High-Profile Tower in Downtown Fort Worth Houses Castle in the Clouds

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The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The Tower at 500 Throckmorton Street is a building with a dramatic past, stubbornly surviving to adapt itself to the future. Once known as the Bank One Building, yes, that Bank One Building,  was at ground zero of the horrific March 28, 2000 tornado, which left half a billion dollars worth of damage to Fort Worth’s downtown in its wake. Work to reconstruct the building began in 2001, but extensive asbestos abatement and other unforeseen costs halted the effort. For several years, it stood, an urban oddity, half clad in plywood and metal, its very existence uncertain.

In 2003, realizing the potential payoff of a prize location in the heart of a lively downtown, TLC Realty announced plans for an urban, mixed-use revamp of the storm-orphaned edifice. Work was completed in 2005. The six-sided structure is now enveloped by a square proscenium of stone, which anchors it to the city block it occupies. The 1974 conception of Atlanta architect John Portman has stood the test of time and looks 21st century, fresh as paint.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The project has been so successful that units in the building hit the market rather infrequently. So when one of the four, two-story, penthouse units is offered for sale (it’s been on the market for less than one week) the real estate community takes notice.

The corner unit, 3602, embraces luxury on a nearly unprecedented scale. At almost 5,600 square feet, the three-bedroom, two-full-and-two-half-bath apartment offers the space to spare one would normally seek in newer, single-family houses in Montserrat. The entrance is paved with rare multicolored marbles and features a stunning modern Murano chandelier. The powder bath to the left is embellished with a sink of solid amethyst.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

A dramatic curved staircase with a decorative wrought iron banister sweeps to the second floor. Chevron-patterned wood floors and burnished Venetian plaster walls and ceilings run throughout the residence. The living room terminates in one of the three gas fireplaces. Paintings conceal the televisions over the chimneypiece.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The living room/dining room area captures thrilling views to the south and, unusual in a 36th-floor high-rise unit, the windows can actually be opened. Lighting in the apartment is almost exclusively provided by decorative pendant fixtures rather than the usual cans blighting the ceilings.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

No less opulent is the kitchen, equipped with a lovely, large La Cornue range, copper sinks, pot racks, and stove vent. Pleasing pale green onyx covers the bar and wine tasting-area cabinets. A second gas fireplace defines an additional entertaining area off the kitchen.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The master bedroom soars to double height. Naturally, curtains throughout can be controlled by remote.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The onyx countertops in the master bath can be illuminated from below. Multicolor marble floors incorporate a pleasing Ming green in their design. A large shower comes equipped with steam. The spacious closet is of enviable proportions for a high-rise.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

Upstairs, a gallery office with the third fireplace overlooks the master bedroom. It can be reached from a compact tube elevator.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The two upstairs bedrooms are the size of large master bedrooms in most residential buildings. One is hung with delicious iridescent silk which matches the window shades.

The Tower 500 Throckmorton

The main upstairs bath is as lavish as the master. A sylvan materials palette of forest green and striéd gray and brown evoke a feeling of warmth. The upstairs has a bonus room with a half bath now used as a game room but could be easily converted into a home office.

The mother-daughter team, Debbie Hunn and Alana Long, of Williams Trew are offering 3602 at 500 Throckmorton Street for $3.8 million. The virtual tour is well worth a look.

Eric Prokesh is an interior designer whose work has appeared on HGTV, and in books and publications including D Home, Southern Accents, House Beautiful, and House and Garden. In January 2005, HG named Eric one of the 50 tastemakers in America and D Home has included him as one of Dallas’ Best Designers for 10 years. Having lived most of his life in Dallas, he now calls Fort Worth home and is one of our experts on beautiful Fort Worth Dirt.

Eric Prokesh is an award-winning interior designer who calls Fort Worth his home.

6 Comments

  1. Candy Evans on August 20, 2016 at 12:49 am

    I am dying. This is amazing real estate. Why does Fort Worth have THE BEST homes?

    • dormand on August 20, 2016 at 4:18 pm

      Candy, FW has the best governance.

      Former Mayor Mike Moncrief has organizational effectiveness/governance skills at the top 1% in municipal government.

      He and I discussed at length the many advantages of the FW Junior League expanding its world class Mayfest to
      ten days from its current four day span to allow people from around the world to let their kids experience this best of all young kids hands on annual festival that culminates with the William Tell Overture.

      When our kids were much younger, we would take them out of school every year on opening day of Mayfest so that we could be at the gates the moment that they opened on Thursday.

      The FW Junior League spends a full year planning, organizing and executing this flawlessly implemented children’s event that has no equal.

  2. dormand on August 20, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    There is a really great tale regarding the most sought after reservation in Fort Worth, the Reata Restaurant, on top of this downtown building that was wiped out when the tornado blasted the building.

    While every top banker in town knew the chef, none would give him a loan to open a restaurant after the Reata was reduced to dust. Each said the same “My loan committee would hand me my head if I showed up asking
    to make a loan to a start-up restaurant, they fail and leave nothing to collect on.”

    While the chef was about to give up, he saw in the paper several ads for gas stations for sale.

    He called his most ardent banking customer from the Realta days and asked if he could get a loan for a gas station.

    The response: What time to you want to stop by to pick up your check?

    Thus was born Chef Point gourmet restaurant in the cozy ambiance of a Conoco gas station in Wautaga.

    http://chefpointcafe.org/

    The duck there is unbelievable.

    As this place is convenient to Warren Buffett’s BNSF headquarters, you will see several executives from one of the world’s most successful companies having lunch here day in and day out.

    The food is unbelievably good.

  3. Clay Bonner on August 20, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    I did an appraisal in The Tower recently and was curious why there are two HOAs: one for floors 6-19, and another for floors 20-36. I never got a real answer for the divide.

    • Candy Evans on August 23, 2016 at 2:53 am

      We will find out!

    • Eric Prokesh on August 26, 2016 at 5:14 pm

      I expect, Clay, for the same reason prices are higher for higher floors.

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