Commission approves Franklin family proposal to replace Stockyards surface lot with a 300-space parking garage

The Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted unanimously May 13 to recommend approval of a conditional-use permit to replace a 55-space surface lot in the Stockyards with a four-and-a-half-story structured parking garage that would provide roughly 300 spaces and ground-floor commercial space.

Project and rationale: Architect Shannon Bearden described a constrained, sloped site where a parking structure could add roughly 245 additional spaces; a 2023 city traffic study cited in the presentation recommended leveraging parking resources on the western side of the district to reduce illegal on‑street parking, double parking and circling. The proposal includes brick and materials meant to match the historic character of the Stockyards.

Community outreach: The applicant team said it met with neighboring businesses, the Stockyards Design Review Committee and the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber; presenters noted the site is in a transition district adjacent to historic fabric and said they had been working to make the structure look like the district rather than like a concrete garage.

Outcome and next steps: The commission voted 10–0 to recommend approval. The project will proceed to additional reviews (UDC/BOA) for waivers and variances and will enter the permitting process if council and review bodies grant the outstanding exceptions.

Why it matters: The Stockyards is a high-traffic visitor destination; proponents argued structured parking would reduce cruising for spaces, decrease illegal parking behavior and improve circulation while preserving ground-floor commercial uses.