What once served as public housing for thousands of families beginning in the 1940s is now a vacant 42-acre lot that the city hopes to revitalize into a transit + cultural hub.

Butler Place — located just east of downtown — is surrounded by I-30, I-35W, and US-287, making it landlocked and ready for redevelopment.

Fort Worth Housing Solutions wants to sell the property and ensure that it meets community needs through affordable housing, cultural spaces, and access to downtown.

Transportation hub

Earlier this month, City Council approved $740,000 — in addition to $100,000 allocated in June — for a transportation study. AECOM Engineering will begin work this fall to determine the best way to revitalize the area with a final report expected in 2025.

The transit hub could include a ride-share waiting area, bike parking, bike sharing, and other transit services. The hub could eventually connect to downtown and in neighboring areas including:

The future Texas A&M-Fort Worth campus
Renovated Fort Worth Convention Center
I.M. Terrell Academy
Central Station’s Amtrak rail
Future high-speed rail
Local bus and rail networks that lead to the airport

The study is part of a larger $2.75 million mobility study funded with $2 million provided by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Future development plans

In September 2022, the city and Fort Worth Housing Solutions reached an agreement with the Texas State Historic Preservation Officer to preserve the cultural identity of the neighborhood.

Under the agreement, the Butler Advisory Committee recommends the construction of a 6.5-acre amphitheater adjacent to I.M. Terrell Academy + the preservation of 1,000 bricks for a public art installation.

The property was previously considered for the site of a new African American museum and cultural center, but the Urban Land Institute recommended a feasibility study in other areas of town including the Community Arts Center, downtown, and a site near James E Guinn School in the Historic Southside.