Fort Worth Architecture
Fort Worth-based commercial construction company Hasen plans to begin construction within the next 30 to 60 days on the adaptive reuse of the former Oncor Building in downtown Fort Worth, converting the long-standing office tower into a multifamily residential development.
Branded by its address as 115th West 7th Street, the project will transform the 300,000-square-foot, 16-story building into approximately 330 residential rental units, including studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
The mixed-use redevelopment will retain existing ground-floor restaurants and retail while adding new atriums designed to create light wells, along with a fitness center and business center, according to Hasen President David Hasenzahl. Completion is targeted in less than two years.
For more than 30 years, the location was known as the Oncor Building. In 2021, Oncor moved its operations out of that building and down the street. Development firm 3L Real Estate, with locations in Chicago and Dallas, bought the building in 2023.
“We look forward to energizing this building, in partnership with 3L, to bring this iconic tower back to life while preserving its historic beauty to honor Fort Worth’s history,” Hasenzahl said.
Hasen is serving as general contractor on the project and brings experience in historic renovation, including work on the Historic Electric Building in downtown Fort Worth and Rodeo Plaza in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Hasen and 3L Real Estate have also partnered on similar office-to-residential conversions, including a project at 501 Elm Street in downtown Dallas.
The building’s mid-century exterior will be preserved due to its designation as a Historic and Cultural Landmark in 2024. Originally constructed in 1952 as the headquarters of Fort Worth National Bank, the structure was once the largest commercial building downtown. It was designed by Preston M. Geren & Associates in the International Style, featuring a “slab and tower” design and rust-colored Denton brick.
Shreve, Lamb, & Harmon served as consulting architects. That firm designed the Empire State Building in New York, according to Fort Worth Architecture.
The project includes high-end ground-floor tenants such as The Capital Grille and Little Red Wasp, along with a PlainsCapital Bank branch, and is within walking distance of Sundance Square.
On April 30, Fort Worth’s Tax Increment Finance Zone No. 8 approved $4 million in infrastructure reimbursements for the project in exchange for 20% of the units maintaining below-market rents for 10 years.