Would You Like to Own a Historic Fort Worth School Property?

The Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) is selling 18 properties. Ordinarily, that would not be big news. But. On the list are three historic Fort Worth School properties.

In November, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram broke the news that among the historic Fort Worth school properties for sale are Farrington Field, Boulevard Heights Transition Center (comprised of three buildings), and Jack. A. Billingsley Field House. These buildings are not yet historically landmarked. This is cause for concern for many, as these buildings are part of the very fabric of Fort Worth. 

“Each one of these properties makes Fort Worth distinct from any other city in Texas, Historic Fort Worth Inc. Executive Director Jerre Tracy said. “Once we lose that distinction, there won’t be the same rationale to make Fort Worth your home. Why would you undo what is already good? “ 

Historic Fort Worth Inc. sent out a press release last week. I encourage you to get on their mailing list. Here are some excerpts of that release:

“Farrington Field is one of the best art deco buildings in the state,” architect Michael Bennett principal with Bennet Brenner Architects in Fort Worth, said. Bennett was approached by FWISD when they were searching for architects to help them through the process, and selected to be an advisor.

“I’m a committed preservationist,” Bennett said. “The impression I get from the FWISD is to preserve, but also to use these resources as wisely as they can. They are looking at the right balance, which is the right way to look at it. There is an opportunity that these buildings bring to us as a city. There is potential as an innovation district. For instance, the Farrington Field area is walkable and short bus ride from downtown. My hope is we get a game-changer. The approach we are taking is one that would incentivize preservation. Think about a professional soccer team. That would be great for Fort Worth. What if we redevelop the field and save the parts that are historically important while increasing the value around the area? P.C. Cobb Stadium in Dallas is a great example of what you don’t want to do.”

If you remember the sale of the beautiful Art Deco P.C. Cobb Field to Trammell Crow in 1979, you will understand why this is important. Known initially as Dal-Hi Stadium it was, it was a Works Progress Administration project built in 1937 and the main athletic facility in the Dallas school system for many years. It was renamed for P.C. Cobb, the man who ensured it was built, in 1957. It was such a beautiful facility that it was regularly used as a location for fashion photography. Now the Infomart stands in its place, and the stadium is barely a memory. These are the sorts of things historic preservationists work so diligently to prevent. 

But as we all know, when money talks, history walks. 

The Eagle Ford School, where the infamous Bonnie Parker spent some time, has become a beautiful event space. All it takes is vision and, of course, hard work.

When I received the press release, I turned to our go-to architect Lloyd Lumpkins to get his thoughts about the FWISD properties for sale and why those three, in particular, deserve landmark status recently.

“Why do we need to preserve older buildings?  They tell us who we were.  They give us a sense of place, of where we have been, a context to help guide us where we want to go!  Can you imagine planning a trip without knowing where you are going to start?  You would be lost before you start. Preserving buildings is preserving culture, preserving attention to who we are, what we are, and, most importantly, where we are going.”

Indeed.