Hey Westoplexians,
Fort Worth loses about 50 acres of open land to development every single week. That number stuck with me all week, because almost every story that crossed my desk was really about the same question: when a place grows this fast, what do you save, what do you build, and where do you put the kids? Some of the answers were good ones. One of them was a boil-water notice. And there are tiger cubs, because sometimes the week just hands you tiger cubs.
Here's what caught my eye this week.
-josh
🌾 A State Park Around Benbrook Lake? It's Officially on the Table
Mayor Mattie Parker launched the Fort Worth Open Space & Parks Conservancy this week, a nonprofit that pairs city resources with private money to protect land before it gets paved. Its very first priority: exploring a state park around Benbrook Lake, working with Texas Parks and Wildlife on a mix of public and private land that would permanently protect stretches of native prairie.
I live on this side of town. I drive past that lake constantly. A state park in Benbrook's backyard would change what this whole corner of the Westoplex is known for.
It's early. "Exploring" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. But 50 acres a week is the pace we're up against, and somebody finally put a plan on the board.
🏫 Walsh Just Gave Aledo ISD Another School Site — For Free
The Walsh family donated nearly 13 acres along Quail Meadow Drive to Aledo ISD for a future elementary school. It's the second time they've done it. The first donation became Walsh Elementary, which opened in 2017.
Because the land was a gift, the district only covers closing costs, which leaves its land budget from the 2023 bond intact. Superintendent Susan Bohn pointed straight at the reason they're buying ahead: growth, and land prices that keep climbing.
No timeline yet. A citizen committee will decide if and when anything gets built. But if you've watched how fast rooftops have gone up north of I-20, you already know they're not banking dirt for fun.
🚆 The Northside Is Getting Ready for the Train
City Council voted 10-0 Tuesday to rezone about 200 acres around TEXRail's North Side Station, just north of the Stockyards. The goal is a walkable neighborhood of homes, shops and restaurants within reach of the platform. Single-family homes in the area aren't affected. The rezoning mostly covers commercial land, a lot of it currently recycling yards.
Here's the part that makes it feel less like wishful thinking: TEXRail topped 1 million rides last fiscal year. First time ever.
A train nobody rode would make this a planning exercise. A million rides makes it a neighborhood waiting to happen. Maybe in ten years we'll be grabbing dinner by the North Side platform and forget it was ever tire shops.
📈 The Rate Cut Talk Just Flipped
New inflation numbers came in hot this week, and markets responded fast. According to Realtor.com, investors now put the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month at about 35%. A few months ago, everybody was arguing about how soon rates would come down.
Locally, the Fort Worth Report noted energy and produce prices are doing most of the pushing on North Texas costs.
My take: if you're waiting on rates to make a move, don't build your whole plan around a forecast. They've been wrong in both directions. Know your numbers today, and keep a close eye on the Fed's next meeting - and the 10 year treasury bond, that’s what really moves the needle for mortgage rates.
🍛 Turmeric Brings Naan Tacos to the Edge of Town
A new family-owned Indian restaurant called Turmeric just opened out on the far edge of southwest Fort Worth. That's the part of town where new rooftops usually beat new restaurants by a few years, so this one caught my eye.
The owners are cooking family recipes. Think chicken tikka masala, plus naan in four flavors. They also use that naan in a couple of fusion dishes, including naan tacos. I have not tried them yet. I fully intend to.
This is how a neighborhood starts to feel finished. First the houses. Then the grocery store. Then a family opens a place where somebody knows your order. Maybe that last one is the step that matters most.
🏡 Homeowner Tip: Beat the First Freeze to the Punch
Last week's cold front was the first real reminder that winter is coming. The first freeze usually shows up sometime in November around here, and it rarely sends a calendar invite.
So spend fifteen minutes this weekend on the easy stuff:
Unhook your garden hoses. A hose left on the spigot traps water. When that water freezes, it can split the pipe inside your wall. You won't know until spring.
Cover your outdoor faucets. Foam covers cost a few bucks at the hardware store.
Find your main water shutoff. If a pipe ever does burst, you don't want to be hunting for it with a flashlight.
Swap your HVAC filter before the heat kicks on for real. A little burning-dust smell on the first run is normal. It should fade fast.
Future you, standing in a dry kitchen in January, says thanks.
🐯 Meet Barani and Malu
The Fort Worth Zoo has twin Sumatran tiger cubs. Two sisters, born in July to first-time mom Ndari and dad Rakan. Their names are Barani, which means "brave" (she's the smaller one, naturally), and Malu, which means "reserved."
Sumatran tigers are critically endangered. Fewer than 650 are left in the wild. Two of the newest ones live off University Drive.
The zoo says they'll debut at the Predators of Asia and Africa habitat in the coming weeks. If you've got kids, or you're just a grown adult who likes tiger cubs (no judgment), this is one to keep an eye on. We saw them last week when we went to the zoo as a family.
📅 On the Calendar
A few things worth knowing about in the next couple of weeks.
🗳️ Early voting is open now. It runs through Friday, Oct. 30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. The dates are the same statewide, so Parker County folks are on the same clock. In Tarrant County, Trinity Metro is giving one free Local Day Pass during early voting. Just enter code VOTE26 in the GoPass app. On Election Day, tell your driver you're headed to or from the polls and the ride is free. Find your Tarrant County polling place · Free ride details
🌉 Central City Project open house, Thursday, Oct. 22. This is the flood-control project behind Panther Island. If you've got questions about what's being built north of downtown, this is a chance to ask the people building it. City details
🎃 Halloween in Sundance Square, Saturday, Oct. 31. It's free, from 5 to 11 p.m., with trunk-or-treating for the kids from 6 to 8. Fort Worth Report's Halloween roundup
🤠 The National Cowgirl Museum reopens Saturday, Nov. 7. It's closed now while it finishes a 16,000-square-foot expansion with new galleries and an indoor carousel. Yes, a carousel. In the Cultural District. Plan accordingly. Expansion details
Fun fact for the week: Back in the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps worked on a proposed state park out by Lake Worth. It never happened. But the work did. Stone steps, shelter remains and old picnic spots built by those crews still sit inside what's now the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge, all 3,621 acres of it.
So if Benbrook Lake gets its park, it won't be the city's first try. Maybe the second time's the charm.
That's the week in Fort Worth. As always, if you have questions about the market, want a free home value estimate, or just want to know what's happening in your neighborhood — I'm one reply away.
See you next week,
Josh Harville
Real Estate Professional | Fathom Realty, LLC | SA-0682306 Westoplex Region: Fort Worth · Aledo · Weatherford · Benbrook & surrounding communities
📞 817-917-8923
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 http://joshuaharville.fathomrealty.com/
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