We’re halfway through 2024, and like the triple digit temps around here, the Fort Worth market just keeps heating up. Fort Worth is still experiencing rapid growth and remains highly sought after for corporate relocations and expansion efforts, and great companies just keep showing up. From its diverse community to its Western heritage, there is no shortage of reasons that Fort Worth is a great place to work and live. As business here booms and our portfolio in the area grows, here are some of the things we’ve noticed and some of our favorite projects in this iconic city.
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and Fort Worth is no exception. It’s the fifth-largest city in Texas and the 12th largest city in the entire country, offering the amenities of a big city, but with small-town charm. Go anywhere in Fort Worth and you’ll understand why its nickname is “Cowtown,” with the Stockyards Historic District being a centerpiece of gathering and entertainment. Although the spotlight for business opportunity has been on this city for a while now, the hype around it and expansion efforts have not slowed down, not in the slightest. It’s the fastest-growing city in the nation by percentage, with its population growing by 81% since 2000 and an increase of 21,365 residents just in the last year.
So, what’s fueling this ongoing growth?
From the Stockyards to Sundance Square to the Fort Worth Zoo, the city offers great places to live, eat and have a good time, but one of the catalysts for recent growth and economic opportunity lies within office developments. As more people choose Fort Worth to live and work, the demand for more office space and Class A buildings is apparent and rapidly increasing. And it’s one we’re seeing developers move swiftly to meet. They’re investing billions of dollars to develop more space in popular districts and uncover hidden gems that’ll only encourage more to take advantage of this North Texas city.
And as Fort Worth is made more development-friendly, the timing couldn’t be better. Not only are more and more people moving to Texas, at the same time we’re also witnessing a trend to “return to office,” with a surge of companies seeking permanent office spaces to collaborate with their teams and use their space as a sales tool. This is in contrast to the 100% remote, work-from-home model that was in place during the pandemic and just after. As these new developments and buildings come to life, the city only becomes more attractive and offers new, untapped potential.
Given Fort Worth’s thriving economy, we couldn’t be more excited about our ongoing work here and serving clients from our new Fort Worth-based office. Located at Summit Office Park, we’re right on the perimeter of downtown Fort Worth with quick access to the bustling Medical, Cultural and West 7th Districts. And not to mention, a front row seat to the ongoing expansion efforts.
After 35 years of working in this great city, there are a number of Fort Worth-based projects that we’re proud to have completed. One of the most unique spaces we’ve built took us to the legendary Horse and Mule Barns of Fort Worth’s Mule Alley. Dating back to 1909, what once served as horse and mule barns during the Stockyard’s heyday now exists as a sleek, 80,000 square-foot development in the Stockyards Historic District – and it’s Simpli.Fi’s current office space. High ceilings, modern open workspaces and preserving the historical integrity of the barns are just some of the features that earned the project a CoreNet Global Professional Excellence Award. We built this space well before the recent growth and attention the city has experienced, and it’s been exciting to see the area flourish and come to life even more than before.
Another Fort Worth highlight is our work for Mercedes Benz Financial Services. Pacific Builders was selected during design development to finish out their brand-new, build-to-suit regional office in Alliance. Our team had to complete this while the shell building was still being constructed, requiring intricate planning and coordination, particularly for the technology walls and smart conference rooms. The award-winning facility mixes classic design with state-of-the-art smart technology and features a full-sized commercial kitchen and cafe, restaurant-grade walk-in refrigeration and freezers, and a wood-burning pizza oven.
A final project we’re proud to have completed was for none other than Kiewit Corporation. Two project phases and 92,000 square feet later, their Westlake-based office is nothing but state of the art. Working hand in hand with Noddle Companies and HOK, diligent and proactive planning was required to bring this cutting-edge space to life. The stunning vaulted ceilings, full-service café and blend of steel and high-end millwork finishes throughout set this workplace apart from the rest.
Jackson Walker, Weaver, Pegasus Resources, Kiewit and Volvo are just some of the other companies we’ve had the pleasure to partner with recently.
From corporate interiors to restaurants and industrial work, we look forward to meeting ongoing demand for space in Fort Worth and witnessing the incredible growth this inviting area is bound to continue experiencing.