A $5 million transit-oriented development is planned near a North Richland Hills rail station.
Patriotic Pig Smokehouse, a barbecue restaurant at 3900 Rufe Snow Drive, plans to open its new 15,000-square-foot Chophouse restaurant, event center and catering service near the TEXRail Smithfield Station.
North Richland Hills city officials said they are in the final stages of negotiating an agreement with Patriotic Pig, a business courted by two neighboring cities for its expansion plan. The new eatery and event center, which would have a full bar and serve steaks and seafood as well as barbecue, would be located south of the Main Street and Smithfield intersection — an area that officials have prioritized for redevelopment.
“This project is expected to serve as a catalyst for revitalization in the area,” officials said in a statement.
Under the agreement, North Richland Hills would contribute 3.52 acres, valued at $1.4 million, to the project. The city would be reimbursed for that amount by the sixth year of operation for Patriotic Pig Chophouse. The business is expected to generate $2.3 million in local tax revenue over the first 10 years, based on the projected taxable sales and property value increases expected for the site.
The project site — once used for outdoor fence storage — was purchased by the city with general fund reserves in 2021 for $1.35 million, about $500,000 less than its appraised value. The city’s purchase also served as a match for a transit-oriented federal grant administered by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
City officials said various developers initially proposed mixed-use projects with up to 300 multifamily apartments, however zoning changes did not move forward because of community concerns about dense housing.
In 2023, the city shifted its focus to entertainment and dining concepts based on community preferences, officials said.
The deal is contingent upon Patriotic Pig meeting specific performance milestones and includes safeguards such as holding a lien to protect the city’s interests, officials said.
“In this case, the opportunity to retain and grow a local business, stimulate redevelopment, and expand the commercial tax base remains under active consideration by (the) City Council.”
Some residents expressed support for the project while others were concerned about whether the project would hurt Back Forty Smokehouse, a longtime barbecue restaurant on Main Street about a half mile away from Smithfield Station.
“Our little community of Smithfield has been needing more development so any plans to add more businesses or opportunities for this area is a win!” Ryan Burkhart wrote in a Facebook post. “We’ve seen parts of Smithfield lose out with lack of development or in some cases businesses go under! Now let’s hope as this area is able to get more expansion and development so it brings in more revenue and opportunities for our community!”
Adam Burwell said he was thankful for a new venue.
“Steaks, seafood, a bar with entertainment and events — this is exactly what the area needed,” he wrote on Facebook. “There’s nothing else like it around. Keep it up!”
The TEXRail train pulls into the Fort Worth Central Station on June 12, 2025. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)
Craig Hulse, economic development director for North Richland Hills, said creating transit-oriented developments near Smithfield is challenging because parcels are smaller and less available.
“There’s a huge gap between Smithfield and downtown Grapevine” stations, Hulse previously told the Fort Worth Report. “The riddle of putting together sites to redevelop and develop into TOD development has been slower (and) more difficult.”
The development comes as Trinity Metro seeks to hire a director of economic development to guide investment at the transit agency’s rail stations and expand TEXRail into Fort Worth’s medical district.
On Oct. 20, Trinity Metro announced a new lease with Edible Ideas Inc. of Dallas to operate a wine bar, restaurant and wedding venue at the historic T&P Station in downtown Fort Worth. The site has been closed since late July 2024 when the T&P Tavern closed after 14 years of operation.
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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