Frisco is on its way to have a public farmers market featuring local produce as well as local art and urban living.
Frisco City Council approved the request to rezone 33 acres of the northeast corner of Frisco Street and Main Street for a new mixed-used development called Frisco Fresh Market during the Sept. 15 council meeting.
The project would complement the historic downtown area to the east and Frisco Square to the south, developers said.
The plans for the project include a farmers market, retail, restaurants, residential, office space, hotels and a tennis center and club.
Frisco Fresh Market LLC, owned by Jeff Coleman and Paul Cheng, is the developer of the project.
The project is envisioned to be an urban environment to help drive tourism to Frisco, said Cheng.
“It is our vision to bring a new shopping experience, and we’ve been researching public markets all over the world,” Cheng told the council.
Coleman, who did the most traveling to study other markets, said what he noticed about the public markets in Europe and North America is the constant activity throughout the week.
JAL Architect Group, Inc. and Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc. will work together to bring Frisco Fresh Market to Frisco.
Kubala Washatko Architects designed and built the 36,800 square-feet Milwaukee Public Market.
Council members Bob Allen and Will Sowell said they like the concept and believe it is a good way to complement the old downtown to new downtown Frisco. However, both expressed concerns about the developers taking precedence on the residential areas over the rest of the projects.
Cheng said in all the markets he and Coleman researched and visited apartment living was missing and needed in all cities.
He also said all projects within the development would begin at the same time.
The estimated start date for construction is March.