One of downtown Fort Worth's biggest attractions is about to become a major construction zone.
Sundance Square officials are getting ready to turn some dirt this week. New office buildings and a plaza will replace parking lots that sit on Main Street between Third and Fourth streets.
Fort Worth resident Jim Rogers said downtown "just keeps moving and keeps improving."
After years of planning that future, the booths, gates and cars of two surface parking lots are gone. Over the next year, they will be replaced by three office buildings and a green plaza.
The construction will certainly change what the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau calls one of the city's biggest attractions.
"It's sort of tricky to mess with something that's been successful but can add to it if it's done right," said Judith D'Amico, of Glen Rose, who visits downtown several times a month.
Tourism leaders expect nothing but the best from Sundance. They said that they realize the construction would have some short-term effects but they are focused on the long-term plan.
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"It's the end result we're looking for and letting people know how wonderful it's going to be once it's complete," said Barbara Stone, vice president of Fort Worth CVB.
Sundance officials said people should not worry that 215 parking spots are now gone. A third parking garage built in recent years was designed with this project in mind.
"I think it's a good thing for downtown, that downtown isn't stagnating," Rogers said.
Sundance Square and city officials will hold an official ground breaking for the project on Wednesday morning. The names of the three new buildings will be announced during the ceremony.
The buildings should be completed in 2013.
