One of Fort Worth’s oldest neighborhood schools is officially on the market, and the district is looking for more than just the highest bidder.
Fort Worth ISD has formally invited developers to propose plans to buy or ground-lease the closed Charles E. Nash Elementary campus, a roughly 5.7-acre site near the Trinity River and downtown. The request asks would-be buyers to spell out not only their financing, but also a construction timeline and a tree-preservation strategy. The move follows the campus’s closure at the end of the 2025–26 school year and is part of a broader push to repurpose surplus property and trim long-term maintenance costs.
The district posted a request for proposals, Bid No. 26-087, on May 29 and is accepting offers for either a fee-simple purchase or a long-term ground lease, according to a summary from CLEATUS. The posting notes that maps, legal descriptions and the full RFP packet are available to potential respondents and that the period of performance would run through the end of 2031. Interested developers must submit title work and evidence of financial capacity along with their proposals.
What the district wants to see
FWISD plans to score submissions on experience, overall project approach, proposed purchase price or ground-lease payments, and the bidder’s ability to close, according to the procurement summary on Govly. The district’s materials call for a comprehensive development plan that explains what will be built, a timetable for construction and completion, and specific strategies for preserving significant trees and existing landscaping.
The RFP also comes with a stack of paperwork. The packet includes required administrative items such as ethics disclosures and conflict-of-interest forms, so developers hoping to land the deal will have some homework before they ever touch the site.
Historic status and preservation review
Any redevelopment will play out against the backdrop of the school’s history and the city’s preservation rules. Under the City of Fort Worth’s preservation ordinance, properties with a “demolition delay” designation can face a pause of up to 180 days on wrecking permits while alternatives are explored, a protection that applies to Nash.
The school’s Spanish Colonial details and distinctive octagonal turret are documented in local architectural surveys and have drawn preservation interest over the years. A buyer hoping to demolish or substantially alter the buildings should expect public hearings and potential delays under the city’s review process, which is designed to force a serious look at options short of a total teardown.
Size, value and site rules
Tarrant Appraisal District records put the combined parcel at about 5.72 acres with a 2026 market value of roughly 6.9 million dollars, and the district’s materials describe a building of about 28,900 square feet, according to Fort Worth Report. Nash closed on May 21, and students in the attendance zone were reassigned to Rufino Mendoza, Oakhurst and Versia L. Williams elementary schools, per district materials.
The solicitation also makes clear that any ultimate sale or lease will come with strings attached. FWISD signals that restrictive covenants will bar certain uses on the site, and that any recommended agreement must go back to the Board of Managers for final approval, which is expected this fall.
Next steps and timeline
Developers may want to read the fine print twice. The RFP packet includes a confusing deadline note, where different sections list different submission dates. That discrepancy appears in public procurement summaries, so potential bidders are being warned to rely on the official solicitation documents before hitting “submit.”
Once proposals are in, the district plans to score them, shortlist the strongest submissions, then negotiate terms with the most qualified respondents before presenting any recommended deal to trustees. Developers interested in jumping in must register on FWISD’s procurement portal and follow the RFP instructions closely to avoid getting bounced on a technicality.
Neighbors and preservation advocates, many of whom recently marked Nash’s 99-year history with farewell events, say they plan to track redevelopment plans closely and push for a project that respects the campus’s legacy. “These walls hold stories of growth, perseverance, joy and community,” Principal Amber Jarden told attendees at the school’s final celebration.
The district did not immediately offer additional comment on the solicitation, leaving the next chapter in Nash’s long story to be written by whichever developer can balance profit, preservation and community expectations.
