Fort Worth’s Eighth Street to Reopen Following January Hotel Explosion
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From Staff Reports
Fort Worth small business owners were notified last week that one lane of Eighth Street will soon be open to traffic along with the on-street permit and metered parking following the explosion at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel six months ago.
The tentative date for this reopening is July 22, but the City’s Transportation & Public Works Department is working with the contractor to explore whether the timeline can be moved up, officials said in a press release. At least 21 were injured in the Jan. 8 explosion, reportedly caused by a gas leak in a sushi restaurant in the building’s basement.
Fort Worth Issues Press Release on Eighth Street Reopening
The following information was distributed Sunday evening by the City of Fort Worth:
Who was impacted: The businesses located on Eighth Street between Throckmorton and Houston streets, on the south side of the hotel, were most impacted by the explosion and its aftermath. The City of Fort Worth lost revenue from metered parking during the initial emergency declaration along this area, and permit parking holders also had to relocate during months of cleanup.
Why it matters: City staff met with the impacted business owners in the weeks following the explosion to assess their immediate needs. Several businesses had concerns about revenue recovery, as the road closure made it difficult for customers to get to the businesses.
After those discussions, the City’s Economic Development Department worked with the Local Development Corporation to provide more than $137,000 in grants to four small businesses located in the immediate vicinity of the explosion, to help supplement the loss of revenue as cleanup efforts continued.
What’s new: Sandman’s contractor, First on Site, has completed temporary pavement repairs and is preparing to open one lane and parking as soon as they install steel plates to protect the pit adjacent to the building. This crater was part of the damage to the surrounding area and is still being reconstructed. In order to protect drivers, steel plates will be placed over the hole.
First on Site anticipates this being complete within two weeks, and will open the single lane earlier if possible. The street will be reconstructed prior to the reopening of the hotel, but a reopen date has not been determined. Updates will be provided when available.
