January 6, 2021

PROOF Brings Historic Property Forward into Fort Worth’s Future

Robert Francis, Fort Worth Business Press, December 31, 2020

A historic property undergoing redevelopment on West Vickery may have one of the best addresses possible: the intersection of Fort Worth’s past and future.

Few would argue that 2020 has been a challenging year for commercial real estate. But a recent transformation has redeveloped the former grocery distribution center into a project designed to house corporate headquarters, entertainment users, and flagship locations. Even as the project nears completion, it has shown that the right combination of elements can bring clients to the table no matter the meta economic challenges.

M2G Ventures, a North Texas-based real estate investment and development company that is involved in other high-profile projects including the $200 million redevelopment and exclusive retail partner of Mule Alley in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, as well as Bogart Dallas, North Quarter 35, The Foundry District, 710 South Main, OB MAC, and 2809 Shamrock, has transformed the 40,665-square foot building built in 1926 at 901 W. Vickery Blvd. into a mixed-use project.

The project, called PROOF, is 72% preleased, landing a corporate relocation, a boutique bowling concept, and one of the largest female-owned personal injury law firms in the country.

Built in 1926, PROOF’s first life began when Adkins-Polk Whole Grocers built it to serve the growing population of Fort Worth. Now the building finds itself being transformed and redeveloped. The building itself is situated in an inviable location, at the northern end of the burgeoning Near Southside, within easy reach of Downtown Fort Worth; near the fast-developing South Main urban area as well as being near two interstates.

As the city transformed through the years, so did the purpose of the building. In 2010, the building was sold to Firestone & Robertson Distilling, signaling the true second life to the space. Within its walls, the famed TX Whiskey saw product lines snake around the building as the company’s first bourbon was released. Now, the project has been redeveloped to house corporate headquarters, entertainment users, and flagship locations. The transformation of PROOF is about celebrating its history while embarking on a new era of Fort Worth, says Jessica Miller Essl, co-president of M2G Ventures

“We’re thrilled to end this year with a big accomplishment through the renovation of PROOF,” said Miller Essl. “Our goal was to showcase the building’s 94 years of milestones while repurposing the design to create a modern-day mixed-use location. We’ve been able to exceed our expectations for this legacy asset and that’s a tall order.”