Mixed-Income Community Forms Phase I of Stop Six Choice Neighborhood Initiative
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, October 14, 2020 – Fort Worth Housing Solutions and development partner McCormack Baron Salazar have finalized architectural renderings for Cowan Place, the mixed-income, senior living community that forms Phase I of the Stop Six Choice Neighborhood Initiative.
The 174-unit, four-story development south of East Rosedale Street and west of Stalcup Road will feature stucco, brick and metal facades in a contemporary design notable for its lighted “lantern” that signals a bright, modern future for one of Fort
Worth’s historic communities, architects say.
“The idea is that if you are headed west on Rosedale, you will see immediately that something is different in this community,” said Michael Bennett, principal and CEO of Bennett Benner Partners, Cowan Place architect. “It’s a building that is modern, crisp and forward-looking.”
Fort Worth City Councilwoman Gyna Bivens, whose District 5 includes Stop Six, called the renderings “breathtakingly beautiful” and an emblem of renaissance for Stop Six.
“Not only is this apartment complex a gateway to the west, it is also a beacon welcoming senior citizens who will call it home,” Bivens said. “When you think of the access to services that will be available to senior citizens and the larger community, Cowan Place will definitely be a social anchor in this community.”
FWHS President Mary-Margaret Lemons added: “We are thrilled to see this first residential development taking shape and humbled to know that older Stop Six residents soon will have a new, modern housing choice in their neighborhood. We are grateful to the many Stop Six residents, community leaders and service providers who have shared their input throughout this process and continue to help make the vision for the Stop Six Choice Neighborhood a reality.”
Lou Bernardy, McCormack Baron Salazar senior vice president and director of development for Texas added: “We are very pleased about how the development plan for Cowan Place has evolved with the input and support from residents and stakeholders. Cowan Place will set a new standard for senior living in the Stop Six community.”
HUD Choice Neighborhood
The $35.3 million Cowan Place is the first of six planned phases of affordable housing for this southeast Fort Worth community and the first new housing development of any magnitude in Stop Six in decades. The development is named for Alonzo and Sarah Cowan, who purchased three acres in the community in 1902 and donated land for the area’s first church. Stop Six initially was known as Cowanville in recognition of the family’s contribution and later renamed for its post on a Fort Worth-Dallas electric streetcar line.
In April 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Fort Worth Housing Solutions and the City of Fort Worth a coveted $35 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative Implementation Grant to seed development outlined in a related Transformation Plan. In all, Fort Worth Housing Solutions will develop more than 1,000 new units of mixed-income rental housing across the community. The HUD grant is expected to leverage $345 million in investment over six years for the neighborhood.
McCormack Baron Salazar, the nation’s leading for-profit developer, manager and asset manager of economically-integrated urban neighborhoods, is the Housing lead partner for the initiative. Urban Strategies Inc., a nonprofit specializing in data-driven human capital strategies, is leading the People portion of the revitalization plan, while the City of Fort Worth is leading the Neighborhood piece.
Modern Amenities
Cowan Place plans call for 163 one-bedroom units and 11 with two-bedrooms. Each unit will have washer and dryer connections in the units, but space is also provided for community laundry areas where residents can visit.
The development will wrap around a central courtyard terraced to fit the natural slope of the site. Ground-floor community spaces include room for a library and theater, fitness studio, salon, billiards, crafts and private meetings with healthcare professionals. Common spaces are designed to open out onto the courtyard. Many of the large oak trees on the vacant site will be preserved.
The plan also includes an exterior art wall at the main entry facing Stalcup, a space that could bring residents together with area high school or university students to create community exhibits, Bennett said.
Rents will be reduced for qualified low-income households. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2021 with substantial completion in Fall 2022. Cowan Place should provide homes for up to 48 former Cavile residents who wish to return to their neighborhood.
About Fort Worth Housing Solutions
Fort Worth Housing Solutions is changing the face of affordable housing by providing mixed-income rental and home ownership opportunities that provide the foundation to improve lives. The agency was established by the City of Fort Worth in 1938 to provide decent, safe housing for low- to moderate income people. Today, the agency operates 40 properties with almost 6,700 affordable units and manages about 6,000 vouchers that help families and individuals cover rental costs. Fort Worth Housing Solutions works closely with numerous partners to promote economic independence and positive change in the lives of the more than 25,600 individuals we touch on a daily basis. Learn more at www.fwhs.org.
Media contact:
Kristin Sullivan
ksullivan@fwhs.org
work 817-333-3405
