Mid City Times

It has been six months since the explosion at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel. Small businesses affected by the incident are being notified that one lane of Eighth Street will soon reopen to traffic, along with on-street permit parking and metered parking.

The tentative date for this reopening is July 22, but the City’s Transportation & Public Works Department is working with the contractor to explore whether this timeline can be expedited.

The businesses located on Eighth Street between Throckmorton and Houston streets, on the south side of the hotel, were most impacted by the explosion and its aftermath. The City of Fort Worth lost revenue from metered parking during the initial emergency declaration along this area, and permit parking holders also had to relocate during months of cleanup.

City staff met with the impacted business owners in the weeks following the explosion to assess their immediate needs. Several businesses had concerns about revenue recovery, as the road closure made it difficult for customers to access them. Following these discussions, the City’s Economic Development Department worked with the Local Development Corporation to provide more than $137,000 in grants to four small businesses located in the immediate vicinity of the explosion to help supplement loss of revenue as cleanup efforts continued.

Sandman’s contractor, First on Site, has completed temporary pavement repairs and is preparing to open one lane and parking as soon as they install steel plates to protect a pit adjacent to the building. This crater was part of the damage to the surrounding area and is still being reconstructed. In order to protect drivers, steel plates will be placed over it.

First on Site anticipates this being complete within two weeks and will open a single lane earlier if possible. If temporary lane closures are needed due to repair operations, Sandman’s contractors will take appropriate measures. The street will be reconstructed prior to reopening of the hotel; however, a reopen date has not been determined. Updates will be provided when available.

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