View of the Fort Worth, Texas skyline. [Photo: Austin55/Shutterstock]
Plans for a new downtown Fort Worth library have changed as city officials now plan to construct a new building instead of using a previously purchased building at 512 W. Fourth St., which will be repurposed as a community arts incubator.
Further evaluation of the property, which was acquired on Nov. 20, 2024, continued after the purchase. City officials said that a number of findings led leadership to determine that the location wouldn’t be the best choice for a modern public library.
“In addition to expert architectural and design assessments, we’ve continued to take community input on what Fort Worth residents want in a downtown library,” Assistant City Manager Dana Burghdoff said in a statement. “As residents and advocates continued to highlight needs in the arts community, we realized we were presented with a unique opportunity to pivot on the building’s intended use.”
Pivot to a community arts incubator
The 512 W. Fourth St. building will now become a community arts incubator. Mayor Mattie Parker appointed Bob Jameson, former President & CEO of Visit Fort Worth, to chair a working group made up of Councilmembers Elizabeth Beck, Macy Hill, Deborah Peoples, and Jeanette Martinez, along with a diverse group of community members and stakeholders including Wesley Gentle, executive director of Arts Fort Worth.
Once all the community members are confirmed, the working group will collect public feedback and develop recommendations for how the space can best support Fort Worth’s creative community, the city said. The community arts incubator’s working group is expected to deliver its recommendations to the city council this fall.
Search for library site continues
The city said it remains committed to establishing a modern library downtown, saying a new 20,000- to 30,000‑square‑foot library will be constructed at a yet‑to‑be‑determined site. Property Management and city leadership are currently reviewing potential locations that can accommodate public parking and the amenities residents identified as priorities during community engagement sessions.
Architecture and construction firms will be selected as planning progresses, the city added, with Fort Worth residents having additional opportunities to provide input.
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