Fort Worth INC."s inaugural Dream Office – under construction in the city's West Side River District for the developer Fort Capital – draws its inspiration from the firm's recently built headquarters building next door.
Fort Capital, developer of the River District, finished its two-story, 16,800-square-foot building in 2017 at Nursery Lane, south of White Settlement Road. The building, occupied by a complementary collection of businesses ranging from oil and gas to finance, law and construction, got to 100 percent full quickly, Chris Powers, Fort Capital's CEO, said. "We've always been 100 percent," Powers said. "I've never gotten more compliments."
The second, larger building will follow the old industrial style of the first, and Fort Capital is on the hunt for tenants who will complement the ones in the first building. Fort Capital has put together regular programs, such as hosting building-wide meetings with people who can help tenants raise money. That's ultimately boosted motivation, connections, and deal flow, Powers said.
"The big amenity is the tenant base," Powers said. "We can put together a roster of tenants that are better for being close to each other than they would being scattered across the city."
The second building – three stories, 22,000 square feet – will feature the same 1800s-era interior brick salvaged from an old factory in South Carolina that the first building has. The exterior brick, like the first building, will be of a vintage style, Powers said.
Fort Capital is choosing a general contractor, likely in July. As in the long-running series of Dream Homes and Homes of Dreams put on by Fort Worth INC.'s sister publication, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Capital's general contractor will team with some of the area's finest vendors to build a project with the latest design trends and amenities. The $3.6 million building, designed by The Beck Group, is scheduled to be complete by March 2019.
The first floor will be retail, potentially with a coffee shop and spa, two tenants Fort Capital is talking to, Powers said. The second floor, borrowing from the four successful executive suites Fort Capital put in its headquarters building, will feature suites ranging in size between 250 and 750 square feet, with common conference room, coffee bar and restrooms.
The third floor will be traditional office with suites. In total, Powers said the building will likely have 14 executive suites.
The fourth-floor rooftop will have a furnished outdoor, shaded and covered deck with views of the nearby Trinity River and downtown.
The building will feature the latest office amenities. Fort Capital is talking to a potential office product and technology vendor about whiteboards and lighting and furniture, Powers said. The common conference rooms will feature flat panels and presentation materials. The building will have advanced wireless technology and secure access to each floor, Powers said. Today's office environment is critical in recruiting and retaining people, Powers said. As in retail and hospitality design, "the experience matters."
Fort Capital also plans to provide mobile amenities, such as the car wash operator that serves the first building's tenants each week. Other possibilities include dry cleaning and barber, Powers said.
The River District continues to grow up around the site, which Fort Capital intends to grow to include more office after the second building.
The 323-unit Elan apartment building was recently completed at White Settlement and Nursery Lane, and some of the 50 to 60 people who work in the office building live at Elan, Powers said. About 120 single-family homes have been built. Eighty townhomes are under development in the district. Fort Capital is selling a piece of land at Roberts Cut Off and White Settlement roads for another 320 planned apartments, Powers said. "For that office user, there's plenty of housing options," Powers said.
Restaurant and other service options are cropping up. Salsa Limón opened in the district a year ago. Heim Barbecue is opening a restaurant in the district this fall. Abundio's Fit Society opened a year ago in the district.
Fort Capital also touts access to downtown, Interstate 30, and West Side country clubs. Tenants in the first office building are longtime friends of Powers who live largely on the West Side.
