Construction for a long-awaited Historic Southside urban village could begin this summer, according to the project’s developer.
Kevin Newell, president and CEO of Milwaukee-based developer Royal Capital, told residents that the transformative $63 million mixed-use residential and commercial project is months away from the start of construction north of the intersection of East Rosedale Street and Evans Avenue.
“You all have been patient over the last 25 years. … Things are moving more aggressively,” he told members of the Historic Southside Neighborhood Association at a Feb. 16 meeting. “Hope y’all are excited. This thing’s coming.”
Newell made his comments as part of a panel discussion moderated by Fernando Costa, former Fort Worth assistant city manager.
“2026 promises to be a year of action for the Historic Southside,” Costa said, referring to decades of delays for the project.
The Historic Southside, an area smaller than a square mile, has more than 2,500 residents with a median income of $51,899 and an unemployment rate of 8%, which is more than double the rest of the city. Most work in the health care industry, according to North Texas Community Foundation data.
About 53.6% of residents own their homes, but about 1,400 households live below the poverty level and about a quarter receive food assistance, according to the demographic information compiled by the foundation.
About $20 million of the city’s investment in the village includes tax increment financing for roads and infrastructure as well as grants, tax exemptions and land.
Newell, along with city and police officials, are still seeking input from residents on ways to improve the neighborhood, including curbing the amount of homeless people who camp nearby. Restaurants and a grocery store top the wish list of amenities that residents said they want to see as part of the urban village.
A firm construction start for the urban village has not been scheduled, city spokesperson Andrea Duffie said.
“No official groundbreaking date has been set yet, but we're continuing to work with Royal Capital to move the project forward,” Duffie said via email.
Royal Capital plans to build a mix of up to 181 affordable housing units with income restrictions to help the Historic Southside’s older residents.
City officials are working to attract businesses to the project, including a grocer or market to sell healthy food. New commercial live-work units will be built along Evans north of Rosedale.
The urban village will be complemented by the National Juneteenth Museum, which will be built at the site of the Southside Community Center, 959 E. Rosedale St. A ground breaking for the museum is also expected later this year after the community center is demolished.
More than $52 million of the $70 million goal has been raised for the museum.
Jarred Howard, CEO of the museum, said he was excited about planning educational programs and amenities for the museum, including a 250-seat theater, galleries and a food hall that would feature local businesses.
“Those things existed in the Historic Southside,” he said.
The National Juneteenth Museum is planned in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside. The museum with floor-to-ceiling windows will have a gallery, theater and business incubator space. (Courtesy | National Juneteenth Museum) The neighborhood is expected to be the epicenter of Black culture for Fort Worth, but will also be inclusive of other cultures as well, he said.
Residents said they want the city to focus on diminishing the chronic presence of homeless people although local services remain centered around East Lancaster Avenue and Interstate 35W.
Fort Worth police Cmdr. Rob Stewart, who leads the department’s Central Division, urged residents to report “everyday problems,” including incidents involving homeless people, so resources can be allocated to the Historic Southside.
“We’re policing the area the way it wants to be policed,” he said.
He added that the police department is researching to determine the best spots for surveillance cameras after the city received dozens of requests.
“Cameras are coming. It just takes a while,” Stewart said.
Tara Perez, manager of Fort Worth’s Homeless Strategies department, said the city is committed to helping homeless people through psychiatric and counseling services as well as transitional housing programs. Four areas, including East Lancaster, are among the targeted areas.
Federal funding changes to homeless services means the city will focus more on transitional services, she said.
Diversion tactics also help homeless people “who get stuck here,” Perez said.
For example, within a two-week period, the city purchased bus tickets for 25 people to return to their home cities, Perez said.
Officials said the city’s homeless crisis won’t be fixed within five years, but work is continuing.
The city is establishing new rules that limit overnight parking on Evans Avenue from Rosedale to East Terrell Avenue near the urban village site. Residents have complained about people sleeping in cars, although that is not illegal, Stewart said.
A site for a casual dining restaurant is included in the planned Evans and Rosedale urban village. (Courtesy | Royal Capital) Diminishing the presence of homeless people in the Historic Southside will aid in economic redevelopment, residents and panelists said.
Newell said he and his company’s team worked hard to build relationships with residents to ensure that their voices are heard while developing the urban village. He said he hopes the project will address residents’ concerns about health care, education and affordable housing while providing a safe environment to live, work and shop.
Costa said he believes the redevelopment will be impactful.
“I’m confident we will make great progress,” he said.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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