For decades, planners in fort worth construction dreamed of a new way to connect downtown to the city’s near southside. But Interstate 30 and four Union Pacific railroad tracks stood in their way. Finally, in April the $53 million Hemphill Street Connector opened to traffic. A design/build delivery model was used, and McCarthy Building Companies of Dallas and their subcontractors completed the project ahead of schedule despite challenges such as tunnel construction through limestone with little overhead clearance.

Other high-rise construction is underway or on the drawing board to bring long-anticipated multifamily housing and hotel rooms to downtown. One of the most significant is Deco 969 at 969 Commerce Street, which will offer 310 luxury apartments and penthouses when complete. The Le Meridien Fort Worth Downtown Hotel and the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, which are both set to add 400 guest rooms when finished, will also help bring more residential living options to downtown.

Building Dreams in the Lone Star State: Fort Worth Construction Spotlight

The convention center’s expansion, which was sidelined during the pandemic, should be ready in 2026. Texas A&M’s new campus will add state-of-the-art food and beverage facilities, demolish an outdated 1983 annex and create a gateway office building with 189 rooms to attract visiting researchers and students.

And a series of relocation projects related to the Panther Island flood prevention project are expected to finish up by the end of this year. These will relocate wet and stormwater lines, and allow the Army Corps of Engineers to dig a bypass channel that will create an island city leaders hope to turn into a river district similar to San Antonio’s River Walk.