Developer Buys Forth Worth’s Kimbell Milling Company

The historic Kimbell Milling Company building in Fort Worth has secured a new lease on life thanks to a last-minute sale.

Bruce Conti bought the endangered 25,000-square-foot property at 2109 South Main Street from Houston-based nonprofit Cenikor Foundation on Sept. 16, the Fort Worth Report reported.

The structure, which was built in 1929 on a 3.62-acre site, is the former office of Kay Kimbell, whose name is on Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum.

With an appraised value of $7.3 million, the site occupies a prime location near South Main Street and the Near Southside — two neighborhoods experiencing a surge of residential and commercial investment.

Although Conti has not disclosed plans for the site, the property was previously marketed for various uses, including multifamily housing, industrial and mixed-use developments.

“It’s wonderful that that building is now going to have a future,” Historic Fort Worth’s Jerre Tracy told the outlet. “We don’t know fully what that future will be, but having a future is kind of key to having another opportunity.”

The purchase follows a six-month demolition delay approved by the city in July, which allowed potential buyers to evaluate the property. In spite of the site’s historic value, Cenikor had identified demolition as the only viable solution after marketing the site below market value and addressing safety hazards caused by squatters.

Supporters of the sale view the transaction as a win for preservationists, arguing the property simply required enough time and the right buyer.

“Historic preservation takes unique investors that can be patient,” Northern Crain Realty’s Will told the Fort Worth Report. “Fort Worth is fortunate to have a community that supports historic preservation and sees the value in preserving the fabric of our city’s history through real estate.”

— Andrew Terrell