Brick by brick, Fort Worth’s Camp Bowie District sees growth along the boulevard
All you had to do was look around the room to see part of what is happening in west Fort Worth's Camp Bowie District.
The meeting of the nonprofit organization, which focuses on the viability and livability of 6six miles of Camp Bowie Boulevard and segments of West 7th Street, was held at Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, one of two high-end hotels that have opened recently in the area.
Bowie House, also one of two Fort Worth hotels to earn recognition from the Michelin Guide , is one part of the $150 million development that has been completed and opened in the last 12 months. The other, Crescent Hotel Fort Worth, opened in mid-2023.
But it's not just the two high-end hotels, which brought in over 500 jobs, that make the area special, said Lydia Guajardo Rickard, executive director of the organization.
"Fort Worth is now the 12th largest city in the nation, and we are soon poised to move into the top 10," she said. "One thing remains constant, no matter how big we grow or how sprawling Fort Worth becomes, Fort Worth continues to surround itself around its local businesses, by way of its neighborhoods and its communities. We keep that small-town feeling right here in the heart of one of the largest cities in the nation. It's where our Western culture crosses over with fine art, just as exhibited right here in the Bowie House hotel."
There are more new developments on the horizon, Rickard told the crowd of about 150 on Sept. 26.
One of the largest will be JPI's Jefferson Ridglea Village, the first multifamily development in the area in two decades. The complex at 5837 Calmont Ave. will come online in the first quarter of 2025, bringing in 377 units and 20 townhomes.
There are also plenty of new restaurants, office space and new retailers on the way, she said. She also noted that vacancies along Camp Bowie Boulevard are at an all-time low, and rental rates have seen a substantial increase.
"Last year, we reported that since 2020, more than 20 businesses had opened or expanded their footprint in the last three years," Rickard said. "But in the last 12 months, we reported that more than 30 businesses had opened the doors for business or expanded their footprints."
That translates to 700 new jobs and $150 million worth of business investment.
Businesses on Camp Bowie Boulevard have seen increases in business resulting from the nearby Dickies Arena, Rickard said. The organization is also conducting outreach to attract new visitors to the area, such as TCU football fans and students, she said.
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