Fred Slabach never intended to get into economic development. Texas Wesleyan University, though, needed it.
The perception of the surrounding neighborhood 鈥� and the university itself 鈥� was negative. People thought the area was unsafe. Storefronts along Rosedale Street were boarded up. Business was non-existent.
Slabach saw it differently. The university and neighborhood were safe. Businesses would come with changes. Reshaping the neighborhood could improve its perception.
In the 12 years Slabach led Texas Wesleyan as its president, the university transformed from a hidden gem in the Polytechnic neighborhood to one of the most visible landmarks along East Rosedale Street. More businesses have set up shop near the university of more than 2,600 students.
Texas Wesleyan has invested more than $50 million into new buildings and renovations on campus, as well as buying and improving buildings near the college during Slabach鈥檚 tenure, which officially ends July 1 as he leaves to become the dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law, his alma mater.
Slabach sees Texas Wesleyan as the spark that has helped ignite the redevelopment of the area about 4 miles southeast of downtown. However, the university didn鈥檛 do it alone. The combined effort of entrepreneurs, the city of Fort Worth, state government, philanthropic leaders and the university have helped spur the Rosedale Renaissance, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been really gratifying to see as we prime the pump, then more things start coming, developing on their own without our input, which is great,鈥� Slabach said.
鈥楲everage that wonderful investment鈥�
Don Boren remembers the Polytechnic neighborhood bustling with activity in the 1950s and 1960s. Rosedale had restaurants, a department store and even a movie theater.
鈥淥ne by one, they just couldn鈥檛 survive,鈥� said Boren, past president of the . 鈥淓ventually, it was nothing but empty buildings, empty storefronts and nobody wanted to go there.鈥�
Rosedale would remain that way for decades 鈥� and it could have been worse.
In the 1980s, Texas Wesleyan鈥檚 board of trustees considered . Trustees decided against the idea.
Texas Wesleyan added buildings on campus and started 鈥� and later sold 鈥�. Rosedale, though, remained mostly unchanged.
.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments, city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the Texas Department of Transportation decided to 鈥� a project that Glenn Lewis, current chairman of Wesleyan鈥檚 board, kick-started when he was in the Texas Legislature in the early 2000s.
Slabach, who had been tapped to be the university鈥檚 president in 2011, talked to the board and other top administrators.
鈥淲e decided that we ought to explore what we could do to leverage that wonderful investment that the city was doing,鈥� Slabach said.
Starting the Rosedale Renaissance
Texas Wesleyan didn鈥檛 have a front door.
Slabach was determined to change that. He saw the changes happening to Rosedale and knew the university needed a presence on the street.
The Rosedale Renaissance was born. The term comes from a fundraising effort to build the 83-foot tall Canafax Clock Tower, reflecting pool and visitor park 鈥� all of which are now part of the university鈥檚 front door.
The campaign name has stayed far longer than the fundraising effort.
鈥淚t stuck. It did,鈥� Slabach said. 鈥淚t encapsulates all of the economic revitalization efforts that we鈥檙e trying to do.鈥�
Mia Moss grew up around Rosedale. She remembers how the area was bare and how few businesses stayed and sustained themselves. The Poly Grill was one, but had to close as Rosedale was rebuilt, she said.
In 2019, Moss bought the building, about a block south of Rosedale, that housed the Poly Grill and , 1417 Vaughn Blvd.
鈥淚 wanted to bring some new life on this side just by adding a coffee shop,鈥� Moss said. 鈥淲e know that when you see a coffee shop in a neighborhood that鈥檚 a safe space for everyone to meet, to hang out, to study, and that鈥檚 what I wanted to do.鈥�
鈥� set up shop on East Rosedale and more recently, the in a building leased from Texas Wesleyan.
Success of Texas Wesleyan, Poly connected
Boren, of the East Fort Worth Business Association, sees Texas Wesleyan as an entirely different school now because of Slabach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to imagine that the Rosedale Renaissance would have happened the way it happened without him,鈥� Boren said.
The Rosedale Renaissance is not stopping because Slabach is leaving. In fact, Slabach sees it accelerating.
Texas Wesleyan is nearing the completion of its new football field. Before too long, a field house and stadium will be constructed around the field.
The estimated $20 million stadium will be the home of the Texas Wesleyan football and soccer teams, but Slabach sees it as a draw for people who don鈥檛 visit east Fort Worth 鈥� or haven鈥檛 in years. Fort Worth ISD and other groups are interested in using the athletic field, too.
鈥淲e really think that鈥檚 going to be an economic draw for the neighborhood,鈥� Slabach said. 鈥淚t鈥檒l bring more people to the neighborhood, which drives retail. It鈥檒l help the restaurants that we already have here and bring more.鈥�
Moss agreed. The Poly area will see new attention, something the neighborhood hasn鈥檛 had in decades, she said. Still, she has concerns.
鈥淭he fear is residents being forgotten 鈥� being forced out 鈥� based on development, growth and the rising cost of everything,鈥� Moss said.
Moss is hopeful of development for her neighborhood. Texas Wesleyan and Slabach have taken that approach through their revitalization efforts, she said.
鈥淲ith President Slabach, they just really dug into not just their campus, but the surrounding area,鈥� Moss said.
Passing the baton
The revitalization of Texas Wesleyan and the Polytechnic neighborhood didn鈥檛 happen overnight. Bringing new life and energy into this part of east Fort Worth has taken more than a decade.
Slabach, though, knows he has run his leg of the marathon that is the Rosedale Renaissance. He鈥檚 passing the baton to his successor.
鈥淭he new person is going to be able to come in and survey the landscape and say now that we have this foundation, here are some opportunities and there鈥檒l be a burst of energy and enthusiasm built around that new vision,鈥� Slabach said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really beneficial aspect of leadership transition.鈥�
The board of trustees鈥� presidential search for Slabach鈥檚 position, Lewis, the board chairman, told the Fort Worth Report. The field was winnowed to four finalists who trustees interviewed in mid-May, he said.
The board is aiming to have Slabach鈥檚 successor in place before July 1, his last day.
Regardless of who the next president is, Lewis expects that person to start the next era of the Rosedale Renaissance.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still work to be done 鈥� a lot of it,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淗e has laid the groundwork for what needs to follow.鈥�
When Slabach leaves Texas Wesleyan for the last time, he will drive on a road that looks nothing like it did on his first day as president in 2011. He will pass storefronts that are ready for businesses. He鈥檒l also see those that already exist.
And soon the Rosedale Renaissance he ignited will be in his rearview mirror.
Disclosure: Texas Wesleyan University is a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or via . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
