How can Fort Worth reduce gentrification around Panther Island? Take action now, experts say

As part of a city effort to prevent gentrification in Fort Worth's Northside amid rapid Panther Island development, a panel of national real estate development experts have tasked Fort Worth leaders and community members with reinvesting in the predominantly Hispanic area.

The panel, composed of eight members of the Urban Land Institute , visited Fort Worth for a week to study the area that will be impacted by the federal $1.6 billion Central City flood control project.

Between now and 2032, federal officials expect to construct a 1.5-mile bypass channel that will reroute part of the Trinity River and protect 2,400 acres from disastrous flooding. In the process, Fort Worth leaders expect to create 300-plus acres of riverwalk development between downtown and Northside.

During the past week, experts, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, interviewed community members to deliver a report of recommendations to Fort Worth officials on how to preserve the area's cultural identity and promote equitable development.

Key among their recommendations, presented during a Sept. 20 event at the Latino arts center Artes de la Rosa, is to engage Northside residents in meaningful conversations before development efforts.

Connecting with the community, along with other key investments in the area, can help Northside benefit from the project while maintaining its identity, said Omar Gonzalez, the director of development for San Antonio-based Oxbow Development Group who led the panel of experts. Oxbow led redevelopment of The Pearl brewery on the northern end of the San Antonio River Walk, a former industrial area that is now home to a wide range of restaurants, apartments and hotels.

"Instead of looking at the community from the lens of how Panther Island could affect it, we shifted the paradigm so that we could see how the community can benefit from what's happening with Panther Island," Gonzalez said during the event.

The Urban Land Institute panel's visit and study were part of a $230,000 initiative launched earlier this year to ensure equitable development in the predominantly Latino neighborhoods of Northside and Historic Marine as the Panther Island project advances.

Since its inception more than two decades ago , Panther Island has attracted a mix of skepticism and hope that it could reinvigorate a dormant area formerly populated by industrial plants. An influx of federal funding in early 2022 reinvigorated community concerns about gentrification and higher property values pushing longtime homeowners out of the area.

Fort Worth City Council member Carlos Flores, who represents the area, acknowledged gentrification concerns but reassured event attendees that he is committed to preserving the area while embracing change.

"I've said this many times: I am not going to let development tear up the good fabric of the area," Flores said. "These are not mutually exclusive concepts. The area needs opportunity in order to grow and in order to remain an area to be proud of and livable. We have to embrace some of the changes, but it will be for the betterment of all."

Affordability should guide neighborhood development, experts say

Unless addressed, rising property values and unaffordable housing will have a lasting impact on who is able to reside in the Northside neighborhood, panelists said.

Liliana Gonzalez, a Detroit-based development manager who served on the panel, said the rising cost of housing is forcing legacy residents to make difficult decisions that impact not only themselves but the community they may have to leave behind — slowly rupturing the neighborhood's identity.

"We all know safe, affordable housing is a cornerstone for a healthy, vibrant community," Gonzalez said. "By safe and affordable, we mean attainable housing for everyone."

To minimize displacement in Northside, the panel recommended creating and codifying a master plan that would guide the neighborhood's redevelopment and provide updates to the city's comprehensive plan that more closely aligns with residents' needs and wants. They advised that city leaders and community members work together to create such a document.

Other key strategies for preventing displacement included establishing a zoning overlay to conserve Northside's character, culture and history while promoting housing and economic development; removing industrial uses adjacent to commercial corridors; and providing five-year tax abatements to property owners who have spent 30% or more of their assessed value on improvements.

Panelists also recommended tax relief, legal aid, home repair assistance and foreclosure prevention programs for homeowners. For tenants, they suggested legal aid, code enforcement and property management training programs.

As Fort Worth officials consider development opportunities, they should establish a neighborhood fund and create a tax increment financing district that can contribute to preserving and developing affordable housing. City staff should allow denser housing options, such as accessory dwelling units and residential space above retail strips, panelists said.

"The time is now — the time was yesterday, but we'll take now — to double down on anchoring affordable housing that serves a variety of housing needs," Gonzalez said.

Within the Panther Island area, panelists recommended creating a community land trust and setting a minimum percentage of affordable housing units for new developments.

Business district growth must go hand-in-hand with cultural identity, the arts

As Panther Island evolves, the city must reinvest in Northside's business district, Virginia-based commercial real estate executive and panelist Agnes Artemel said. City officials and residents must work together to retain existing businesses while attracting new ones and empower local entrepreneurs through both educational programs and financial support, she said.

"The idea is to attract shoppers and diners because those will spend money in the community to help support local businesses," Artemel said.

The first steps in tackling business growth should be to review and update the 2011 Northside Economic Development Strategy , increase funding for the Main Street America program and establish an identifiable brand that would help attract financial support through clear marketing.

Part of establishing a strong business district is creating a clearly identifiable brand that feels authentic to the community's Latino culture and identity, Artemel said. Promoting the area's arts and culture programs will be instrumental in doing so.

Panelist Dee Giarla, a real estate associate based in Kansas City, said the neighborhood should celebrate its cultural assets by creating a Heritage Walk alongside the Main Street corridor through Northside. New campaigns, in addition to maintaining existing arts facilities and activities, can propel the area forward in maintaining its identity, Giarla said.

"We believe that the recommendations we are sharing with you today are complementary to what has already been done but now actionable to move forward," Giarla said.

Panelist Lucia Garsys, a community developer from Florida, urged the city to reinvest in Artes de la Rosa to bring it "back to its glory days" and transform Marine Park into a focal point of the neighborhood. Although the city's 2026 bond may seem far in the future, she said, residents should already begin the work of urging officials to allocate bond funds toward the neighborhood and its key parks and facilities.

In addition, Garsys said, residents should come together to form a Northside cultural alliance to ensure that arts and culture continue to be prioritized and advocate for funding.

"They will have the ability to collaborate with other groups, but they become the stewards that carry this culture forward," Garsys said.

Panelists urge Fort Worthians to take action immediately

To build trust with the community and harness the energy from previous engagement efforts, panelists said the city must continue engaging with Northside residents and build a roadmap for short- and long-term community initiatives.

They recommended that citizens come together to create a community engagement plan and form a community action committee that would ignite engagement across the neighborhood. Panelist Laura Cortez, a consultant from Austin, said the committee should be made up of 13 to 15 residents who can serve as community liaisons between the neighborhood and city officials.

To form the committee, she recommended the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce host a month-long open call for residents to apply. Once formed, the committee would provide input on development projects and opportunities as a legitimate body recognized by the city.

"Projects can be short term, but the people living in Northside have been here for generations," Cortez said. "We want to ensure that they have the capacity to advocate for their needs long term."

Moving forward, panelists urged both officials and residents to "think big" and act soon to make meaningful investments that will enact long-term results.

The Urban Land Institute panel's full report of findings and recommendations will be made available online in the coming days .