JD Granger, head of the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), announced on April 29 that he would resign his position effective immediately. Still, reports say his involvement in the Panther Island Project has not yet ended.
This week the Fort Worth Report (FWR) noted that Granger had rejoined the Panther Island/ Central City Project with his consulting firm, JD Granger Group, in a $72,000 deal that reportedly lasts six months.
The Panther Island Project is intended to reduce the impact of floods in the downtown Fort Worth area. It involves digging a 1.5-mile-long channel to connect a u-shaped section of the Trinity River and create a pair of islands that would collectively be known as Panther Island.
Rendering for the completed Panther Island Project. | Image by Trinity River Vision Authority
Fort Worth Business reports that in a post on his Facebook page, Granger wrote, “We are now known for having the only section of a river in a Texas downtown area that you can swim in and Texas’ only waterfront stage.” JD Granger continued, “It was an uphill battle…but I am extremely proud to have delivered both this spring.”
“Having secured over $400 million in federal funds for the [Panther Island] project and completed the first section of our new Riverwalk, I feel I have met my commitments to myself and my community,” his social media post states.
Granger said that he was proud of the work done and would be moving on from his position, although he would be there to assist the TRWD in the transition to the next phase of the project.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (FWST), TRWD general manager Dan Buhman stated that the water district will better know what will happen next with JD Granger’s announcement early next week.
FWST reports the Panther Island Project is also intended to increase the amount of waterfront property available in downtown Fort Worth and has been discussed for decades, with many people holding strong opinions on the development.
FWST reported that JD Granger’s time with TRWD was filled with controversy. He headed the project while his mother, Congresswoman Kay Granger of Texas’ 12th Congressional district, sought federal funding in Congress for the project.
The Fort Worth Report wrote last September that JD Granger came under fire in 2019 when it was revealed that he had hired his girlfriend, Valerie Jay, for a not publicly posted or advertised position in the water district.
According to Tarrant Votes, the Panther Island Project is expected to cost $1.6 billion and will not be completed until 2030, at the earliest.
