Sundance Square ends free general public parking at one downtown Fort Worth garage

June 21,2024

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See full Fort Worth Report article by Eric E. Garcia and Bob Francis here.

Free nighttime parking is ending for one parking garage in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square.

The free parking for the general public on weeknights and weekends in Garage 3, 345 W. 3rd St., will be eliminated June 22. Parking remains free to those who visit Sundance Square retailers, restaurants and venues, according to a letter sent to tenants of the area.

Sundance Square has participated in a program sponsored by the downtown tax increment financing districts to allow free general public parking during evenings and weekends in Garage 3, the City Center garages, The Tower garage and the 777 Main garage.

Over time, the program has evolved to add or remove different downtown garages.

“Due to increased demand for parking in Garage 3 by Sundance tenants, employees and guests, we are no longer able to include this garage” for free general public parking, according to the letter.

Andrea Duffie, communications coordinator for Fort Worth’s economic development department, said the Sundance Square parking situation “is still under review and no response has been given at this time.”

She said the city and its representatives had no further comment.

Sundance Square spokesperson Bryan Eppstein said downtown parking is becoming an issue for visitors, especially during cultural events that draw hundreds of thousands of people. Several garages contracted by the city have withdrawn from agreements in recent years because parking is now a premium downtown, he said.

Sundance Square, which offered free parking from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. on weeknights and weekends, kept Garage 3 open around the clock during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Since then, some motorists have used the free parking to store their vehicles while staying at some downtown hotels or traveling to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Parking will remain an issue as new developments, including Texas A&M Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Convention Center expansion, are completed and attract more people downtown, Eppstein said.

“There’s a lot of stress on the parking situation,” he said.

Fort Worth city staff were notified of the parking changes in a June 14 letter obtained by the Fort Worth Report.

The letter, citing significant demand at Garage 3, said no space will be available once Sundance withdraws from the agreement on June 21, 2024. A check for $1,509.35 was sent, reflecting a prorated refund of the city’s payment for June rent.

“Rent shall continue to abate until such time as Landlord notifies Tenant that circumstances have changed and spaces are again available for the TIF parking program,” a letter to the city from Sundance attorney Paul Rietema of Chicago-based Jenner & Block LLP said. “Landlord expects that the TIF district has ample opportunities to redirect these economic incentive funds to other projects in downtown Fort Worth in light of TIF’s limited existing funds.”

Officials at Downtown Fort Worth Inc., the manager of the tax financing district for downtown that provides the funds for the parking program, said they are also studying the Sundance letter.

“We and the city have received a letter addressing the lease at the Chase Bank building in downtown,” said Andy Taft, president of Downtown Fort Worth Inc. “We’re reviewing that letter with the city attorney’s office.”

Jessica Hill, vice president of marketing and film commissioner for Visit Fort Worth, said the impact of the loss of nightly free public parking in Garage 3 is unknown.

“We do not have enough information about this matter to comment but are excited to welcome a full slate of conventions, sports events and visitors to downtown this summer,” Hill said.

As of June 22, “Garage 3 will no longer be generally free to the public to park on nights and weekends,” Sundance said. “Instead, normal parking rates will apply.”

Visitors to Sundance Square can get their parking receipt validated for 2.5 hours of free parking, according to the Sundance Square website. 

The change, Sundance Square management said, “will have no impact on the separate Sundance Square parking program.” 

Visitors will continue to receive up to 2.5 hours of free parking for those visiting Sundance Square businesses. Businesses are urged not to share parking codes with those outside of Sundance Square to ensure there is adequate garage parking space for patrons and visitors.

Motorists who park each month at the garage will not be affected.

Some downtown tenants say there is not enough parking garage spaces for visitors and others as downtown continues to grow and expand with new hotels as well as planned Convention Center expansion. However some lots are still available.

 “I think there’s enough nearby parking for us in the lots, so I don’t think it would affect us to any extent,” said Mike Micallef, president of Reata Restaurant. 

Reata, an iconic fixture in Sundance Square, announced in March 2022 that the restaurant was seeking a new home because it had not been able to renew its Sundance Square lease. 

Micallef said in October last year it will lease space in The Tower building at 530 Throckmorton St. in July 2024. Reata’s first Fort Worth location opened in that building in 1996, but when an F1 tornado struck in 2000, the restaurant was forced to move, relocating to its current spot at 310 Houston St. 

Micallef said the change in parking may impact locals using the parking space in the lot on Third Street more than visitors from out of town. 

“People are so used to parking at these locations, particularly if you’re from Fort Worth,” he said. “You just drive to the lot and park and probably don’t think about it.” 

Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org. 

Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Locations Mentioned: Chase Bank Building, Fort Worth Convention Center, Sundance Square Plaza, Texas A&M Fort Worth