A rendering of Crystal Springs on the River.
An amalgam of real estate developers gathered this morning at Shady Oaks Country Club to announce plans for The River District, the new development planned on the Westside. Construction has already started on some aspects of the 276-acre “upscale residential and commercial community,” spanning the south and north sides of White Settlement near Roberts Cut Off Road. Never been that way? That's because currently not much exists over there. That will all change over the next year or so.
Chris Powers, CEO of Fort Capital and one of the developers behind The River District spoke to the multi-faceted elements of the plan. “Fort Worth doesn't need just another build project,” he said. “We need more neighborhoods surrounding our river, more social spots, more unique restaurants and businesses and more walkable areas in our city. The River District will offer amenities you can't find anywhere else in Fort Worth while making great use of the natural resources we have and helping build up a long-time community.”
One of the most highly anticipated parts of The River District is Crystal Springs on the River. San Antonio-based Lake | Flato (a “place-based” sustainable architecture firm) will design the development. They are the same team responsible for popular Texas projects like the Pearl Brewery Redevelopment, Hotel San Jose, El Cosmico and the Dallas Arboretum. Crystal Springs will be home to Fort Worth's own Truck Yard, an offshoot of the popular Dallas spot of the same name which houses food trucks in an outdoor space with a treehouse and trailer bars. The development will also include an outdoor amphitheater, more food options, “healthy living,” shopping and recreation.
As mentioned in the March issue of Fort Worth, Texas magazine, a large aspect of the wide-reaching plan includes residential development consisting of a mix of homes, townhomes and apartments. Residential builders engaged in the project to date are Clarity Homes and Village Homes. Greystar is building the Elan @ River District apartment complex. Many of the luxury homes will be built in a part of the development called "River Heights" where homes sit on a natural penninsula facing the river.
All players say that the Trinity River will be the anchor of the project and it's natural surroundings will inspire development.
Construction has begun on apartments, with plans to welcome residents by spring 2017. Crystal Springs on the River is scheduled to begin in late 2016, with a completion date scheduled for summer 2017.
