A former power plant in Fort Worth, located at 411 North Main Street on the north bank of the Trinity River, has attracted significant interest from potential buyers. Tarrant County College (TCC), which owns the property, extended its original bid deadline of November 20 to allow more time for interested parties to submit offers. According to reports, at least 47 groups have downloaded bid materials for the site.
The structure, built in 1912 as the Fort Worth Power & Light station, is known for its twin 265-foot smokestacks and once provided electricity to local neighborhoods and businesses. The building is adjacent to the Trinity River Trails system, which stretches over 100 miles and serves as a popular route for hiking and biking.
Despite an appraisal valuing the riverfront site at $9.42 million by the Texas Bid Network, there has been robust interest from prospective buyers. TCC purchased the plant in 2004 with plans to build a downtown campus. However, those plans changed after the financial crisis, leading TCC to acquire a different property—the former RadioShack headquarters—which now houses its Trinity River and Connect Campus across the river from the old power plant.
TCC leaders have promoted redevelopment opportunities for the TXU building, citing increased attention on Panther Island and possible historic tax incentives that could support renovation efforts. Chancellor Elva LeBlanc said in October: “Panther Island sits ‘at the center of Fort Worth’s rapid growth and redevelopment,’” adding that “the property is well-positioned along North Main Street for a buyer willing to tackle its challenges.”
One challenge is significant structural deterioration, making it both costly for TCC and dangerous for trespassers. In April, an incident occurred when Estafania Sosa died after falling inside the facility—an event that increased pressure on TCC to sell.
About 21 people participated in a recent walkthrough of the site. While TCC could not confirm how many firms were represented during this visit, officials decided to move back the bid opening date to December 18 so investors could further assess redevelopment possibilities.
