Plus, celebrate National Pizza Day with these reader recommendations
6AM City In-house

Money, money, money 💸

Future City Hall gets a $50 million price increase
Renderings of the council chambers at Future City Hall
Rendering of the Council Chambers at Future City Hall. | Image courtesy of the City of Fort Worth
The path to something new is never without challenges, and that couldn’t be more true for the Future City Hall. At a city council meeting earlier this week, Athenian Group shared an update on the scope and budget for the project — facilities for 700 more employees and a mere $50 million increase in total cost.

The proposed total budget is now $230.5 million, up from the $180 million original estimate. The $13 million inflation increase isn’t the only cause.

City Hall tower

In 2021, 900 employees planned to move into the west downtown complex; now, there will be 1,600 staff members. The city will lease the building’s 15th floor — about 20,000 sqft — and update floors that were originally slated to be left “as-is.”

Construction revealed issues with the lighting control system, facilities, and mechanical infrastructure. Tower maintenance and capacity for more staff add ~$20 million to the budget.


Screenshot 2023-02-08 at 2.40.00 PM.png

The site will be graded to accommodate the floodway and will feature TRWD green stormwater requirements. | Image courtesy of the City of Fort Worth

Council Chamber

Last year, the city discovered the site falls into a federal floodway. Therefore, the city must reserve a certain amount of land, known as valley storage, for flooding emergencies from the adjacent Trinity River.

The Athenian Group worked with Trinity River Water District and the US Army Corps of Engineers to obtain the correct permits, but it delayed the completion date to 2024, nearly a year later than intended.

The design for the Council Chambers increased from two to three stories to minimize the footprint and the team will have to build up the grade. These changes — as well as the accompanying egress, structure, and waterproofing — will result in a $7.6 million increase.

The updated designs also include 13,000 sqft of additional space — namely meeting, catering, security, and media rooms — a $9.4 million change.

The increased budget will draw from the city’s 2023 debt program, which city council will consider at the Tuesday, Feb. 14 meeting.

These numbers may be eye-opening, but to put it into context, constructing the same project with the same scope from the ground up is an estimated $400 million. 💰

So now’s your chance to be the broker — click the button below and tell us how you’d spend the additional $50 million, total $230 million, or equivalent $400 million on community or civic projects in Fort Worth.
BE THE BROKER
Chapel Hill Academy

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Thursday, Feb. 9
  • Visit Fort Worth Video Shoot | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 2:15-3:30 p.m. | Sundance Square Plaza, 425 Houston St., Fort Worth | Free | Represent your city as an extra in a new video that will appear at the Visit Fort Worth 2023 Annual Meeting.
Friday, Feb. 10
  • Open Studios Night | Friday, Feb. 10 | 6-9 p.m. | SiNaCa Studios, 1013 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth | Free | Take a look behind-the-scenes as featured artists show off their skills creating glass art.
Saturday, Feb. 11
  • “Charlotte’s Web” | Saturday, Feb. 11-Sunday, Feb. 19 | Times vary | Casa Mañana, 3101 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth | $29-$44 | Join Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig’s adventure as they explore life in the barnyard.
Sunday, Feb. 12
  • Super Bowl Sunday | Sunday, Feb. 12 | 5:30 p.m. | Birdie’s Social Club, 2736 W. 6th St., Fort Worth | Cost of purchase | Enjoy signature cocktails and fun food trucks while you watch the Chiefs take on the Eagles in the biggest game of the year.
Monday, Feb. 13
  • Flower Arranging Class | Monday, Feb. 13 | 6 p.m. | Roy Pope Grocery Store, 2300 Merrick St., Fort Worth | $90 | Test your hand at the art of floral arrangements with a complimentary beverage from The Bubble Bus — vase and sheers included.
Tuesday, Feb. 14
  • Valentine’s Movie Night | Tuesday, Feb. 14 | 8 p.m. | Downtown Cowtown at the Isis, 2401 N. Main St., Fort Worth | $20 | Grab your date and snacks and settle in for a classic romance movie.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 65º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain
Fort Worthian
  • Yesterday, the Texas Senate unveiled a new portrait of Opal Lee in the state capitol. The “Grandmother of Juneteenth” image will permanently hang in the State Senate Chamber, commemorating Opal’s efforts to have Juneteenth designated as a federal holiday.
Edu
  • Who’s ready for graduation? Fort Worth ISD released this year’s commencement dates. Seniors will walk the stage Friday, May 19, Wednesday, May 24, and Thursday, June 1-Sunday, June 4. See the full schedule. 🎓
Holiday
  • Still looking for a Valentine’s surprise for someone special in your life? Check out these six local chocolatiers for a sweet treat. Best of luck trying not to eat them all yourself. 🍫
Concert
  • Grammy-winning opera singer J’Nai Bridges will perform two concerts this week. In her first Texas recitals, she will sing today at 7:30 p.m. at the Kimbell Art Museum and at 8 p.m. tomorrow at The Post at River East. 🎶
Number
  • $7.5 million. That’s how much money was raised by the FWSSR Junior Sale of Champions on Saturday. Over 1.27 million visitors attended the show during its 23-day run. Check out other records. 💰 (Fort Worth Report)
Sports
  • Texas Ranger Hall of Famer Ian Kinsler is returning to the team as a special assistant to the general manager. Kinsler — second baseman during the team’s 2010 + 2011 World Series appearances — will work on player development and mentorship. ⚾️
Pets
  • There has been an outbreak of canine influenza virus at the Silcox Animal Care & Adoption Center, so the animals are not currently available for foster or adoption. The center is also not accepting strays or owner surrenders and isolation protocols may last for a few weeks. See other animal shelter alternatives.
  • However, if you are seeking a fur-ever friend at the moment, Saving Hope Rescue has a plethora of puppies right now and is looking for foster homes. The organization will provide all of the supplies. Apply now. 🐶
Development
  • The Worth Heights Community Center on the Southside is getting an interior update. According to a recent filing, the $100,000 office remodel is scheduled to start next month and continue until September. The center regularly hosts events for the Best Years Club and serves as a Community Action Partners center. 🛠️
Wellness
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Voted best pizza around Fort Worth
FTW-cane-rosso-pizza
Don’t get us started on pizza toppings. | Photo by @canerossotx
Today is National Pizza Day, where we celebrate a round food, cut into triangular pieces, served in a square box — or as City Editor Kate likes to think of it — junk food for geometry geniuses.

A recent survey ranked Cowtown No. 1 for best pizza in Texas. We polled our readers to find the best local spot for a slice and here’s what y’all said:
Don’t see your go-to pizza? Email us and we’ll add your favorite to the list.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Kate.

Editor’s pick: Panther City Lacrosse is returning to Dickies Arena this weekend. Grab a ticket to the game at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 to watch the team take on the Vancouver Warriors. Plus, bring your young athletes because it’s Youth Lacrosse Night.

What will I be doing? I’ll be on the hunt for Lil’ Prowl. 🐆

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? A new state park is coming to North Texas.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Rebecca McRobbie, Kate Mazade, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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