Bird Café landing in Sundance Square

Restaurateur Shannon Wynne to open Bird Cafe in Sundance Square’s new Plaza this fall

(January 30, 2013) Longtime Sundance Square restaurateur Shannon Wynne will open Bird Café in Sundance Square this October with more than 6,400 square feet of indoor space and 2,300 feet of patio space in the new Plaza.

“We couldn’t be happier with Shannon’s new concept,” said Johnny Campbell, president and CEO of Sundance Square. “Bird Café will be incorporated into the existing Land Title Building, built in 1888, as well as the new Commerce Building currently under construction. The L-shaped restaurant will use 3,883 square feet of space in the Land Title Building and 2,586 square feet in the Commerce Building creating a unique blend of new and old.”

A patio will extend from the Commerce Building to the Land Title Building creating a sizeable outdoor dining area. The patio will be split between two levels with the ground level featuring 1,824 square feet and another 496 square feet on the second floor.

“We are keeping the decor under wrap until we are ready to open, but we are incorporating the historical significance of the Land Title Building into the design while creating an interior that has a current sensibility,” said Wynne. “It will all come together when we open and I think patrons of the Fort Worth art scene will dig it. There will be great rooms for private parties and speaker lunches.”

Wynne closed 8.0 last year to accommodate the Flying Saucer which had occupied the Land Title Building since 1995. “I was aware of the plan for the plaza since I signed the 8.0 lease in 1993,” stated Wynne. “We hope to provide a very comfortable place to have a great meal in a building that has come to symbolize Sundance Square’s effort to maintain the architectural integrity of downtown Fort Worth.”

“The chef driven menu will focus on small plates at dinner which we do very nicely and are extremely popular at the Moth,” continued Wynne. “Currently we are positioning Chef David McMillan to oversee our program at Bird Café. While pretty upscale, we will be very approachable at lunch and dinner.”

The centerpiece of downtown Fort Worth, the plaza is set for completion in October and will be flanked by two new buildings currently under construction, The Westbrook on the west and on the east, The Commerce. The north side of the plaza along 3rd Street will be framed by the historic Jett Building and a new multi-purpose pavilion. On the south side of the plaza, a double allée of trees will define the nearly one-acre site.

“Sundance Square’s plaza will be a pedestrian friendly setting activated by restaurants, performance areas, fountains, landscaping, and furnishings,” said Campbell. “As we move through the year, the plaza will start taking its final shape. We are on track with the construction and will be ready to open the plaza to the community in October.”

Story and photos by David Alvey.

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  Bird Cafe, Flying Saucer, Fort Worth, Land Title Building, opening, Shannon Wynne, Sundance Square