Arlington City Council voted 5‑3 on September 29 to approve a 10‑year lease for SiNaCa Studios, a nonprofit glass‑art organization relocating from Fort Worth to a new 14,000‑square‑foot facility at 300 W. Front St. The agreement includes up to $1 million in financial assistance and a requirement that SiNaCa invest its own $1 million into the property.
Local studio raises objections
Darren Hensley, co‑owner of Grey Area Studio, told council members the city’s investment “negatively impacts” his business, which has operated in Arlington for a decade and offers similar workshops, gallery sales and community programming less than three miles west of the new SiNaCa location. “Arlington doesn’t need another glass studio,” Hensley said. “It needs to stand by its core principles of empowering local businesses that have invested in the city in order to help those businesses thrive and gain visibility. … We welcome competition. We just never expected Arlington would be that competition.”
Council’s rationale and mixed votes
Council members Mauricio Galante, Nikkie Hunter and Tom Ware voted in favor of the lease, while Galante, Hunter and Ware opposed it. Councilmember Jason Shelton, who voted for the agreement, described the move as a net positive for downtown development, saying, “The greater good here is that we are trying to build a sense of community and activities and events that involve the arts.”
Mayor Jim Ross said he plans to visit Grey Area to discuss ways the city can continue to support the existing studio. “We love that you’ve been here in Arlington,” Ross told co‑owner Josh Yunker. “We want to make sure that we don’t ignore you on things. And I think we can get to some type of area where we’re all feeling better. … We may never totally agree, but that’s OK.”
SiNaCa’s response and future collaboration
Breinn Richter, executive director of SiNaCa, emphasized the nonprofit’s commitment to partnership. “There are other cities across the country where there are multiple glass studios all serving to advance the arts, and that is definitely the stance that we are taking,” Richter said. He noted that SiNaCa and Grey Area previously collaborated to bring the Glass Art Society International Conference to North Texas.
Richter added that SiNaCa will partner with Arlington’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Department to develop community camps and create custom glass art for city facilities. The studio plans to “hit the ground running” on renovations, targeting a late‑summer 2027 reopening. Until then, SiNaCa will continue operating its Fort Worth location through the end of its lease on Jan. 31.
Local business perspective
Grey Area co‑owner Josh Yunker described the council’s decision as “hastily and irresponsibly” made without a full analysis of long‑term market effects. Nonetheless, Yunker expressed a willingness to collaborate, stating, “We harbor no ill feelings towards SiNaCa, they’ve always been our friends. I’m sure it’ll be a blessing in disguise.”
While the council’s approval brings significant financial support to SiNaCa, the debate highlights the tension between attracting new cultural assets and protecting established local enterprises. Arlington officials have pledged to monitor the situation and seek ways to ensure both studios can thrive without unfair competition.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
