TCC's plans have changed; city needs haven't

Tarrant County College’s downtown campus will never be finished the way it was envisioned. But we still have a chance to finish the current job right — and an obligation to do so.

Last week, TCC shocked the community by abandoning its plans to build a campus on both sides of the Trinity River and instead bought RadioShack’s headquarters for its future site. The abrupt change put some major civic plans in limbo, including the fate of the sunken plaza east of the Tarrant County Courthouse.

The plaza was supposed to funnel people from the city’s central core, under Belknap Street, and across the river to classrooms on the near north side. It was an expensive, unconventional way to provide a gateway to the waterfront, and last year, the design divided some key players in downtown Fort Worth, led by developer Ed Bass.

When TCC said it will no longer cross the river, many assumed the sunken plaza was dead. And Bass, who often plays the conscience of downtown architecture, issued a statement urging Tarrant County to reacquire the block and turn it into "a true Courthouse Square."

Not so fast, please.

TCC’s exit has changed the game irrevocably, but Fort Worth still needs a connector to the river and a way for pedestrians to get between the north side and central business district. Trinity Uptown, the ambitious project to redevelop the riverfront, is built on the premise of attracting thousands of new residents. For the project to work as hoped, they must have a way to walk to the courthouse, Sundance Square and other landmarks.

The TCC campus was supposed to provide that key piece. Architect Bing Thom designed a long walkway and bridge, accented by a fountain to echo the river, and his slope was so gradual that it could be handled by a mom pushing a baby stroller.

Thom’s approach is in doubt now because TCC doesn’t need the bridge and doesn’t want to spend any more than necessary, not after already taking a bath on the project. But if this site is not to be the connector, what is?

No alternative is on the drawing board. Walking up Main Street and even walking from the river to RadioShack is a steep climb. Both routes are anything but pedestrian-friendly.

The bottom line is that the TCC route is the best connector, by far, and TCC has already done much of the heavy lifting. It’s carved away the bluff and built a bridge under Belknap, so people could pass from the plaza under the road.

The excavation of the plaza itself hasn’t begun. That will cost plenty and require a lot of concrete and pavers. TCC’s architects and engineers are evaluating whether to stick with the sunken plaza or build a different access point, probably on the east side of the buildings under construction on the bluff.

A year ago, when Bass pushed to change the plan, the school might have saved millions by giving up the plaza. At this point, the savings aren’t so clear. Much work has been done and materials have been bought and construction contracts awarded.

If TCC goes the other way, it would have to design and build a different access point near the bluffs, including wheelchair access. That may be cheaper than the plaza, or it may cost more.

Aesthetically, it might be a mess to simply tack on a new side entrance. But TCC may not be able to justify a large sunken plaza if there’s not a college campus on the other side. Perhaps a hybrid solution is in order — a way to preserve the gateway to the waterfront and also develop a portion of the block.

TCC has a big stake in doing this right. Its design was central to Trinity Uptown plans, and without that anchor on the water, it should feel an obligation to at least facilitate a transition. But it’s also a major landholder on both sides. Ultimately it will sell the vacant land it’s no longer developing on the north side and may even sell the buildings on the bluff.

The value of both could increase greatly if the riverfront connector runs through them.

Finding a fix for the pedestrian bridge may be easier than dealing with the sunken plaza. The Tarrant Regional Water District is considering stepping forward, and its bridge plan wouldn’t be the deal breaker that doomed TCC’s construction.

A simple pedestrian bridge could span the levees, never compromising them, and then connect to the TCC property. The TCC walkway now stops at the water’s edge, effectively creating an overlook.

A low-water crossing could also serve as a temporary solution, at least until the river bypass is built and the levees can be removed, which is expected in about a decade.

Either way, local leaders are likely to find some way to let people cross the river at the TCC site, perhaps by the time the college finishes its current buildings. A simple pedestrian bridge could be built for less than $2 million.

Get that done and follow through on a great gateway, and the TCC project can still achieve one of its primary goals — bringing people to the river. That may not be everything we hoped for, but it’s still a worthy legacy.