Fort Worth and entertainment has become a common theme, and the city took another step forward in that area June 26 as the City Council adopted an ordinance designating the Southside tax increment financing district as Media Production Development Zone Number One in Fort Worth. The office would be at 305 South Main St., Suites 100-110.
The city is seeking approval from the Texas Film Commission for the zone, which would be the second one in the state. The only one so far is in Austin.
A Media Production Development Zone is designed to encourage development of permanent sites for moving image production.
Fort Worth is in the 19-county Metroplex Region recognized by the film commission, and this area could have as many as five zones if requested and approved.
The zone carries a two-year sales and use tax exemption.
“We have an increased focus on building a creative and collaborative community that can attract business opportunities and a talented workforce. Fort Worth has a growing presence in the film community as evidenced by new productions and economic impact as outlined by the Film Commission,” Economic Development Director Robert Sturns said. “By creating the MPDZ, we hope to continue to attract and grow our efforts in film production.”
Red Productions, owned by Red Sanders, is looking to relocate to a headquarters of over 7,600 square feet and add five jobs in the next two years and 15 over the next five years. Along with Red Productions, KCPFII Bryan LLC, newly created by Craig Kelly, plans to develop the project that would include backlot studios and a sound stage.
The businesses are expected to generate about $92,000 in net new tax revenue, with about $295,000 in net new state tax revenue.
Renovation of the building is expected to begin later this year and will take about six months. The space provides edit bays, office space, and conference rooms for producers, production managers and editors, along with open co-working space for media-related and creative companies.
Part of the development will include Backlot Studios in Suite 110, a fully functional studio space for rent for film production, photography shoots, and scoring by media professionals.
Other locations in the proposed zone can be designated as Qualified Media Production Locations by the state and receive the same sales tax exemptions. There is a limitation of three locations allowed at any one time in a zone.
2 FIRE CHIEF FINALISTS
As the city of Fort Worth continues to search for a new fire chief, the council named Kenneth Stevens as interim chief on June 26. He is the second person to hold the interim position, following Patrick H. Vasquez.
Rudy Jackson retired as fire chief on Feb. 28. Vasquez, an assistant chief, took over, but is retiring himself on June 30. Stevens is also an assistant fire chief.
Two finalists have been named for the job, Jim Davis of Ohio and John Donnelly of Washington, D.C.
Davis is responsible for all areas of training and education for the 1,550 firefighters and paramedics with the Columbus, Ohio, Fire Department. He also oversees the continuous quality improvement areas of the Emergency Medical Services.
Donnelly has 36 years of fire service experience, including deputy fire chief in the Washington, D.C., Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
Assistant City Manager Valerie Washington said the next step is for each to have a final interview with her and City Manager David Cooke in early July. There is no firm deadline, she added.
“It is very important that we get the right fit for the City of Fort Worth,” Washington said. “That is our driving force, someone who can be a strategic and collaborative leader, and will understand the fire chief’s role within city government and within the community.”
ZONING CHANGE DENIED
The city council voted to deny the controversial application for a zoning change for property in the 5700 block of East Berry Street. DJK Inc. was requesting a change of just over an acre from low-intensity mixed-use zoning to neighborhood commercial with hopes of buuilding a Dollar General store on the site.
The site is near the intersection of East Berry and East Loop 820 South, within the Lake Arlington/Berry-Stalcup Urban Village and the Stop Six Neighborhood Empowerment Zone. The area has experienced limited redevelopment into the mixed-use form.
The zoning commission voted 6-2 to recommend denial of the change.
During the May 9 zoning commission hearing, the applicant said he was not ready to proceed and asked for a 30-day continuance to meet with neighbors. The applicant had not provided an update.
“There are just some things we could not get around,” said District 5 Council Member Gyna Bivens. “What I’m going to do is make a motion to deny, but not with prejudice.”
Bivens noted this gives DJK Inc. time to work with city staff to fix the challenges.
FUNDING FOR RISING STARS
The council ratified applications to various foundations for help in funding the Neighborhood Services Department’s Rising Stars Youth Leadership Academy, which serves youth ages 13-18.
The funds would be used to offset the cost of registration fees, educational field trips, educational programs, certifications, supplies and transportation for youth enrolled in the program, which is administered by the Community Action Partners Program.
The amounts requested include:
• $30,000 from the Rainwater Foundation.
• $15,000 from the Sid W. Richardson Foundation.
• $5,000 from Ernst & Young.
• $2,500 from Texas Health Resources.
• $1,000 from Amy Witherite.
• $1,500 from the Fort Worth Independent School District.
• $1,500 from the Everman Independent School District.
• $3,000 from Tarrant County College District.
The goal of the program is to expose the teens to businesses, agencies and civic groups to give them a positive perspective on their futures and make them more effective citizens. It is meant to increase educational competence, physical and social development and life skills and character development.
Topics that will be addressed are public speaking, working in media, nutrition and fine dining etiquette, money management, setting and achieving goals, fitness and wellness, dressing for success, peer pressure and bullying, dangers of drugs and alcohol and attending college or secondary training.
The Rising Stars Youth Leadership Initiative participants are from all council districts.
SAFE HAVEN FUNDING
The council heard a presentation by Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa, supporting restoration of grant funding to Safe Haven from Emergency Solutions. The program has received funding from the city annually since the mid-1990s.
Funding was put on hold pending a check into some federal compliance requirements not being adhered to, most notably submission of contractor payrolls for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act, and timely expenditure of grant funds.
Safe Haven is an emergency shelter for victims of abuse. Costa said it serves close to 1,000 residents annually, mostly women.
“It has an excellent record of service delivery and a generally good record of financial management despite these recent misunderstandings,” Costa said.
Costa said the agency assures the full expenditure of fiscal year 2018 funds for salaries, and additional line items, such as shelter utilities. In addition, the agency will make weekly submission of all Davis-Bacon payrolls and related documents, including corrections, along with submission of a cost allocation plan.
The proposal is to move the requested $75,000 for the Safe Haven budget from funding for the Presbyterian Night Shelter ($8,375) and the Salvation Army ($66,625). The Night Shelter funding will be replaced by a Community Development Block Grant, and the Salvation Army by an Urban Development Block Grant.
Ken Shetter, president of One Safe Place, an umbrella organization over Safe Haven and other organizations, said, “It’s my opinion the issues that arose were largely a miscommunication or misunderstandings. There was never any malfeasance.”
Shetter said One Safe Place served over 7,000 people last year.
ASH CRESCENT IMPROVEMENTS
Following in the footsteps of its neighbor Stop Six, the Ash Crescent neighborhood of Fort Worth is working toward a major change.
With $2.77 million from the city as the 2018 target for neighborhood improvements, the neighborhood is undergoing some major changes, much as Stop Six is doing with the $2.56 million it received earlier.
The funding comes from a half-cent allocation of the municipal property tax rate to provide capital projects, improve public safety and attract private investment in underserved neighborhoods.
The Ash Crescent neighborhood is relatively small – just about half a square mile – and contains less than one percent of the city’s population. The area is roughly bounded by Sycamore Park and Cobb Park on the east, Riverside Drive on the west, Rosedale Street on the north and Glen Garden Drive on the south.
However, it has faced some big challenges. Fifty percent of the population has incomes at or below the poverty level. Unemployment is at 16.2 percent (more than twice the city average). Sixty-three percent of the homes are rentals, 10 percent of the houses are vacant, and the median age of the housing stock is 57.
In addition, only 26 percent of residents have a high school diploma. Crime rates are above the city average as well, with crimes against persons at 54 per 1,000 (more than three times the average) and property crimes at 78 per 1,000 (more than 1.5 times the average).
Residents listed their top priorities as home repairs, crime and safety, street lights, park improvements and illegal dumping.
The top five improvements have been cleaning up vacant property, removal of bulk waste and junk, demolition of substandard structures, street lighting and surveillance cameras.
Aubrey Thagard, the city’s director of neighborhood services, said community outreach is being done. Also, 83 new LED streetlights are in place, along with 41 infill lighting to be installed by late September, and 49 arterial changeouts and pole painting before mid-July.
“We’re going to light up Ash Crescent,” Thagard said.
The first phase of sidewalk upgrades is set for September through December, with the second phase scheduled for winter through early spring. In all, about 15,000 linear feet of new sidewalks will be put in place, Thagard said.
Street repairs will include 1.38 lane miles by early July, he said, as well as forestry work such as removal of dead trees and low-hanging limbs.
As for code compliance, by the end of May 628 cubic yards of trash dumped illegally was removed, along with 7.2 tons of litter, and several structures had been identified for demolition. Criminal investigating of illegal dumping is underway, with additional crews coming in July.
The area already has 20 surveillance cameras installed, Thagard said, with 30 more to be installed by late July. Thagard believes these will help curb the area’s problems with drug trafficking and prostitution.
“Those cameras help to really tamp down criminal activity in Stop Six, and we believe they’ll do the same in Ash Crescent,” Thagard said.
Thagard said plans are to also install a self-service book vending machine that will hold 200 books. The location will be announced soon.
This, he said, will work hand-in-hand with such programs as Summer Play and Learn and the First Tee youth golf program.
Also, a project known as Team Better Block envisions improvements that will include places for people to gather, with fun things for youths such as an obstacle course, a bike riding area, and even a tire swing.
“It could be a place where people not only gather, but recreate,” Thagard said. “We’re going to be working with the community to see what we can do to make that a reality.
“When we strengthen them [neighborhoods], we strengthen the city of Fort Worth.”
Mayor Betsy Price praised the progress and expressed excitement for what lies ahead for Ash Crescent.
“When we started this two and a half years ago we said it would be a hand up to inspire neighborhoods instead of just going in and saying, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do,’ and leaving them,” she said. “I think their sense of pride will just increase. It’s happening in Stop Six, and it’ll happen in Ash Crescent, and we’ll just multiply it all over the city.”
LAND DONATION
The council voted to accept the donation of about 32 acres of vacant land in the City of Haslet, adjacent to the western perimeter of Fort Worth Alliance Airport, from ADL Development LP for expansion of the airport.
The donation will provide a larger protection zone on the airport’s west side and improve the margin of safety on airport property.
The donor will reserve the mineral interest but will waive surface rights for exploration and production of the minerals in, on and under the property. Tarrant Appraisal District records estimate the value to be $1.535 million.
District 7 Councilman Dennis Shingleton said of the site, “It might end up being a warehouse or such, but it won’t have 85 houses or anything like that on it.”