The City of Fort Worth is launching a pilot program aimed at commercial revitalization.
Through an application process, two communities in the city will be selected to receive direct support from the Chicago-based Main Street America for the development of a transformation strategy.
"All of our neighborhoods across the city can really have the same kind of vibrancy with just the right tools and the right strategy to move it forward," said Martha Collins, revitalization coordinator with Fort Worth's economic development department. "Those are really the livelihood of many neighborhoods. It's a place where people gather or people socialize, and it's really a piece of identity for a lot of neighborhoods."
The program is geared towards older neighborhoods, such as East Lancaster, Como and Riverside.
"We're really wanting to make sure that we were preserving and also helping to move forward parts of our neighborhood commercial corridors that have significant history," Collins said, "whether that's in buildings or whether that's a history within the people that are within the district."
With the right strategy, Collins says those neighborhoods can become, for example, what Near Southside is today.
"I think Near Southside is a great example of some really meaningful revitalization work that has impacted the whole city," Collins said.
This is the first program of its kind in a major Texas city and one of six programs of its kind in the nation.
There are several requirements for applicants: They must be a managing organization, such as a local community development corporation, a merchant organization or a chamber of commerce with a 501c(3), 501c(4) or 501c(5) status.
Eligible areas must also have the majority of their commercial district in a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone.
Applications are due on Friday, June 6th, at 8:00 p.m.
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