Sundance Square Management has retained Virginia-based Michael Vergason Landscape Architects, LTD to design the long-awaited central plaza now under development at the heart of the 35-block Sundance Square district.
The firm will be responsible for design of the landscape, hardscape, water features, and lighting of the plaza space.
“We envision the plaza to be a focal point for public outdoor events in downtown Fort Worth, as well as an amenity to be enjoyed at all times of the day by those who populate our vibrant, 24 hour downtown,” said Sundance Square developer Ed Bass. “The space will be welcoming, vibrant and multi-faceted. It will be designed to accommodate everything from large community gatherings and festivals to casual day-to-day use by downtown workers, residents and visitors.”
The plaza will be located on two blocks that are now largely parking lots on either side of Main Street between 3rd & 4th Streets. The plaza space itself will be comprised of more than one acre and be defined on the west by a new, five-story building with frontage on Houston Street, and on the east by several new buildings of two to five stories with frontage on Commerce Street.
Michael Vergason Landscape Architects are currently engaged in the design process that is anticipated to take several months. Sundance Square plans to unveil details of the plaza design later this year.
“Michael Vergason’s firm was selected for their skill, sensitivity and versatility in creating outdoor places that serve people and cities,” said Bass. “We want the Plaza to be an urban space that can serve many purposes: warm and welcoming at quiet times of the day and full of excitement and life at busy times. I am confident that Michael and his team, working with our lead design architect David Schwarz, will create such a place.”
The Vergason firm is an international landscape architecture design firm that has worked on projects all over the world including the Normandy Visitor’s Center in Normandy, France; master planning and site design for Petra Archeological site in Amman, Jordon; the revitalization of Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford, Connecticut; the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and Visitor’s Center in Charlottesville, VA.
Michael Vergason states, “We are fortunate to be part of the central plaza project and to be able to contribute a critical centerpiece to the larger Sundance Square district. The civic character of downtown Fort Worth is defined by an intimate scale, a comfortable scale, that is welcoming with a palpable history. The design of the central plaza is a chance to formalize and finish an appropriate setting for the variety of program activities that have been gathering momentum in this place for many years. We are impressed with all the hard work that has preceded us and honored to be working on a civic square that will be enduring and adaptable to the life and identity of the city.”
Sundance Square Management unveiled plans for three new buildings in November, including the two that will define the plaza space and a third located on West 3rd Street with principal frontage on both Houston and Throckmorton Streets.
David M Schwarz Architects, Inc. is the lead design firm for the project. Mr. Schwarz has been the master-plan architect for Sundance Square since 1989. His firm has designed five previous Sundance Square buildings as well as the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall.
The Projects Group of Fort Worth, Texas, which offers comprehensive program and project management services to companies, non-profit organizations and institutional entities, is the project manager.
Bennett Benner Pettit, Planners + Architects was named architect of record for the project. The Beck Group has been retained as construction manager.
Sundance Square is a vibrant 35-block commercial, residential, entertainment and retail district where people work, live, shop and dine among beautiful landscaping, red-brick streets and turn-of-the-century buildings. More information about Sundance Square can be found at sundancesquare.com.
Story and photo submitted by David Alvey.
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