New home rates are slowing near Keller ISD as space for more development decreases, according to data from Zonda Demographics.

Members of the Keller ISD's Long Range Planning and Citizens Advisory Bond Committees were provided a presentation of the latest enrollment and housing trends at a meeting Feb. 5.

Current situation: New home in 2025 starts and closings are expected to finish below the 2024 totals, according to the presentation. Housing starts are when construction for a new development begins, according to the National Association of Home Builders, while a closing is when ownership is passed to a buyer. District enrollment has decreased by 4,370 students over the last five years.

What's next: With slower community growth and a decline and enrollment, Keller ISD's newly created Long Range Planning and Citizens Advisory Bond Committees are considering cost-saving options for the school district.

The replacement fire station for Fort Worth Fire Department Fire Station 37 is underway in north Fort Worth.

Walls for the new facility are being erected, and the project could be wrapped up by the end of the year, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department's public information office.

Zooming in: The new station is located at 10600 Alta Vista Road on 4.075 acres at the intersection of Alta Vista Road and Golden Triangle Boulevard. The station will have eight bedrooms, two officer living accommodations, offices and six firefighter living accommodations, according to previous reporting.

A groundbreaking for the facility took place Dec. 17, 2024. The current fire station is located at 4721 Ray White Road in Keller, according to previous reporting.

The background: The project's funding comes from the 2022 bond program and costs a total of $12.9 million to build the station, according to a news release. Fort Worth City Council approved an additional $3.4 million in funding to cover increased construction costs in October 2024, Community Impact previously reported.

A new statue at Alliance Park will bring attention to the role of a wetland in the environment.

The details: City of Fort Worth officials celebrated the unveiling of “Sipping From the Wetland,” a statue made by a local artist from shoe treads. The unveiling was held at an event Jan. 9

The 23-foot sculpture is in the form of a hummingbird, according to a city news release, and its wings were made from the shoe treads of over 200 community members. The sculpture was commissioned by the city as part of a $399.5 million bond approved by voters in May 2018.

• 3800 Litsey Road, Northlake

Grand Hyatt DFW Airport unveiled its $34 million renovation during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 11.

The gist: Located inside Terminal D at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the ceremony highlighted the conclusion of upgrades that started in July. The renovations focused on guest rooms and suites, meeting spaces, event spaces, the lobby and a redesigned restaurant, lounge and bar, according to Jeff Babcock, general manager of Grand Hyatt DFW Airport.

The refresh coincided with the hotel's 20th anniversary in July.

“Through the transformation, we remained true to a bold and vibrant design,” Babcock said. “This included celebrating aviation history, cutting-edge technology, a nod to Texan heritage and landscapes and encompassing contemporary style, while utilizing luxurious materials and sustainability.”

Zooming in: The number of rooms increased from 298 to 315, which included conference room suites that were converted into king rooms, and the ninth-floor gym was transformed into a one-of-a-kind rooftop indoor-and-outdoor flight deck, said Mohamed Charkas, DFW Airport executive vice president/chief development and infrastructure officer. 

• 2337 S. International Parkway, DFW Airport

Richardson ISD junior high renovations and new construction at the DFW airport some of the new projects filed recently with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Here are five of the most expensive area permits filed with TDLR in the past week.

1. Liberty Junior High School in Richardson ISD
2. Terminal F and Skylink Station
3. Apollo Junior High School in Richardson ISD
4. Denton Point buildings 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
5. Hardin at SH 121

Thousands of students who apply for Texas’ education savings accounts will likely not be accepted into the first year of the program, application data from the state comptroller’s office shows.

What's happening: Over 101,000 students had applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts as of Feb. 15. Applications close at 11:59 p.m. March 17.

Program funding is capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, meaning between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted. With demand expected to outpace available funding, applications will be prioritized through a need- and income-based lottery system.

Zooming in: Over 70% of program applicants were from low- or middle-income households, according to data from the comptroller’s office. Under Senate Bill 2, the 2025 law that created the program:

• “Low-income” is defined as families with annual household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty line, or about $66,000 for a family of four.
• “Middle-income” is defined as families with incomes at or below 500% of the federal poverty line, or about $165,000 for a family of four.