Downtown Fort Worth
Downtown Fort Worth is the city’s central business district, where many of the tallest buildings and a lot of Fort Worth’s activity are found. In the early 1980s, Sid Bass helped revitalize the area with Sundance Square, a pedestrian-friendly district of shops, restaurants, museums, theaters, offices, and residences. Woodward & Taylor Architects designed Sundance Square, and the project helped bring back life to downtown.
Sundance Square includes a large plaza, brick sidewalks, and notable buildings like the historic Knights of Pythias Building. The area now hosts live entertainment, dining, and cultural venues, creating a connected urban feel.
Landmarks and attractions in downtown include the Fort Worth Water Gardens, a 4.3-acre modern park with three pools; Bass Performance Hall, home to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater, and Fort Worth Opera; and the Fort Worth Convention Center with a large arena. The Tower, once the Bank One Tower, was damaged by a tornado in 2000 and converted to a residential building in 2005. The City Center Development features two tall, pinwheel-shaped towers: the D.R. Horton Tower and the Wells Fargo Tower.
Other notable buildings include Hilton Fort Worth (opened in 1921), Fort Worth City Hall (built in 1971), and the A.D. Marshall Public Safety and Courts Building. The district has housed major company headquarters in the past, including Radio Shack, Pier 1 Imports, XTO Energy, and TPG Capital.
Downtown is well connected by highways, including I-35W, I-30, SH 121, and US 287, with several spurs nearby. Fort Worth Central Station is the main transit hub, with many Trinity Metro bus lines, the Trinity Railway Express, and the TEXRail line planned. A downtown circulator, Molly the Trolley, runs to help people get around. The Trinity Trails offer miles of paths along the Trinity River.
The area also hosts educational campuses and institutions, such as the University of Texas at Arlington’s programs in the historic Santa Fe Building, the Tarrant County College Trinity River campus, and the Texas A&M University School of Law downtown. Fort Worth ISD serves downtown students, and the Fort Worth Library operates the central library at Third Street and Taylor.
Beyond downtown, the Stockyards north of downtown preserves the old west with cattle drives and entertainment. The Cultural District houses major museums like the Modern Art Museum, Kimbell Art Museum, and Amon Carter Museum, as well as Will Rogers Memorial Center and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. West Seventh is a growing, mixed-use district, while the Near Southside is a residential and medical hub just south of downtown. Panther Island, north of downtown along the Trinity River, is being redeveloped with infrastructure, flood protection, and mixed-use growth, including venues like Coyote Drive-In, Panther Island Pavilion, and LaGrave Field.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 23:36 (CET).