“Buzz before the Build” is a development strategy rooted in marketing in whichTrinity Works delivers a tangible, end-user focused, real estate product that is meant to generate buzz, build brand, pilot-test development concepts, and create value- all with minimal upfront investment. This model merges the practices of placemaking, crowd sourcing and beta testing into a dynamic strategy tailored to target the specific needs of a project.

 

The Heart of the Ranch and the Trailhead, both located in Fort Worth’s Clearfork development, were concepts born out of the “buzz before the build” framework. Prior to emerging as a 270 acre master-planned, mixed-use development in the center of southwest Fort Worth, Clearfork was part of the Edwards family cattle ranch- sequestered from the rest of the city and mostly inaccessible to the public. This lack of historic visibility resulted in an absence of brand awareness within the community. Not only were few people aware of the Clearfork development, prior to 2011, there was not much of a reason for anyone to drive down it’s newly built roads. With the construction of infrastructure necessary for vertical development ongoing for several more years, we needed a way to drive traffic and jump-start our marketing efforts.

 

The Heart of Ranch, an outdoor event space hidden amongst large oak trees, officially opened to the public for event rentals in the fall of 2012 (after a year of internally hosted events and performing basic site improvements). Providing the backdrop for everything from romantic weddings, to large fundraisers and open-air music festivals, the Heart of the Ranch has seen more than 65 public and private events and roughly 25,000 visitors in the last two and a half years.

 

       In it’s current form, the venue allows us to crowd source

       feedback on what works, what doesn’t and how the site can

       evolve as a valuable asset for Clearfork now and in the future

       while building brand recognition and drawing eyes to the

       development. 

 

The Trailhead came on line in the fall of 2013 as an outdoor lifestyle incubator, a venue in which to demonstrate and beta-test the type of active lifestyle one will experience throughout Clearfork. Situated next to the Heart of the Ranch along the Trinity River, the Trailhead is the perfect spot to start and end your Trinity Trails experience in addition to offering free classes and activities on Saturday mornings in the Spring and Fall. In it’s inaugural season, classes such as yoga, cycling and fly casting, showcased over 15 community partners attracting hundres of visitors each week.

 

       The venue and its program has begun to create a network of

       local business, entrepreneurs and active-lifestyle enthusiasts

       that will serve as part of a living, evolving focus group for more

       permanent development decisions at Clearfork, such as the

       Cycling & Fitness Center announced in 2014.

 

In addition to putting Clearfork on the map and driving foot traffic, both the Heart of the Ranch and the Trailhead have become illustrations of an authentic Fort Worth landscape- driving brand recognition and generating value for the entirety of the Edwards Ranch development.

 

Although it may not always take the form of entertainment and event venues, Trinity Works employs this "Buzz-no-Build" strategy for all of our projects in order to ensure that each brand is capturing the attention of stakeholders and driving value for development.