Prosper Planning and Zoning commissioners are set to consider a preliminary site plan at their Jan. 20 meeting for new restaurant and retail buildings at the intersection of Dallas and Frontier parkways.
What you need to know
The 34.6-acre property is planned to include three restaurant and retail buildings, two restaurant buildings and six retail buildings, according to town documents.
Commissioners tabled the decision at their Dec. 16 meeting to allow the applicants to incorporate commissioner feedback into an updated preliminary site plan.
Delaney Powell, representative for applicant Spiars Engineering, said they have not had conversations about including multistory buildings or office buildings. Additionally, Powell said they are planning to split the project into two phases and add more details as they go through the next steps.
What they’re saying
Commissioner Josh Carson said he appreciated the details put into the site plan, but thinks there is “still work to do” to make the space match the town’s vision for the tollway district.
“This is kind of missing the mark a little bit,” Carson said. “This definitely doesn’t feel like Prosper, ... [and] it doesn’t feel like it’s matching the intent of the tollway district and what we’re trying to get there.”
Commissioner Glen Blanscet said the property’s location makes it a particularly important decision for the commission.
“This is an important piece of land to the town of Prosper since it’s right at our entryway there,” Blanscet said. “I would’ve liked to have seen a little more creativity in the use of this land and the spot as an entryway into the town.”
However, Commissioner Matt Furray said his only concern would be ensuring the quality of the buildings and landscaping.
Prior to tabling the decision, commissioners asked the applicant to consider several improvements to the proposal, including more diversity of retail spaces, improved walkability and potentially adding office spaces to the layout.
Carson noted that he would like to see something special added to the site, similar to other developments along the tollway.
“I think [other tollway developments] brought something to the table that makes it special, and I think that’s what we’re missing,” Carson said.
Some context
Several developments are underway or have taken shape along Prosper’s tollway district, including a new H-E-B grocery store and Medical City Healthcare hospital. Pradera, a 34-acre mixed-use development approved in 2023, will be located under the proposed new retail space and is projected to be roughly a 20-year project.
As Prosper continues to develop, particularly along the tollway, Mayor David Bristol said previously that Town Council is looking for high-quality developments that add value to the town when considering proposed projects.
For multifamily development, Bristol said council’s philosophy is to only approve additional multifamily along the Dallas North Tollway.
Prosper Town Council also recently approved a new tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, aimed at boosting development along the Dallas North Tollway and parts of downtown.
What’s next?
Director of Development Services David Hoover said introducing changes, such as adding multistory buildings, could bring additional requirements, such as structured parking, to meet increased needs. Hoover said staff was also working to keep the development from “overwhelming the neighborhood to the west.”
“We’ve been talking about this for a year and a half between the staff and the applicants, and the owners to get to this point,” Hoover said. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress, but obviously we’re not still there yet.”
The preliminary site plan will go back before commissioners at their Jan. 20 meeting.
