DALLAS, TX JQ is providing facilities assessment and structural preservation engineering services for the adaptive reuse of the historic Horse and Mule Barns (Barns) in Fort Worth's Stockyards. JQ is a sub-consultant to the architectural firm of Bennett Benner Partners (BBP). 

Constructed in 1912, the two facilities contain approximately 185,000 square feet. The Barns are designated as part of the contributing architecture of The Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District.

The $45 million renovation project includes the Barns, the space between them known as Mule Alley, and the park at Marine Creek. This project is the first phase of Fort Worth Heritage Development, LLC's (FWHD) $175 million plan to develop more than 70 acres in and around the Stockyards. FWHD was formed by owners Majestic Realty Company and the Hickman Companies to work with the city of Fort Worth, Texas, on a redevelopment plan of the historic area.

JQ performed an assessment of the seven barns which constitute the two facilities. The barns consist of concrete roof structures, concrete mezzanines, interior steel lattice columns encased in concrete, and exterior load bearing brick walls.  After completing their assessment, JQ developed repair documents that included repair of concrete damage and failures, brick masonry repair and restoration, structural steel repairs, foundation underpinning to address movement, addition of supplemental steel framing to facilitate change of use, and rebuilding of the timber roof structures at roof towers.

JQ produced core and shell documents which included developing demolition drawings, installing new storefront windows and canopies around the barns, installing a replacement floor structure, and reviewing the impact of mechanical units on the structure.  

The project team includes Majestic Realty's Commerce Construction Co., LP as general contractor, Bennett Benner Partners as architect, Kimley-Horn as civil engineer, and Susan Klein as historian/historic consultant, among others.

Construction is scheduled to start in March 2017.