New Fort Worth building rules allow developers to get high on Panther Island

Harrison Mantas

April 23, 2024 at 1:34 p.m.·1 min read

In the Spotlight: Panther Island. Star-Telegram journalists answer your questions about the future Fort Worth development. Read more. Got a question? Use the form at the bottom of this story.

The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to loosen building height restrictions on Panther Island.

The city’s zoning rules had previously limited building heights to 96 feet on the planned island, but the new regulations will allow a maximum of 20 stories for buildings along North Main Street.

That’s about half the height of Burnett Plaza, the tallest building in Fort Worth.

The vote followed recommendations from a consultant report that called for a loosening of the city’s height restrictions on the island.

The report recommended having more dense development along corridors like North Main Street to generate enough traffic for a public transit option like a bus line or future light rail.

The city plans to do a more comprehensive refresh of zoning rules governing the entire island. It is looking for a consultant before scheduling a series of public meetings on the changes.

ABOUT PANTHER ISLAND

Panther Island will be created when the Army Corps of Engineers builds a 1.5-mile bypass channel connecting two sections of the Trinity River north of downtown. The plan is to provide flood control and update the aging levee system. The resulting island will create 338 acres of prime real estate.

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ABOUT PANTHER ISLAND

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