Historic Southside Project in Cowtown Gets Back on Track

A highly anticipated redevelopment project in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside is kicking back into gear, setting the stage for revitalization in a neighborhood that’s been waiting for fresh investment and new amenities.

Construction on the Evans & Rosedale Urban Village is expected to start later this year, with the Fort Worth Urban Design Commission slated to review a new filing requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness next Wednesday, which a Star-Telegram report suggests the private funding for the project is lined up.

Mixed-use zones fall under the Urban Design Commission’s purview.

The request was made by Milwaukee-based developer Royal Capital LLC, which has been heading up the Evans & Rosedale project since officials appointed the company in 2024 to replace Hoque Global.

Hoque Global’s contract with the city was scrapped the year before over repeated delays related to financing and property acquisitions. Royal Capital ended up stepping in to advance what’s turning out to be a $63 million mixed-use redevelopment near the intersection of Evans Avenue and Rosedale Street. There’s also some $19.8 million in public investment (a combination of land contributions, TIF reimbursements, and city funds) behind the project.

Royal Capital’s filing with the Urban Design Commission indicates Evans & Rosedale Urban Village will include six buildings comprising 60 one-bedroom units, 44 two-bedroom units, 73 three-bedroom units, and four “live-work” spaces — all affordable housing. There will also be commercial space, including a long-awaited grocery store.

“This mixed-use development will feature hundreds of new apartments and 27,000 square feet of commercial space, creating a thriving urban village that blends seamlessly with the historic fabric of the neighborhood. The project not only brings state-of-the-art living and business spaces but also fosters a sense of community, collaboration, and growth,” reads Evans & Rosedale’s website.

Close to downtown, Historic Southside has been on the more affordable end of things as officials and builders proceed to redevelop out from the city center and into popular Near Southside. Residents and stakeholders have been hoping for amenities like public parks, grocery stores, and tree canopy coverage to bring new life to the neighborhood, which is known for being the first middle-class Black neighborhood in Fort Worth.

On the residential side of things, single-family homes are pretty affordable in the area, especially considering the proximity to downtown. There are plenty of homes running in the low-to-mid $200,000s. While there are a lot of historic properties, there’s some building going on, too. Last month’s Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission’s meeting gave a sense of the pace of activity, with several new single-family builds seeking recommendations.