A boutique hotel planned for the Near Southside is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The Fort Worth City Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday to approve a zoning change that would allow a hotel to be built in the area. Councilman Jungas Jordan was the only member to vote against the rezoning.
The 138-room hotel will be located on Henderson Street between Magnolia Avenue and Oleander Street. Landowner Mike Dolabi, San Diego-based developer Bond Partners and Fort Worth architecture firm Bennett Benner Partners are collaborating on the project.
The building will stand at six stories with the top floor stepped back "so that it feels more like a five-story building," said Michael Bennett, principal and CEO of Bennett Benner Partners. The hotel's ground floor will be used as commercial space for possible retail and restaurant tenants.
Plans also include a 470-space parking garage, and between 150-170 of those spaces will be open to the general public.
Some nearby residents opposed the project, citing concerns like parking issues and increased traffic.
Councilwoman Ann Zadeh, whose district includes the development, said city staff has studied the project's site plan and do not foresee major traffic issues.
“Understanding that growth, and especially development in areas that are close to neighborhoods, can be painful,” she said. “In my opinion, what we've been presented is thoughtful and beneficial to the continued improvement of the area.”
