The City of Fort Worth is moving forward with plans to create a riverwalk and waterfront development along the city’s landmark Panther Island Pavilion.
Plans for a San Antonio-style riverwalk came closer to becoming a reality after the Tarrant Regional Water District suggested that it would continue with a $116 million flood control plan in 2024.
“What we’re doing is making way for the corps to be able to start construction,” said Matt Oliver, a spokesperson for the Tarrant Regional Water District, WFAA reported. “It’s an incredibly exciting time.”
The Panther Island/Central City Flood Project is a comprehensive plan that calls for sustainable growth and density in all areas in close proximity to downtown Fort Worth. As part of the project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must dig a system of canals to address the various stormwater needs of Panther Island.
“The stormwater canal system will provide needed flood protection, containing up to a 100-year flood event for the island,” a description of the riverwalk project reads.
“In addition to serving as an attractive solution for the stormwater needs for the area, the city’s ability to utilize the canals provides the City of Fort Worth a solution at roughly half the cost of the City of Fort Worth’s traditional storm water drain and gutter system.”
Despite the project running into a few snags, Oliver said everything is moving full-speed ahead. It is unclear whether such snags included holdups at Fort Worth’s permitting department, as would have likely been the case if the project were in Dallas, which reportedly suffers from an inefficient and convoluted permitting process.
He explained that crews are “almost finished” removing sewerage, water, and other infrastructure from the bypass path and that the channel would be dug as early as the end of 2024.
The project has already attracted a number of investors.
Austin-based real estate development firm Seco Ventures recently announced that it had purchased nearly 30 acres of land on the peninsula. Panther Island Brewing founder Ryan McWhorter believes the area could become one of the more in-demand spots in North Texas.
“It kind of validates why we chose this spot and how amped we are for the future of the Panther Island district,” said McWhorter, per WFAA.
Once the Army Corps of Engineers breaks ground on the flood control project and starts turning the peninsula into an actual island, McWhorter said, “It’ll be very exciting.”
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for nine years. It sounds like it’s finally here,” he said, per WFAA.
