Mid City Times

On March 28, 2000, Fort Worth experienced a significant F3 tornado that caused extensive damage and reshaped the city. The tornado hit during the evening rush hour, catching many by surprise due to limited communication infrastructure at the time. It began near Castleberry High School in River Oaks and intensified as it moved southeast through Fort Worth's residential areas and into the central business district.

The storm reached peak intensity between 6:25 and 6:26 p.m., causing substantial damage to several major buildings. The nine-story Cash America building was nearly gutted, while the Mallick Tower lost most of its glass exterior. The Bank One Tower suffered catastrophic damage, losing nearly all its windows. Debris from these structures rendered parts of downtown inaccessible for days.

The tornado resulted in two fatalities and injured 80 others, with property damage exceeding $450 million. "In just 10 devastating minutes," noted reports from that time, "the twister killed two people." A third fatality elsewhere in the city was attributed to large hail.

The Linwood neighborhood was particularly affected due to pre-existing construction deficiencies in older homes. In total, 266 structures were damaged, including more than 200 homes, with 28 destroyed.

A second F3 tornado struck Arlington and Grand Prairie later that evening but did not cause any fatalities. Overall, nine tornadoes touched down in North Texas on that day.

Fort Worth officials responded swiftly by securing downtown and initiating cleanup efforts immediately after the storm passed. Scaffolding was installed along sidewalks for pedestrian safety, and a recovery plan was activated overnight.

The disaster led to a transformation of Fort Worth's downtown area. Some businesses never reopened; however, redevelopment followed as part of recovery efforts. For instance, land once occupied by Calvary Cathedral became home to Pier 1 Imports headquarters—now Fort Worth’s City Hall—symbolizing resilience and reinvention.

Reflecting on this event years later highlights both vulnerability to extreme weather events and community strength in overcoming adversity.