After several years of false starts and shelving of the performing arts concept, it appears the phrase “Bedford moving forward” may finally be gaining traction.  Within the past couple of months, City Council has moved ahead with the joint retail-residential development of what had been, until recently, referred to as “Campus West” and “Crossroad East.”

The retail component of the development near the northwest corner of Airport Freeway and Industrial Boulevard, is now named “The Market at Gateway,” according to Bedford’s Director of Communications Molly Fox.  The project will feature nearly 34,000 square feet of retail space, based on plans presented by StreetLevel Investments and approved by the Council.

The residential tract, named “Gateway Village,” is planned to feature 106 townhomes, projected to start at $450,000 each.  In addition, the townhomes will be complimented with walking trails, open spaces, park benches and a water retention pond with a fountain, according to developer John Dickerson, of Dickerson Development, Inc.

“Our city is built-out,” commented Council Member Amy Sabol through an email dialog.  So, she said, when the Gateway properties, then under a tax-exempt status, became available in 2021 to purchase, the Council viewed it as an opportunity for the City to control development when they bought the properties for a total of $9.5 million.

Sabol said she prefers businesses that appreciate in value, that provide the City with revenue from property and sales taxes and whose presence is valued by Bedford residents.  With restaurants and other retail anticipated, Sabol said, she expects The Market at Gateway retail devlopment to bring in those taxes.  The restaurant market, she explained, for example, has changed in the past eight years.  “The younger generations” seem to want “quick, quality and healthy food.”  These types of businesses, she said, “appreciate with time and collect sales tax.”

Sabol emphasized that “all [businesses] are welcome,” to Bedford, unless the market gets saturated with a particular type of business, such as “storage units and inexpensive motels,” which are “not cost-effective.”

Communications Director Fox echoed Council Member Sabol by explaining the general economic development efforts citywide to “recruit” new businesses are not centered around any specific type of business or industry, as long as they are geared toward “expanding the tax base and increasing sales tax revenue.”  The City, however, does work to match the criteria of a business, Fox said, by location, available space, market conditions and competition.  For that match to work for recruitment, she said, prospective businesses would be expected to “produce positive fiscal impacts” and provide useful services to the residents.

Bedford, Fox added, also looks for “redevelopment opportunities” through contacts with developers and businesses through “economic development partners.”  Such partners, include regional chambers, as well as professional relationships and networking at conferences and trade shows.  The City, she said, also relies on suggestions for businesses from residents and other members of the community.

Bedford Commons

In the meantime, with the approval of City Council, City Manager Andrea Roy entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Midway Development Group in April to “proceed with the development” and the revival of the Bedford Commons project.  The central tract of Bedford Commons, like Gateway, is a City-owned property.  The City is now in an “exploratory period,” with Midway according to phrasing of the Council’s April 23, 2024, meeting agenda.

Midway replaces Old Town Development in exploring possibilities for Bedford Commons, which, according to Fox, failed to perform “at the rate the City had hoped” and whose MOU agreement expired in May.

Fox further explained that Midway has not been provided with guidelines from the City for determining the best use of the property.  She said, “There is no preferred criteria the City is seeking.”  She further explained that “part of Midway’s mission is to determine the type of businesses, along with potential tenants, who would be successful in Bedford Commons.”  However, she said, those businesses would need to offer “an appropriate mix of uses” that symbiotically support each other.

More specifically, according to the City’s website, Midway, through its research, is expected to craft a concept presentation of their vision for Bedford Commons sometime between October and the end of 2024.  The City’s website indicated that during this period, Midway will be researching market conditions for the project to “determine the most sustainable type of businesses for the property and other features such as a farmer’s market, housing, open spaces and gathering areas.”  Residents and the community will be included in the “process,” the City’s website added.

According to the website, Midway is anticipated to develop “suggestions” on how to organize the project, on how the community can be included, on how Bedford Commons could bolster the local economy, on options for cost efficiencies and on how to achieve the project’s goals while controlling the budget.

A total of 31 acres could end up within the Bedford Commons development, according to Tarrant County property records.  That includes nine acres where the City’s municipal complex sits and five acres owned by State National Insurance, located on the south side of L. Don Dodson.

Toward attracting developers, the City established Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) for both projects, Bedford Commons and the Gateway properties, according to the City’s website.  By partnering with Tarrant County Commissioners Court and the Tarrant County College District, Bedford is able to reduce tax rates in these zones toward incentivizing prospective developers.

In pitching City Council for the development of Bedford Commons during his April 23rd presentation, Bradley Freels, chairman and CEO of Midway Development, claimed, “I think we can get you exactly what you want.”  He said, “We’re passionate about everything we get involved with.”  In addition, Freels seemed confident that at least some of the “green space” could be preserved by “taking something that’s raw and make it great.”

Addressing concerns of Mayor Dan Cogan over multi-family housing as “a no hitter,” Freels replied during his presentation, “I don’t think multi-family is necessary to make this work.”  However, Freels said “for-rent residential and for-sale residential” are usually necessary components for a project of this type, but it “wouldn’t be a big” component. He also stated that “retail will work here,” by bringing in “the right group,” which could “create a true destination.”  But, he clarified, “we need to look at all options” and understand that “density allows you to do other things.”