Eric Prokesh

The Tower on Throckmorton Street is truly real estate agent Debbie Hunn‘s turf. She’s lived in the building for 12 years and she tells me that she has sold some of the units in the building three or four times. Together with her daughter, Alana Long, they comprise The Urban Group at Williams Trew and have made downtown Fort Worth living something of a specialty.

For the uninitiated, there are few high-rise choices in Fort Worth, but the history of The Tower is worth retelling:

Once known as the Bank One Building — yes, that Bank One Building — it was 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. Recently the amenities, located on the fifth floor have undergone a thorough upgrade and overhaul.

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