Haltom City Loses Cherished Toy Museum to Fort Worth Amid Zoning Challenges

The decision by Ron Sturgeon, a respected Haltom City entrepreneur, to move his DFW Elite Toy Museum to Fort Worth marks the end of a 50-year chapter in the city's business history. This move, necessitated by the inability to secure a suitable location within Haltom City due to restrictive zoning regulations and parking requirements, highlights the broader challenges facing businesses in the city's older districts. The museum, a unique attraction offering free admission and housing an impressive collection of 3,000 antique automotive toys and over 150 collector cars, has been a cultural and economic asset to Haltom City.

Sturgeon's efforts to keep the museum in Haltom City, including exploring the old Haltom City State Bank building and the vacant Kroger center, were thwarted by the city's lack of a specific classification for museums in its zoning and parking matrix. This oversight forced the proposed locations to be classified as offices, requiring an impractical number of parking spaces. Despite Sturgeon's suggestion to amend the matrix to include museums, the city's response was to recommend applying for variances, a process deemed too lengthy and uncertain by the entrepreneur.

The relocation to a 150,000 square foot distribution center on I-35 in Fort Worth, where the museum will be renamed DFW Car & Toy Museum, is a significant loss for Haltom City. It not only deprives the city of a unique cultural attraction but also serves as a stark reminder of the need for more flexible zoning regulations and better support for small businesses. Sturgeon's advocacy through the Haltom United Business Alliance for improvements to the city's aging corridors, particularly in the south and central areas, underscores the urgency of addressing these issues.

The city council's rejection of Sturgeon's offer to fund a $100,000 study by Strong Towns on sustainable urban growth further highlights the challenges in achieving consensus on how to revitalize Haltom City's older districts. Without significant policy changes and a concerted effort to support local businesses, Haltom City risks further economic decline and the loss of more cherished institutions like the DFW Elite Toy Museum. This situation calls for a reevaluation of the city's approach to business retention and urban development to ensure a vibrant economic future for all of Haltom City's neighborhoods.