Some Fort Worthians may have thought this day would never come when the 14-story building at 811 Commerce St. would be transformed into something so elegant and attractive as the Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown.
For nearly 20 years, the building that houses downtown’s newest hotel sat vacant, an eyesore to some, to others an intriguing relic of Fort Worth’s past. Its first five floors, now obscured by years of updates, dates to 1928 when it opened as a parking garage, one of the first in the area. Over the decades, the property grew in size, height, and importance, ultimately serving as a 230-room extension of the Hotel Texas — the historic hotel where John F. Kennedy spent his last night and delivered his final address; it was known for its U-shaped structure, courtyard pool, and skywalk connecting it to Hotel Texas, now the Hilton Fort Worth.
The “Annex,” as it was commonly known, stood silent for years after its closure in 2006, a stark contrast to a downtown that bustled around it. The Annex was one of the few skyscrapers in the area to stay abandoned for nearly two decades.
It’s been brought back to life by Le Méridien, a Marriott brand with more than 100 hotels around the world. Opened in August, the Fort Worth location is managed by Remington Hospitality and was redeveloped by Blueprint Hospitality.
Dallas-based design firm Premier gave the property a mod-inspired makeover, decorating its 188 rooms with midcentury-style furniture, lighting, and other design elements. A rooftop bar, called ANNEX — a reference to the property’s previous life — offers panoramic views of downtown, along with small bites and comfy couches. The pool area lives again, too, still maintaining its cool, horseshoe shape. Curated art, inspired by both midcentury aesthetic and western heritage, lingers everywhere.
The property’s centerpiece is its in-house restaurant, Bouvier Brasserie, led by young Arizona native Damian Lopez, a 23-year-old chef who graduated from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.
As Bouvier’s executive chef, Lopez mixes one of his first loves, French cuisine, with a new one, Texas cooking. “I like to say my food has French roots with Texas soul,” he says.
While much of his training and love and understanding of food came from family and school, he says he was greatly inspired by a handful of chefs with whom he trained, including Devin Pinto, executive chef for St. Cruz at The Leo Kent, a well-regarded restaurant and hotel in Tucson. Lopez and Pinto worked together at Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, also in Arizona.
“I’d say he was my biggest mentor,” Lopez says. “His whole culinary theme is French-driven. I learned a lot in my cooking classes, but Devin really taught me how to utilize French cooking techniques and ingredients. Most chefs have great mentors who make a big impact on their lives and he’s definitely one of mine.”
Menu items at Bouvier Brasserie include a cassoulet studded with brisket and pork belly; salmon meunière, comprised of herb-crusted salmon in a French vierge sauce; a ratatouille casserole layered with eggplant, zucchini, and fried onions; and a trio of steak dishes, including steak frites, a staple of French cuisine, that feature Wagyu X, a premium form of wagyu beef.
“It’s like next level wagyu beef,” Lopez says. “The cattle are raised on a farm here in Texas, and that farm is family-owned. That’s something that’s important to me as a chef — not just to offer Texas twists on my dishes but to actually use Texas ingredients in my dishes, whether it’s a main component or something as simple as a seasoning.”
Lopez is particularly fond of his take on pheasant, another staple of French cuisine.
“I thought about doing it chicken and waffles-style but elevated,” he says. “I didn’t really want to do waffles, though, so I came up with the idea to do French lentils as the base. That gives it more of a French twist.” The dish’s Texas influence comes from marinating the pheasant in buttermilk, then coating it in breadcrumbs, which makes it crispy like fried chicken.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant itself is simple, small, and quaint, with a design scheme that echoes the hotel’s midcentury vibe.
There is one component of the hotel that has yet to be repurposed or reborn: the skywalk that connects Le Méridien to the Hilton next door, as it originally did. Currently, it’s being used for storage.
“We have a lot of ideas for it,” Lopez says. “I’d love for us to use it as a speakeasy bar. Wouldn’t that be cool? You’re having a nice drink or bite to eat while you watch the cars pass below you? I think it’d be a cool vibe. They know I’d like to do it. We’ll see what happens.” Bouvier Brasserie at Le Méridien Fort Worth Downtown, 811 Commerce St., marriott.com
