City officials are moving forward with plans to turn the grain silos near downtown Celina into a mixed-use community destination.
The silos sit on roughly 32 acres of land owned by the Celina Economic Development Corporation, or CEDC.
CEDC President Anthony Satarino, along with representatives from Norris Design, JHP Architecture and Catalyst Commercial, presented a draft of a master plan for the land, known as the Willock Tract, at a Sept. 28 meeting.
Preliminary plans for the site include a brewery, food halls, shopping, event space and a hotel, all located along a linear park that follows the natural contours of Doe Branch Creek, according to the presentation.
The specifics
The draft master plan splits the property into five development zones:
Zone 1: Brewery/biergarten, food halls/farm-to-table
Zone 2: Music destination restaurants
Zone 3: Hotel, conference center, event space/festival park
Zone 4: Commercial retail
Zone 5: Retail and office
Zone 1 is the closest to downtown Celina and includes the grain silos.
Officials want to emphasize the grain silos and the history of the property in the theming of the development, especially in the 1.5-acre brewery or biergarten planned for the north end, according to the presentation.
Moving south along the BNSF railway, Zone 2 is made up of three family-friendly restaurants with outdoor dining areas, creekside access and space for live music, per the presentation.
The hotel, conference center and event space in Zone 3 would be centrally located within the property.
As Celina grows, the hotel on the Willock Tract would be “one of downtown’s first signature hotels,” a project representative said.
Zones 4 and 5 house the retail components of the development.
The commercial retail in Zone 4 would be laid out around a central plaza, and the retail and office buildings in Zone 5 would feature a rustic aesthetic to help create a sense of place for drivers moving along Oklahoma Drive, according to the Sept. 28 draft.
The local impact
The Willock development is intended to enhance downtown Celina, not compete with it, according to the presentation.
Willock’s branding, programming and merchandising will be aligned with the existing character of downtown Celina, particularly the Downtown Square, per the presentation.
For example, the hotel could market around flagship downtown events like Cajun Fest, Beware! of the Square and Christmas on the Square, helping attract visitors who want to stay overnight.
How we got here
The original owners of the Willock Tract were the Martinek family, who operated grain silos on the property.
The CEDC purchased the land for $13.5 million in 2024 using funds from a half-cent sales tax, according to previous reporting. The purchase was the CEDC’s first land acquisition.
In 2026, the project team solicited community feedback on the future of the property in person at a May 11 meeting and online at www.projectwillock.com.
According to the survey results, Celina residents want walkable restaurants, retail and outdoor spaces.
The Willock development team based its recommendation for the property on the feedback it received from the community.
In addition to the primary draft of the master plan, the project team also prepared three alternative plans that would emphasize hospitality, urban living and health and wellness, respectively.
Going forward
The CEDC will present its draft of the Willock master plan to the Celina City Council at an Oct. 13 meeting, a CEDC representative said.
Once details of the plan have been finalized, the project team can move forward with next steps like rezoning, developing infrastructure and securing tenants, according to the presentation.
