Now.Town
What was once one of the most iconic pieces of art to grace the Fort Worth skyline, has been re-installed, according to the City's website. The iconic 20-foot-tall blue flame atop the former Lone Star Gas Building adjacent to Fort Worth City Hall is back.
This sign, which was a mainstay in the Fort Worth skyline since 1957, came down in October 2018 for restoration due to damages. In fact, this sign was so badly damaged that it considered structurally unsound, according to city records.
Today, this iconic building houses the City Hall Annex and the Water Department’s customer service lobby on the ground floor. Offices for several other City departments are on the floors above. This building located at 901 Monroe St. was designed in 1929 by architect Wyatt C. Hedrick in the Art Deco style, and is considered a landmark, according to city architect Brian Glass. Three additional floors were added to the building in 1957, that same year the blue flame was installed. The Lone Star Gas logo, featuring neon lighting, rotated until 2004.
The City and Fort Worth Art Commission explored opportunities to restore the flame, but without a recognized artist it could not be accomplished through the arts program. By 2018, after years of freewheeling in the wind, the bearings had failed, and the flame was leaning on its structural mount.
In 2018, the City’s Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness to allow the removal, restoration and reinstallation of the flame. The flame was then stored at the City’s James Avenue Service Center until Property Management Department PayGo funds were identified for the restoration.
A contractor repaired the existing enamel paint, replaced neon lights with LED lights and replaced the bearings and motor to make the sign rotate again. With this restoration complete, and the development of Future City Hall, the City intends to sell the Annex building.
But fans of the flame need not worry. Now that the flame has been fully restored, it is estimated that it will welcome residents, employees and visitors downtown for years to come.
