By Sandra Baker
sabaker@star-telegram.com
The Fort Worth foundation that funded the Burnett Park renovation, a
Latino musical festival and an app for Sundance Square were among
several winners honored Wednesday with Downtown Fort Worth Trailblazer
Awards.
In their fourth year, the awards honor the most successful
and innovative efforts in city center development and other
contributions. The nonprofit advocacy group Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
presented the awards.
"Even in the midst of a downturn, our center
city has continued to grow and thrive in the past year," said Bob
Jameson, chairman of Downtown Fort Worth Inc.
Bob Simpson and XTO
Energy were honored with the top Renaissance Award for making
"remarkable contributions" during the past 24 years.
During that
time, the company, now owned by Irving-based Exxon Mobil, has bought
several buildings and renovated more than 758,000 square feet of office
and warehouse space. Those include 714 Main, the Bob R. Simpson
Building, the Petroleum Building, the W.T. Waggoner Building and the
Binyon-O'Keefe Warehouse.
In accepting the award, Simpson said
that XTO Energy always embraced the tradition of Fort Worth in
renovations and that its new owner will continue to support the
community.
"There's value and treasure in our inheritance,"
Simpson said. "I've been reassured ... that this participation will
continue under [Exxon's] leadership as it has in the past."
XTO
was also presented the award for Preservation and/or Adaptive Reuse,
honoring the work at 714 Main St. The 24-story office building was
originally the Farmers and Mechanics Bank and then the Transport Life
Building. XTO Energy bought the building in 2007 and has since renovated
the property using original drawings and old photographs.
Former
advertising executive Jack White was presented the Unsung Hero award. In
1972, White began gathering old photographs and taking pictures of the
city. His collection of thousands of photos and slides is housed at the
University of Texas at Arlington and is a resource for historians,
architects, researchers and others.
The Chairman's Award went to
Tarrant County. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court has been
sensitive to the character of downtown in planning and executing
expansions, the judges said.
For example, the new family law
center features classic architecture, the new maximum-security jail is
being built with pedestrians in mind, and the county's new Civil Courts
Building has also won praise.
Other award winners and their
categories were:
Green Space -- Burnett Foundation for Burnett
Park
Samuel Burk Burnett deeded the land for Burnett Park, at
Seventh and Lamar streets, for a public park. With the support of the
Burnett Foundation, the park has been renovated, and it reopened in May.
It now has a great lawn for concerts and other events, playground
equipment for children, updated lighting and landscaping, and new tables
and chairs.
Placemaking -- Musicarte, a Celebration of the
Americas, presented by the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Musicarte
is a two-day festival in Sundance Square where people learn about
Latino history, heritage and culture. There are musical performances,
winemaking demonstrations, culinary creations and artwork.
Promotion
and Marketing -- Sundance Square Mobile Application
Sundance
Square, the downtown entertainment, residential, shopping and office
district, created an app that operates on smartphones with Internet
access to keep customers up to date. Users can view event schedules, get
information about shops and boutiques, check out Sundance Square
restaurants and more.
Urban Design -- Caceria Building, Cotulla
Wagner
Oil Co. developed the building three years ago at Fifth and Commerce
streets on the site of the Mexican Inn restaurant. It has the feel of a
1920s midrise but features 21st-century amenities. The project also
included facade improvements to the adjacent 500 Commerce St. building.
Sandra Baker, 817-390-7727
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more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/15/2471709/downtown-fort-worth-trailblazer.html#ixzz10Fud9v5c