As Fort Worth’s population swells, much of the growth has happened north and west of the city. But a group of east siders are asking “Why not here?” while highlighting East Fort Worth’s finer points, such as affordable single-family housing.

On Tuesday, members of the Greater Meadowbrook Alliance representing multiple East Fort Worth neighborhoods presented a prospectus to the City Council outlining their vision for the East Lancaster Avenue corridor, which they believe is ripe for investment and redevelopment.

Residents have worked in recent years to reinvigorate this historic part of Fort Worth, with the hope it could one day resemble now-vibrant districts like South Main Street and West Magnolia Avenue.

Josh Friend, who helps lead the Greater Meadowbrook Alliance, told the Star-Telegram the group’s first goal with the prospectus is to alter the perception of East Lancaster Avenue and the surrounding areas, which have long been associated with crime and urban decay. That, Friend said, starts with telling the story of what the neighborhoods are today, not what they were decades ago.

“What we’re trying to do is change people’s hearts and minds.”

The alliance is primarily focused on three ZIP codes — 76112, 76103 and 76120 — along East Lancaster from Beach Street to East Loop 820.

According to figures cited in the prospectus, only one of those (76112) ranked among the 10 ZIP codes with the highest reported incidents of crime over the past two years in Fort Worth. The 76112 ZIP code, which encompasses the area where East Lancaster Avenue meets East Loop 820, was second on the list with 9,780 reported crimes over the two-year span.

But work has been done to make East Lancaster safer. In 2020, business owners on a five-mile stretch of the avenue rallied to form a public improvement district, which assesses a tax that’s used to pay for security patrols.

There’s also been a concerted effort to address crime hotspots. In the past year, for example, the city has targeted the Eco Motel at 3201 E. Lancaster Ave. and the Central Motel at 5800 E. Lancaster Ave., both of which have been linked to drug use and prostitution. The Central Motel is now closed and is set to be demolished.

Friend said crime exists along East Lancaster, but it’s not as rampant as some like to think. He added that media reports perpetuate negative stereotypes by lumping other parts of Fort Worth into “the east side,” which is really a much more concentrated area.

Neighborhood leaders want homebuyers, business owners to see the east side differently

Beyond crime, though, the Greater Meadowbrook Alliance wants to focus on the positives of where they live.

Data the alliance included in the prospectus said homes in the 76112, 76103 and 76120 ZIP codes sell for around $250,000, about $80,000 below the median home sales price for Fort Worth, according to figures from Redfin.

History is another neighborhood attribute the alliance is emphasizing. East Lancaster was once part of the coast-to-coast Bankhead Highway, and many of the buildings and residences reflect the architecture of the early 20th century, when then the highway was an important transportation artery.

The alliance’s prospectus also touted the east side’s green spaces, which include the Tandy Hills Natural Area, the recently renovated Meadowbrook Golf Course and the nearly 800-acre Gateway Park.

What residents overwhelmingly want to see on the east side, according to survey data in the prospectus, are more shopping and dining options. East Lancaster Avenue is home to a number of bars, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants, but only one major supermarket and a limited number of full-service restaurants, the Mexican Inn at 2700 E. Lancaster Ave. being one of only a few examples.

There is enough spending power on the east side to support more commercial diversity, the Greater Meadowbrook Alliance argues.

Next year, construction is set to begin on a $182 million renewal project on East Lancaster Avenue. At the same time, Trinity Metro is looking at a transit-oriented development plan for East Lancaster that would leverage transit system upgrades to stimulate economic growth.

With that in mind, Friend believes the time is right for people to give the east side another look. What he hopes happens next is that city leaders will plant that idea when talking with business owners and investors.