TCU has big ideas to transform West Berry St. into ‘Fort Worth’s new destination place’

Several blocks of West Berry Street could be developed with multifamily housing, retail space and a parking garage as part of TCU’s transformational plan for the commercial corridor near campus.

The university has not publicly released details about the development, which is part of a TCU campus master plan that also includes several other major projects. But records filed with the city in July describe some of the university’s vision for the northern side of West Berry, east of University Drive.

Those blocks are between the TCU Campus Store and the TCU-owned GrandMarc at Westberry Place apartments. The university is seeking to have part of Cockrell Avenue and an alley vacated by the city to accommodate the development.

If approved, 21 small lots would be replatted into two large lots spanning a combined 5.2 acres. All of the land is owned by TCU, and most of it is used for parking lots.

Jason Soileau, an a ssistant vice chancellor for planning, design and construction at TCU, said no plans for development are set in stone. The university has hired Austin-based developer Endeavor to help explore ideas for the possible mixed-use development and ways to improve pedestrian access.

West Berry is an area ripe for development that could enrich the campus for both students and visitors, Soileau said.

“Berry Street, we think, is a low-hanging fruit in terms of student experience,” he said. “We are interested in exploring a multi-use development along Berry Street that would leverage Berry Street as being Fort Worth’s new destination place.”

On Monday, TCU filed paperwork with the city of Fort Worth that reveals more details about part of the development , including six- and seven-story apartment buildings.

If development moves forward, the campus store would remain. The university is looking into ways to relocate other existing structures on West Berry, like The Art Galleries at TCU.

As it is now, most of West Berry’s existing restaurants, bars and retailers along this stretch between South University and McCart Avenue are on the south side of the street, while much of the land on the north side is surface parking.

The mixed-use development would be only the first step in TCU’s plan for West Berry. The corridor is part of the university’s campus master plan initiative, which started in 2022 and aims to create long-term guidelines for the evolution and growth of the campus.

TCU conducted studies, including an enrollment growth analysis, to inform planning efforts. TCU then hired international design firm Sasaki to create the master plan.

The plan was approved in concept by the university’s board of trustees in the spring, according to a July 11 letter to faculty and staff from TCU president Daniel W. Pullin. It is unclear when the full plan will be released.

Soileau said the plan is a vision for the future, not a construction plan that TCU is fully committed to. Some projects might not need to be built for decades, but Soileau said the master plan has the potential to double TCU’s square footage and housing inventory.

TCU will hold two town hall meetings for students and faculty about the university’s broader strategic planning efforts on Aug. 20 and 21.

New development could add sorely needed student housing. Record enrollment in recent years has strained the university’s housing resources, with some students struggling to find places to live.

Nearly 10,900 undergraduate students were enrolled in TCU for the fall 2023 semester , almost 48 percent of whom lived on campus.

A dining hall and two dorms on the eastern side of campus, expected to house 292 students, are under construction. The project is expected to conclude in January. This month, TCU filed applications to conduct drainage studies for additional housing and a parking lot on the east side of the campus.

Off-campus housing development has proved controversial at times . In neighborhoods near TCU, construction of multi-story housing on lots zoned for duplexes, many of which are rented to students, has sparked opposition from some neighbors.

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