Fort Worth City Council Enacts Panther Island Form-Based Zoning Overhaul and Approves $12M Incentive for Mixed-Use Riverfront Tower

City Council Unanimously Approves Panther Island Form-Based Zoning Code

FORT WORTH, Texas — Marking a decisive milestone in the reimagining of the Trinity River waterfront, the Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously in mid-October 2026 to adopt comprehensive amendments to the Panther Island Form-Based Zoning District Standards and Guidelines. The updated regulatory blueprint replaces legacy subdistricts with two clear, responsive development categories: PI-Core, engineered for high-density, multi-story urban waterfront construction, and PI-Edge, designed for compatible neighborhood transitions.

The revised code establishes rigorous architectural standards for waterfront promenades, block lengths, and pedestrian connections, ensuring that upcoming private sector developments seamlessly complement the ongoing flood bypass channel construction led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

$12 Million Incentive Package Awarded to Seco Ventures for 12-Story Mixed-Use Project

Concurrently, council members approved an extensive economic development agreement and a $12 million municipal incentive package for Austin-based developer Seco Enterprises LLC (Seco Ventures). The agreement accelerates construction of a $100 million, 12-story mixed-use waterfront tower positioned between North Main Street, North Commerce Street, and Northeast 4th Street, delivering more than 290 multifamily residences and approximately 9,000 square feet of ground-floor dining and retail space.

The economic package pairs up to $2 million in transportation impact fee waivers with performance-based annual economic development grants to offset substantial subterranean infrastructure and environmental remediation costs.

Public Improvement District 23 Coordinates Riverfront Infrastructure and Stewardship

Supporting physical transformations on the ground, the district's newly mobilized Public Improvement District (PID 23) and municipal public works engineers expanded operational safety patrols, landscaping maintenance, and environmental dust mitigation protocols across the 800-acre project footprint. City leaders emphasized that synchronized code overhauls and strategic public incentives solidify Panther Island’s emergence as North Texas’s premier urban riverfront district.