An abandoned building in the Northside will soon be transformed into a diverse art and cultural center. Located at 1012 N. Main St. the building was once used as an auditorium for the Ku Klux Klan in 1924 and converted into a pecan shelling warehouse by Ellis Pecan Co. in 1946.

In 2021, the nonprofit coalition Transform 1012 N. Main Street acquired the building in a move that marked a significant milestone for the grassroots project that was first initiated in 2018.

A new vision for healing

The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing will honor the life and memory of Mr. Fred Rouse — a Black butcher and father who was lynched by a white mob in Fort Worth in 1921.

The adaptive reuse plan will transform the space into a vibrant cultural hub with state-of-the-art performance spaces, healing services for communities targeted by hate groups, exhibits dedicated to social justice and civil rights, and an outdoor urban agriculture and artisan marketplace.

A design that meets community needs

The ambitious project is the recipient of the 2021 Next Big Idea Award from the Urban Land Institute of Dallas-Fort Worth and is currently in the design stage.

The selection committee and the board have chosen four design teams based on how their ethos and practices align with Transform 1012’s own mission. The four shortlisted teams are:

B-arn-S Architects and ch_studio
Colloqate Design and BrandNu Design Studio
Hines Architecture + Design and Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect
UX Architecture, KP Design Studio, and EJ+P Architects

The community is encouraged to RSVP for a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. to hear from the architects as they present their design concepts. Note: The meeting address will be kept private until attendees RSVP.

A final selection of the design team is slated to be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Transform 1012 selects the final architect team

Transform 1012 and the Design Architect Selection Committee selected B-arn-S Architects + ch_studio as the final architects for The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing.

Narrowed down from four design teams, the architects will transform the former KKK Klavern into a vibrant cultural hub.

Over the upcoming months, the nonprofit and the design team will hold community meetings to collaborate with the public on the adaptive plan.

Crews will break ground in 2025 and The Fred Rouse Center is expected to open in 2026.