Tech FW
1120 South Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76104
817-339-8968
www.techfortworth.org
FW Business Assistance Center
1150 South Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76104
817-871-6025
www.fwbac.com
Construction of the original James E. Guinn School campus began in 1917. The prominent architectural firm of Sanguinet and Staats designed the first 3-story building, which was demolished in 1986. A second permanent building was constructed in 1927 and was designed by Wiley G. Clarkson.
By 1930, the Guinn School was the largest black school in the city for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. An additional building, designed by Elmer G. Withers Architectural Company, was added in 1936-1937. In 1953, a combination gymnasium/shop/music building designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick was added to the campus. Following desegregation, the Guinn School was closed in 1980. The campus is now owned by the City of Fort Worth.
Under the direction of Komatsu Architects, the 1937 building was converted to the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center and the gymnasium building was restored as Tech Fort Worth. Rehabilitation will soon begin on the 1927 building, and the footprint of the original 1917 building will soon become a public plaza with signature public art commemorating the site's history.
James E. Guinn was a native of Fort Worth and attended Fort Worth schools. Guinn received a college degree and became a professor of chemistry at Prairie View College (now Prairie View A & M). He returned to Fort Worth in 1900 and became principal of the Southside Colored School. He died on July 11, 1917. Six days later, the school board voted to name the new Southside School in his memory.
The Guinn complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 for its association with the education of black youth in Fort Worth.
Tech Fort Worth:
Tech Fort Worth provides a wide range of services to technology start-up businesses including business plan development, grant preparation, mentor services and on-site networking opportunities. These are conducted in concert with the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center, Texas Christian University, and the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
Fort Worth Business Assistance Center:
The mission of the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center is to stimulate economic development and create jobs by providing skills development, technical advice and access to capital to small businesses and entrepreneurs. The BAC is a consortium of 12 service providers established in February 1995. Since the BAC moved to the renovated James E. Guinn School in April 2001, service providers have facilitated the creation of 516 new businesses and 6401 jobs. Clients have been awarded $231,259,464 in contracts and have been approved for $115,588,978 in small business loans.
Related Pages:
Major Multi-Phase Projects, Renovation / Historic Restoration, TIF Funded Projects