Three buildings in Butler Place, known for their African American historical significance in Fort Worth, were approved by City Council as Historic and Cultural Landmarks on Tuesday.
The council unanimously approved the designations for the buildings at 1715-1750 and 1801-1825 Stephenson St. in Butler Place and the former Carver-Hamilton Elementary School building at 1201 E. 13th St., which is across the street from Butler Place.
A designation preserves buildings from being demolished, provides a 10-year freeze on city property taxes and limits changes to the properties.
Butler Place, though vacant, is Fort Worth’s oldest and last public housing complex. It is wedged on 42 acres on the east edge of downtown and bordered by U.S. 287, Interstate 35W and Interstate 30.
The Historic and Cultural designation status requires a property to meet criteria for historical significance and structural integrity as laid out by the city’s historic preservation ordinance.
A staff report from the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission stated the properties are “consistent” with the requirements of the historic preservation ordinance. The Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission approved the designation on Feb. 12 and recommended to the City Council that the buildings be considered for recognition as Historic and Cultural Landmarks.
The former school is associated with the African American community and the “ development of increasing access to public schools for African American students ,” according to the staff report. The school was built in 1909 as the Fort Worth Colored High School. It was the largest public school and first free public school for African Americans in Fort Worth. It was later named I.M. Terrell High School in 1921 until I.M. Terrell moved to its current location at 1900 I.M. Terrell Way as I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA. The original building was renamed to Carver-Hamilton, and was an elementary school and middle school. In 1995, Fort Worth Housing Solutions bought the building and used it as its headquarters until 2022.
Butler Place was one of 52 Works Progress Administration projects for low-income housing under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. It is associated with housing African American residents and the “ development of social housing within Fort Worth ” after the Great Depression, according to the staff report.
The housing project has over 400 units but in December 2020 the last families left with help from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program. The program helped move residents while maintaining their housing assistance as part of a strategy to deconcentrate poverty by providing affordable housing throughout the city.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
The Butler Advisory Committee was formed in 2016 to recommend strategies to both preserve elements of Butler Place and redevelop the property.
The remaining property will be demolished for redevelopment for potential uses such as offices, housing or a campus for higher education.
Fort Worth Housing Solutions, will take steps to preserve the historical significance of Butler Place in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, to include construction of an amphitheater, developing interpretive signs about the history of public housing in Fort Worth, and saving a minimum of 1,000 bricks from Butler Place buildings.
Recently, the city established the Access Butler Place Plan , led by Fort Worth Housing Solutions and the Transportation and Public Works Department, which oversees the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of transportation-related infrastructure. The mission is to reconnect Butler Place to downtown, improve infrastructure, and promote economic development.
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