 19 and Under

51%

34”

Median Household Income

$120,300 Median Home Price

$824 Median Rent for a Two-Bedroom Apartment

93.1

transportation

Index (U.S. Average = 100)

26 minutes

time zone

Median Travel Time to Work

Central

20-54

17% 55 and Over MARITAL STATUS:

48% Married

52% Single ETHNICITY:

42% White

19% Black

34% Hispanic

6% Other

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Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo Now that you’ve experienced Fort Worth through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. Visit throughthelensjci.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

From Our Photo Blog: Fort Worth Fort Worth isn’t your average Texas town. This is a thriving city with tons of cool sites and great places to eat, stay and play. The Cultural District is home to six world class museums, award winning restaurants and a variety of venues and theaters. The West 7th Corridor is a hip new entertainment district with shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Be sure to visit Billy Bob’s Texas, located in the Stockyard District.

This is the world’s largest honky tonk and is definitely a must see if you’re in Fort Worth. They have popular bands performing weekly and an actual rodeo inside the bar!

Posted by Brian m ccord

More Online See more favorite photos and read the stories behind the shots at throughthelensjci.com.

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