A 38-acre, mixed-use development called Center Stage in Keller could bring retail, dining, entertainment and multi-family housing along Highway 377. 

Realty Capital, the developer that brought the 150-acre community center Lakeside DFW to Flower Mound, submitted a zoning proposal to the city of Keller earlier this month.

“It’s the only one of its kind in Keller,” said AJ Glass, Realty Capital development associate. “Something that’s unique is being on 377. There hasn’t been a ton of new commercial, mixed-use development in that area.” 

Plans for Center Stage in Keller include a community lawn space with a music stage along with two or three restaurants with patios overlooking the stage-- similar to Lakeside DFW, Glass said. The development looks to have single- and multi-family housing, office space and retail. 

Over the last two months, Realty Capital has spoken with residents in nearby communities such as the Marshall Ridge, Marshall Point and Harmonson Farms neighborhoods, Glass said. Last week, Realty Capital took a group of these residents on a tour of Lakeside DFW to show what Center Stage in Keller could be.

Realty Capital’s proposal to the city took resident concerns and needs into account-- which Glass said asked for an environment where restaurants could succeed. 

“A lot of what Keller residents have seen that’s lacking in the community is restaurants and places to go out and dine with your family with an outdoor patio,” he said. “You have to go to Roanoke or Southlake to get that.”

The development will span over 38-acres.[/caption]

Among resident feedback were concerns about traffic, Glass said. 

“We wouldn’t be moving forward if we weren't confident we could create a plan that could correctly filter traffic and handle the type of capacity that would be needed for these uses,” Glass said. 

Concerns over multi-family housing for this development became a talking point for two Marshall Ridge and Marshall Point residents at Keller City Council meeting Sept. 17. 

“We have limited entrances and exits leaving the Marshall Point, Marshall Ridge community,” resident David Tashman said at the meeting. “It will be even more impacted.” 

Marshall Ridge resident Tim Stapula expressed concern for added multi-family housing. Stapula recently moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Keller. 

“I’ve seen what happens to the nice apartments from my nice neighborhood in Chicago,” Stapula said at the meeting. “That’s why we moved.” 

Stapula said multi-family housing in this development will result in occupants who are not invested in the community, overpopulation and rundown apartments. He said occupants will likely be unable to sustain nearby, high-end businesses. 

“This is doomed to fail,” Stapula said.

At the meeting, Tashman said he heard 500 to 600 apartments were planned for the development.  

The exact number of multi-family units is still unclear, said Richard Myers, Realty Capital managing partner. But 500 to 600 units is not out of the question, he said. 

Single-family and loft apartments are planned for the development, Myers said.

If the zoning proposal is approved by the city, Glass said construction could begin in 2020.