Denton | May 2026

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Denton Edition VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4 JUNE 4JULY 1, 2026

2026 Home Edition

Arbor Ranch housing development

Building aordability

PARVIN ST.

377

BY ADAM DOE

In an eort to meet aordable housing demand and alleviate cost burdens, Denton City Council changed the city’s requirements to support housing developments with the intent to bring deeper rent reductions. In November, city leaders updated a policy to incentivize developers to build aordable housing projects within the city. Ocials said this will help current residents save money and improve quality of life, with an ideal of adding 8,700 aordable housing units within four years.

Arbor Ranch, a multifamily housing development, is under construction. The development will oer units aordable for Denton residents. (Courtesy The NRP Group)

CONTINUED ON 19

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

Community Roots: Founded in 2005 by John and Jennifer Garrett, we remain a locally owned business today. Texas-Wide Reach: We deliver trusted news to 65+ communities across the Austin, Bryan-College Station, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metros.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jacquelyn Burrer

Adam Doe Colby Farr Heather McCullough Patricia Ortiz Mary Katherine Shapiro Jenna Stephenson Cody Thorn Isabella Zeff Graphic Designers Nicolas Delgadillo José Jiménez Chelsea Peters Armando Servin Quality Desk Editor Adrian Gandara Senior Managing Editor Miranda Jaimes Senior Product Manager Breanna Flores DFW Market President John Alper

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

Arlin Gold General Manager

Gabby Bailey Editor

Valena Spradley Account Executive

Correction: Volume 1, Issue 3 In a story title “Data centers rise in Denton,” it should have said the city issued a specific used permit to Qumulus AI Jan. 13.

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DENTON EDITION

Impacts

• Opened April 5 • 1611 Eagle Drive, Ste. 107, Denton • www.currywood.com

377

M C K I N N E Y ST .

E . M C C A R T S T .

4 Fat Down BBQ The family-owned restaurant oers slow-smoked meats, homemade sides, catering and a full bar. Fat Down BBQ is only open Friday-Sunday until sellout. • Opened March 27 • 1123 Fort Worth Drive, Denton • www.fatdownbbq.com 5 Sundance Thrift The business oers curated secondhand goods, including clothing, home decor and handbags. • Opened May 8 • 521 Bryan St., Denton • www.sundancethrift.org

10 9

OAKST.

288

HICKORY ST.

WINDSOR DR.

N. ELM ST.

380

T Y B L V D .

380

288

W.OAKST.

WESTERN BLVD.

E. HICKORY ST.

N. TEXAS BLVD.

SHADY OAKS RD.

Coming soon

AVE. A

BELL AVE.

EAGLE DR.

6 Waxxed Sports Cards The business sells a variety of trading cards, such as baseball, football, hockey and other sports cards. It also sells gaming cards and sets, such as Pokemon cards. • Opening June 20 • 2315 Colorado Blvd., Ste. 120, Denton • www.triplecards.com

AIRPORT RD.

35E

Denton

35W

COLORADO BLVD.

FORT WORTH DR.

2449

VINTAGE BLVD.

What’s next PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

MAP NOT TO SCALE

7 Crash Champions The auto repair company oers dent repair, auto glass repair, paint renishing and on-site rentals. Construction on the location is expected to nish Sept. 16. • 3333 E. University Drive, Denton • www.crashchampions.com

2 Blind Man’s Corner The walk-up stand oers queso bowls and tortilla chips with the option to add a protein. It also has packaged ice cream bars and soft drinks. • Opened May 1 • 108 E. Oak St., Denton • www.blindmanscorner.com 3 Currywood The restaurant oers several Indian and Punjabi dishes, including sh tikka, samosas and tandoori chicken.

Now open

1 Ice Cream Labs The business oers ice cream scoops in bowls and cones, which are made in house. Other menu items include falooda, bubble tea, shakes, waes and churros. A grand opening will be hosted later this summer. • Opened April 9

35E

Relocations

8 Velcrokid The toy shop and vending machine cafe will relocate

• 2430 I-35E, Ste. 136, Denton • www.theicecreamlabs.com

35W

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY GABBY BAILEY & ADAM DOE

11 Mallouf Hat Company The Denton hat store closed its brick-and-mortar location April 18 but will maintain an online presence. Mallouf Hat Company sells several styles of headwear, including cowboy hats, scally caps and trucker hats.

from Lewisville and oers toys, artwork and books along with coee and snack oerings. • Relocating in September • 216 W. Mulberry St., Denton • www.velcrokid.com

Now open

• 901 S. Elm St., Denton • https://malloufhats.com

Expansions

9 West Oak Coee Bar Downtown Denton coee shop West Oak Coee Bar will open a cocktail bar and expand its coee service in its upstairs space. The shop will start serving cocktails at 5 p.m. after the bar opens for business. The bar will also oer small bites and tapas. • Cocktail bar opening in late 2026 • 114 W. Oak St., Denton • www.westoakcoffeebar.com

Closings

12 Slap Burger The restaurant oered several styles of burgers and sandwiches, including a hot honey chicken sandwich and a mushroom Swiss cheeseburger. • Closed April 14

14 Kura Revolving Sushi Bar The sushi and Japanese restaurant oers several dierent kinds of sushi and sushi rolls, along with udon and ramen noodle dishes and soup. Kura also has side dishes like gyoza, fried shrimp wontons and sashimi. • Opened May 15 • 3400 I-35N, Ste. 150, Denton • www.kurasushi.com

• 105 Ave. A, Denton • No website available

In the news

13 Patchouli Joe’s Books and Indulgences The bookstore sta announced its new lease agreement at 216 W. Mulberry St. fell through and it closed its current brick-and-mortar location. Patchouli Joe’s sells books, soap, candles, coee and local artwork. • Closed May 30 • 221 W. Hickory St., Denton • www.patchoulijoesbooks.com

10 HereAfter Oddities and Tattoos The tattoo parlor will celebrate its grand reopening and two-year anniversary with a special ash tattoo event June 6 and will have sales for its “oddity” items. • 208 W. Oak St., Denton • www.hereafterdenton.com

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DENTON EDITION

Government

BY ADAM DOE

City ocials renew Denton Woman’s Club building lease in 43 vote In a 4-3 vote at a May 5 City Council meeting, Denton ocials renewed the city’s land lease with the Denton Woman’s Club for its building at Quakertown Park. The current lease is set to expire Aug. 6, council documents state. The details Mayor Gerard Hudspeth and council members Joe Holland, Jill Jester and Brandon McGee voted to approve the lease. It includes an initial 20-year term with two optional 10-year renewals for a total possible term of 40 years. The club will pay the city $1,320 annually to lease the land, with adjustments for ination every ve years. New lease conditions include adding a historical marker within 180 days of the new lease taking eect and allowing the city 24 full-day rentals of the space at no charge to the city. Some background The previous agreement, executed in 1927, leased the land to the club for 1 cent a year for a 99-year term. The building is on city-owned land and the club paid to build and maintain the building since its construction in the 1920’s. The building sits on city-owned land where a former freedmen’s town and middle-class Black neighborhood called Quakertown once existed. In the early 1920’s, the city forcibly relocated several families and destroyed dozens of businesses and homes in the community, city documents state.

Council approves $26M for automated water meters Denton residents will be able to track their water usage more accurately after Denton City Council approved $26 million to install advanced metering infrastructure, a city- wide automated water metering system, at an April 21 council meeting. The new meters will hone in on earlier leak detection and save the city money on labor for manual meter reading, said Kyle Pedigo, the city’s water utility planning manager. In a nutshell The new system will replace the roughly 46,000 commercial and residential water meters in Denton. Savings from manual meter readings, plus vehicle expenses, will fully recoup the $26 million cost in 11-13 years, city documents state. The city is expected to save $18 million over implementation, according to city documents. Contractors will replace about 2,000 meters a month over the next two years, Pedigo said. The installation will interrupt water services for less than one hour, and citizens will be notied four weeks in advance, he added. The new automated system will include a customer portal and allow Denton residents to see their water usage in near-real time, Pedigo said.

The women’s club building hosts events for nonprots and city events, like the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival.

MARSHALL ST.

W. CONGRESS ST.

W . P

What they’re saying Several Denton citizens suggested postponing the lease renewal to allow more time for public input and community engagement, including future District 1 representative Jordan Villarreal. “This building sits in Quakertown Park on land tied to the forced removal of our historically Black community, and renewing another long-term lease on prime public property without a broader, trans- parent process only serves to repeat that history instead of repairing it,” Villarreal said. McGee moved to delay the vote to allow time for more community engagement, but failed 3-4 with council members Jester, Suzi Rumohr, Holland and Hudspeth voting against the postponement. Denton Woman’s Club member Lindsey Miller supported the lease renewal, saying the building serves an important civic function.

City to cover 59% of Cole Ranch sewer line expansion The city of Denton will cover more than half the cost of new sewer lines for the Cole Ranch mas- ter-planned community to accommodate future growth after council approved a cost-sharing agreement with the developers at a May 5 meeting. Some context The project will add 48-inch wastewater The sewer line will run southwest of Denton Enterprise Airport, southeast across I-35W and will replace the 17-inch line currently planned in the Cole Ranch operating agreement, Development Services Director Charlie Rosendahl said.

Funding sources for new wastewater lines for Cole Ranch

Landmark 1.32%: $192,021

City of Denton 59.04%: $8,598,367

Cole Ranch 39.64%: $5,772,302

The project’s cost will be almost $14.6 million and be split between the city and municipal management districts for Cole Ranch and Land- mark. The costs are based on how each party will contribute to wastewater ow, Rosendahl said.

infrastructure to the Hickory Branch wastewater trunk main to expand capacity in anticipation of population growth, council documents state.

SOURCE: CITY OF DENTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY ADAM DOE

DISD to end year with $22M surplus

Denton ISD will end scal year 2025-26 with a roughly $22 million surplus, Jennifer Stewart, DISD’s executive budget director, said at an April 14 meeting. The overview The district’s revenue exceeded expenditures by nearly $22 mil- lion, mostly from Proposition A, a tax rate election voters approved in November that raised property taxes to $1.2069 per $100 valua- tion. It added about $27 million to the district’s revenue, osetting a $15 million decit. Texas House Bill 2 added state funding for teacher pay, special

education and trainings, increas- ing revenue by $19 million. The district’s revenue totaled roughly $388 million, $62 million over the previously budgeted revenue. Expenditures totaled $366 million, more than $20 million over initial projections. The surplus will help stabilize the fund balance, which will now be $88 million, DISD ocials said. Budget projections for FY 2026-27 show the district will receive $380 million in revenue and incur $370 in expenditures, giving the district a $10 million surplus, per Stewart’s report.

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Revenue and expenditure sources for Denton ISD

Expenditures

Revenue

$4M

$26.91M

$19.27M

$12.38M

Total $62M

Total $20.5M

$2.71M

$1.83M

$7.44M

$8.01M

House Bill 2 and compensation plan Mid-year compensation One-time costs Program support

Prop A tax rate election House Bill 2 One-time revenue State funding program changes

380

Denton

Wildridge

NOTE: NUMBERS HAVE BEEN ROUNDED

SOURCE: DENTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Corinth

Landmark

35W

DISD employees to receive pay raises

Northlake

35E

Pecan Square

Furst Ranch

Treeline

Denton ISD employees will receive a pay increase starting in the 2026-27 school year following the board of trustees’ approval at a May 12 board meeting. By the numbers Teachers and librarians will receive a raise equivalent to 4% of the area median teacher salary. All other sta will receive a 2%

midpoint raise. The salary adjustments will cost the district about $9 million for scal year 2026-27, according to projections from Jason Rainey, the interim superintendent for human resources. After the raise, a new Denton ISD teacher will earn $63,500, up from $60,500.

Lewisville

Wildflower Ranch

377

35W

Flower Mound

Roanoke

DENTON EDITION

Election

Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth reflects on 6 years of service Gerard Hudspeth’s tenure as the mayor of Denton will come to an end early this summer after three terms in the position. He will retain his seat until June 23, when the new mayor is sworn in after the city’s runoff election between Chris Watts and Brian Beck. That election will take place June 13. Hudspeth was raised in Denton and has been the mayor since 2020, having been elected to the position three times, the maximum consecutive term limit for the same seat on City Council. He recently spoke with Community Impact about his start in local politics, highlights from the last six years as the city’s mayor and what’s next for him once he leaves office. Answers have been edited for length, style and clarity.

What led you to want to run for mayor of Denton? My dad has always been active here in politics [and was] on the school board. One of his friends was like, “Hey, you should run for council.” [I spent] three years on council from 2017-20. [In 2020,] I didn’t feel like wholesale changes would be best for the city. I talked to the people who had been on council longer than me, and none of them were going to run who were similarly focused, so I threw my hat in the ring to try to continue down the path we were on to have that consistency. What project or initiative are you most proud of spearheading during your terms? It’s really about city staff and giving them what they need because they’re going to be there for 20, 30 years, hopefully. I’m most proud to give them the resources, tools and information they need to be successful and serve the city well. My job simply is to be eyes and ears and say, “I talked to some people, and here’s a concern. Have we looked at it? What can we do to help them mitigate those concerns?”

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can. From the other side of the coin, the Razor Ranch area has developed with Target and other retailers coming on board. The growth is undeni- able around the airport and the energy center. To have the growth we have there helps us firm up our tax base, and [we want to] continue to expand the airport because it’s just a great, unique feature that Denton has. And you can’t go without talking about [the master-planned developments with] Landmark and Hillwood, the Cole family and what that area will be like in southwest Denton. It’s truly going to be an amazing gateway for the city. Are there any scenarios where you look back and think, “I could have handled that differently”? In a perfect world, I wish I would have had the ability to use relationships [for quiet zones] with the railroad. They’re still in process. I wish I would have had more opportunities to leverage relation- ships to get that further down the line and get us going there, because truly, it boils down to putting in a curb. Just so people can’t drive around the arms of the railroad crossing and [the trains] don’t have to honk their horn.

What was the most significant challenge you faced in office? That’s where you get back to the votes and the larger projects and advocating. I tell people all the time, it’s difficult to work with six people you didn’t pick. I’ve lived in Denton my entire life, and you’ve had people on council who have been on council for four years and lived in Denton for five, so I’m talking to them about how we don’t want to make the mistakes from the 1980s and their con- text is the [COVID-19] pandemic forward. How do I communicate these lessons learned from living here to someone who wasn’t here? That kind of debate and finding a solution [to find] what serves the community the best is a challenge. Since you became mayor, what growth have you seen in the city? The elephant in the room right now are the multifamily apartment complexes all over the place. I got that question from a fifth grader at one of the elementary schools I visited who asked, “Hey, what’s with all the apartments?” That’s a challenge that we’re working through as best we

Any advice for the next Denton mayor? I do believe it is truly best to focus on those projects that don’t require a vote, like serving the city, serving staff well and providing information for them to work on. That would be the critical part for a future mayor to understand: Don’t get caught up in buildings and stuff where you have to have consensus or where you got to work through the railroad community. All those things are good and worthy to do, but focus on the stop signs, the school zones, the curb fixes, the ADA accessibility, the things you can do every day with staff’s help. What’s next for you? I want to continue to serve. I was blessed to be appointed to the Civil Service Board by [Denton County] Sheriff [Tracy] Murphee. I’ve served in council before, but I hadn’t had a chance to serve in Denton County. We will certainly run for office. I ran for county commissioner, unsuccessfully by a few hundred votes, but we’ve taken a look at that, and [my family and I] will go back to the drawing board. For me, it’s eyes wide open and trying to see where our skill set best fits.

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Transportation

BY ADAM DOE

Ongoing projects

JUPITER DR.

SELENE DR.

E. SHERMAN DR.

E. MCCART ST.

288

1 I-35 and Mayhill Road Interchange Project: The project will rebuild the I-35 interchange at Mayhill Road from Pockrus Page Road to Loop 288. Update: Crews completed utility relocations in April, including gas lines and fiber, water and wastewater utilities. Workers also removed driveways and sidewalks along the north and southbound frontage roads, and are working to remove asphalt on State School Road and the southbound frontage road. • Timeline: January 2026-June 2029 • Cost: $139.13 million • Funding sources: Texas Department of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments 2 Jupiter Drive Project: Crews will replace the utilities, curbs, gutters and pavement between Redstone Road and Selene Drive as part of the Neighborhood 1B bond package. Update: Crews are currently working on utilities installation ahead of roadway work. • Timeline: April-September • Cost: $1.02 million • Funding source: city of Denton 3 Riverpass Drive Project: Workers will rebuild the intersection of Hickory Creek Road and Riverpass Drive. Update: Crews are working on paving the road. • Timeline: May 4-July 31 • Cost: $200,000 • Funding source: city of Denton 4 Royal Acres Drive 156 Project: Workers will repave the roadway and replace the water and wastewater lines, curbs and gutters along with portions of sidewalk. Update: Crews are installing utilities ahead of roadway work between Royal Acres Drive and Hercules Lane. • Timeline: April-September • Cost: $1.29 million • Funding source: city of Denton

HERCULES LN.

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GLENWOOD LN.

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PONDER AVE.

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Denton

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MAP NOT TO SCALE N

6 Sherwood Street Project: The city’s streets department completed asphalt mill and overlay work on Sherwood Street between Clover Lane and Mistywood Lane to improve the roadway’s durability. Update: The project is completed and the road

Completed projects

5 Ponder Avenue Project: Crews replaced the utilities and rebuilt the roadway and portions of sidewalk on Ponder Avenue from Oak Street to Panhandle Street. Update: The project is completed and the road reopened in early May. • Timeline: May 2025-May 2026 • Cost: $2.79 million • Funding source: city of Denton

35E

reopened in early May. • Timeline: April-May • Cost: $85,000 • Funding source: city of Denton

35W

156

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Development

BY GABBY BAILEY

Novartis breaks ground on new $280M Denton facility

Pharmaceutical company Novartis broke ground on its new $280 million targeted radiation therapy manufacturing plant May 7 in Denton. What’s happening? Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth joined Novartis leaders for the celebration. Other officials include Jeffrey Kessler, U.S. undersecretary of commerce for industry and security; Swiss Ambassador to the U.S. Ralf Heckner; Texas state Sen. Brent Hagen- buch; Texas state Rep. Andy Hopper; and former Dallas Cowboys player Emmitt Smith. The Novartis plant is the first radioligand therapy, or RLT, manufacturing facility in Texas, according to previous reporting. The pharma- ceutical organization will produce drugs for RLT, which is a type of targeted radiation used to treat advanced forms of cancer. Novartis U.S. President Victor Bultó said the partnerships with the city and higher education institutions like the University of North Texas

and Texas Woman’s University made the Denton launch possible. “This will serve patients across the United States,” Bultó said. “This site represents a long- term commitment to operational excellence ... and to the people who will depend on the treatment made here to improve and extend their lives.” Zooming out The Denton plant is expected to become opera- tional in 2028 and will support jobs in bioengineer- ing, advanced manufacturing, quality control and operations, according to Novartis. “We’re especially proud Novartis selected Denton; it was a competitive process,” Hudspeth said. “Novartis is a multimillion dollar investment coming to Denton and moves the needle on our long-term economic vision.” Novartis officials said the Denton facility will help fully produce its key medicines on U.S. soil to reinforce timely delivery to patients.

Novartis in Denton

46,000 -square-foot facility on 20 acres

$280M investment from Novartis

Medicines created on site from start to finish

Patient must receive medication within five days of creation

Will be operational in 2028

SHADY OAKS DR.

SOURCE: NOVARTIS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

DENTON EDITION

Events

Twilight Tunes at the Square Local musical acts Roses and Clover and Strong Work will perform at the courthouse on the square as part of the Twilight Tunes music series. Concerts are free to attend. • June 11, 6:30- 8 p.m. (Roses and Clover); June 18, 6:30-8 p.m. (Strong Work) • Free (admission) • 110 W. Hickory St., Denton • www.downtowndenton.org/twilight-tunes Video Art Night Enjoy the first-ever Video Art Night in Denton, an immersive outdoor video art gallery at Quakertown Park. The event will feature work from local, regional and national artists and a performance from Grateful Dead cover band, The Dead Thing. • June 12, 7-10 p.m. • Free (admission) • 700 Oakland St., Denton • www.dallasaurora.com/Video-Art-Night-Denton-2026 Pridenton Night Out Celebrate Pride Month with Pridenton’s Night Out, a “reverse parade” where guests can peruse vendors from local businesses that support Pridenton at the Quakertown Civic Center. Pridenton is hosting other events in June, like a dance party and pool party. More information is available on Pridenton’s website.

Watercolor and Nature Journaling Wildflower Art Studio will host an introductory workshop on watercolor painting and nature journaling, the practice of drawing and recording observations in nature. • June 6, 3-4:30 p.m. • $65 • 715 N. Locust St., Denton • www.wildflowerartstudio.net/workshops/watercolor- nature-may2026 Jim Lauderdale and the Game Changers at Dan’s Silverleaf Country band Jim Lauderdale and the Game Changers will perform at Dan’s Silverleaf in downtown Denton. Lauderdale released his first album in 1991. • June 7, 2 p.m. (doors open), 3 p.m. (show starts) • $20-$175 • 103 Industrial St., Denton • www.bit.ly/4d2s0O9 Trivia at Alamo Drafthouse Denton Head to the Glass Half Full taproom at Alamo Drafthouse for weekly trivia, hosted by Geeks who Drink. Up to six players can form a team and play for free. • June 8, 7 p.m. (every Monday) • Free (admission) • 3220 Town Center Trail, Denton • www.geekswhodrink.com/venues/882376710

June

“Scooby-Doo” in the Park Head to the Quakertown Civic Center in downtown Denton to enjoy a screening of “Scooby-Doo,” the 2002 film starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini. The movie is based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon from the 1960’s. • June 5, 6-8:30 p.m. • Free (admission) • 321 E. McKinney St., Denton • www.cityofdenton.com/1240/Movies-in-the-Park

No Barriers with John Bramblitt and Erik Weihenmayer

Local artist, disability advocate and business owner John Bramblitt will give a guided painting lesson at the Greater Denton Arts Center alongside host Erik Weihenmayer. Bramblitt lost his sight while studying at the University of North Texas about 25 years ago and now owns Yellow Dog Art Bar and Gallery. Weihenmayer is the first blind person to climb Mount Everest, according to his website. • June 5, 6-8 p.m.

• Free (registration required) • 400 E. Hickory St., Denton • www.bit.ly/4dqQulm

BY ADAM DOE

Juneteenth Celebration The Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Fred Moore Park. The event will feature a performance from DJ Spinn Mo, live music and events for kids like three- legged races and face painting.

• June 13, 6-10 p.m. • Free (admission) • 215 E. McKinney St., Denton • www.pridenton.org/events/night-out-2026

Karaoke at Yellow Dog Art Bar Head to Yellow Dog Art Bar and Gallery for karaoke with DJ J Doubles. Yellow Dog offers a full bar with several locally brewed beers on tap, specialty cocktails and artwork from local artists for sale. • June 13, June 27 • Free (admission) • 219 E. Hickory St., Denton • www.yellowdogartbar.com/events-workshops

• June 20, 10 a.m. • Free (admission)

• 501 S. Bradshaw St., Denton • www.dentonjuneteenth.com

July

Fireworks Show Ahead of the Fourth of July, guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, coolers and blankets to enjoy a fireworks show at the North Texas Fairgrounds, which will be put on by the Denton Noon Kiwanis Club. There will be live music by Denton’s Raised Right Men, face painting, twisted balloons for the kids and food and drinks for purchase. Parking will be $10 per car on the grounds’ property, though entering the fairgrounds is free.

Denton Juneteenth Poetry Slam and Art Exhibition

James Cook Band at Dan’s Silverleaf James Cook Band, an Americana and country band, will perform at Dan’s Silverleaf as part of their Working Up a Storm Tour. Singer and songwriter James Cook, who hails from Wichita Falls, draws from local stories around the Red River as inspiration for his music. • June 27, 3 p.m. • $12- $75

Head to the Greater Denton Arts Council for a poetry slam and art exhibition as part of Denton’s Juneteenth celebration. Other Juneteenth events include a financial workshop at the MLK Recreation Center and story time at Emily Fowler Library. Interested residents can find out more on Denton Juneteenth’s website. • June 18, 6:30 p.m. • Free (admission) • 400 E. Hickory St., Denton • www.dentonjuneteenth.com/events-2

• July 3, 6-10 p.m. • Free (admission) • 2217 N. Carroll Blvd., Denton • www.bit.ly/3Ri6ZYo

• 103 Industrial St., Denton • www.danssilverleaf.com

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Business

BY KAREN CHANEY

The racing games are popular at Free Play Denton.

A variety of pinball games are located in the basement of Free Play Denton, which is located o the square.

PHOTOS BY KAREN CHANEYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Free Play Denton features two oors of retro gaming When Corey Hyden, his wife Kelsie Hyden and brother-in-law Richard Tregilgas, opened Free Play in Denton in 2018, he expected the customer base to reect people like himself. However, he was surprised by the demographic the arcade attracts. “I was 29 [years old] and a lawyer, so I assumed we’re going to target young professionals,” Hyden said. “I very quickly found out this is a place for everyone. Our primary [demographic] is families and the going-out-at-night crowd.” The setup An entry fee of $12.89 per person allows cus- tomers to play over 95 arcade games and pinball machines, which are all set to free play. Guests under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Adult- only times are in eect after 9 p.m.

A ceiling mural featuring the 1980s classic arcade game Centipede is located in Free Play Denton.

HICKORY ST.

Hyden said Free Play boasts the biggest Killer Queen—a 10-player arcade game—league in the world. About 350 members play at the Dallas, Den- ton and Richardson Free Play locations weekly. What else? Free Play has a food menu that includes appetiz- ers, sandwiches and atbreads. The beverage menu has a variety of beers and themed cocktails, including Mario Mario, the Fresh Prince and the Je Spicoli.

WALNUT ST.

Free Play Denton is located in a two-story building on the square in downtown Denton. “I bought that building entirely because of the huge basement,” Hyden said.

101 W. Hickory St., Denton www.freeplayinc.com/denton

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DENTON EDITION

Real estate

BY GABBY BAILEY

Home Edition

2026

Readers, welcome to your annual Community Impact Home Edition! It’s that time of year where our local news team dives deep into stories aecting housing, homeowners and real estate in Denton. This guide includes highlights on housing development trends, businesses serving homeowners and real estate updates. Stories found within the guide take a look at a local master-planned community update, including why it’s being renamed. We also gained expert insight on the impact of indoor air quality and mold oered by a Denton County-based mother-daughter team. Our lead story dives into the city’s policies on aordable housing, how the Dallas-Fort Worth metro rent rates directly aects aordable rental rates in Denton and how city ocials are navigating these trends. Also, check out recent data on the housing market in Denton, including average home prices, average days a home stays on the market and the total number homes sold in the city. All the stories in this edition are written by our team of local journalists who are invested in keeping you updated on your community. This guide is made possible by advertisements from local businesses that support our mission to provide free, hyperlocal news.

What's inside

Check out a Q&A with a mold remediation expert on indoor air quality (Page 17)

Arlin Gold General Manager agold@ communityimpact.com

Take a look at the latest real estate trends for the city of Denton (Page 18)

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Craver Ranch community in north Denton to get new name

Craver Ranch, the 2,870-acre master-planned community in north Denton, will be named some- thing new before the rst houses are complete. The gist Old Prosper Partners, the developers behind the community, will work with a marketing agency to decide on a new moniker at a later date, said Teague Grin, one of the partners with the rm. Grin said Craver Ranch was named after the family who originally owned the land. Old Prosper Partners currently is focusing on laying out the utilities and easements, which will take roughly a year, Grin said. “[It will take] probably 24-36 months after that to start working on what we need to get done from an internal builder standpoint,” Grin said. The rst houses are expected to be ready by 2028 or a little later, Grin said. The community should be nished by 2045.

Future roads

The development will include: 7,091 single-family residential units 1,084 townhomes or other zero-lot line housing units 1,015 multifamily units Around 1.24 million square feet of commercial space 380.5 acres of parkland 13.5 miles of public trails and 18.5 miles of shared-use paths 2 tracts of land for future re stations 3 tracts of land for two future Denton ISD schools and one Sanger ISD school

2153

2164

Craver Ranch

SHEPARD RD.

SOURCE: CITY OF DENTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

PROPOSED REGIONAL OUTER LOOP

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY GABBY BAILEY

FixAIRx owners share insight on the impact of indoor air quality, elevated mold exposure in a home

cause and document the plan. That distinction is especially important in Texas, where mold assessment and mold remediation are regulated elds. ... We are identifying, testing, interpreting and documenting damage conditions that aect health risks to both the home and everyone living inside it. If mold or signicant water damage is involved, it’s important to involve a licensed mold assessment consultant as early as possible. How can mold and poor indoor air quality aect the structure of your home? Mold is not just an air quality concern; it is usually a sign that moisture is present where it does not belong. Most modern homes are built with materials like wood framing, drywall, insu- lation and paperbacked products. When they stay damp, they can become food sources for mold and bacteria. Over time, moisture can weaken build- ing materials, damage drywall, aect ooring, compromise cabinetry and ... attract pests. For those looking to buy a new home, how can you spot signs of poor indoor air quality? Whether a home is brand new or simply new to you, there are a few things buyers should pay attention to before closing because most homes are built with moisture-sensitive materials. During your walkthrough, pay close attention to what you see, what you smell and how the home feels. Musty odors, water stains, swollen baseboards, peeling paint, buckled ooring, freshly patched areas or dirty HVAC components can all be signs that there may be a bigger issue.

Wendy Michaelis and her daughter, Anna Bell, are the owners of FixAIRx, a forensic indoor environmental health company based in Denton County. The company is dedicated to assessing the air quality to address complex indoor health concerns. Elevated mold exposure can aect health, especially for people who are sensitive, allergic, asthmatic, immunocompromised or already dealing with other health concerns, Michaelis said. Damp or moldy buildings are associated with respiratory symptoms, asthma concerns, allergic rhinitis, respiratory infections and eczema. “It’s crazy that 13 years ago, I started this com- pany to nd solutions for Anna’s asthma. I never expected that this would become our journey together,” Michaelis said. Community Impact spoke with Michaelis, a licensed mold assessment consultant, on how to monitor a home’s air quality, mold assessments and mold remediation. What is indoor air quality? Indoor air quality, or IAQ, is a term that refers to the overall conditions of the air inside your home or building and how those conditions aect your health and comfort. Indoor air quality is inu- enced by several interconnected factors and can become expensive and confusing when something is out of balance. What does an indoor air quality specialist do? I often compare our role to the diagnostic side of health care. Before treatment begins, someone has to understand the symptoms, identify the

Wendy Michaelis (left) and Anna Bell are licensed mold assessment consultants who test a home’s indoor air quality through their business, FixAIRx.

COURTESY FIXAIRX

How can homeowners keep track of their home’s indoor air quality, and what indicators should they watch for? A simple humidity monitor can help home- owners watch for elevated moisture conditions, and a basic indoor air quality monitor can help track trends in particulates and volatile organic compounds from dust, smoke, cleaning products, fragrances, renovations, building materials or poor ventilation.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

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DENTON EDITION

Real estate

In Denton, 132 homes were sold in April 2026. The total is the same as the number of homes sold in April 2025, which was also 132. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

April 2025

April 2026

-63.6%

+23.53%

+52%

+5.26%

-15.38%

-20.59%

76201

76209

76210

76205

76207

76208

288

380

76209

76201

Median home sales price

76205

76207

April

2025

2026

35E

35W

76210

LEWISVILLE LAKE

$335,000 $414,155 $434,160 $430,000 $312,500 $417,225

$208,500 $373,000 $462,450 $389,496 $302,500 $377,500

76201

76205

Homes sold by price point

76207

April 2026

76208

76209

$1 million+

76210

$700,000-$999,999

$400,000-$699,999

Average days on market

$100,000-399,999

+14.44%

+50%

+45.24%

+1.67%

+94.59%

-12.96%

<$99,999

MARKET DATA COMPILED BY METROTEX ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WWW.MYMETROTEX.COM

76201

76205

76207

76209

76208

76210

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From the cover

Building affordability

BY ADAM DOE

Area median income in Denton vs. Dallas region for family of 4

What’s happening

$120,000 $100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $0

Denton’s median income is about $36,000 less than the Dallas region’s median income as of April 2026. Government agencies use the Dallas region’s area median income to calculate affordability for Denton residents. There are about 200 Denton units priced for 50% and 30% with the Dallas AMI data, according to city data. Dallas fair market region Denton

Denton city leaders adopted new affordability criteria for Denton City Council to approve federally funded tax credits at a Nov. 18 work session, according to previous reporting. The new requirements introduced a rubric that emphasizes units for 50% and 30% annual median income earners to help eligible residents pay for affordable housing. In Denton, the median rent for one-bedroom and two-bedroom multifamily units has risen over time, with two-bedroom rent rising from a median rate of $941 in 2015 to $1,598 in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Denton Community Services Director Jesse Kent said federal and state agencies determine the area median income and the affordable rent in Denton, but use the entire Dallas-Fort Worth region to calculate the area median income and what rates are affordable. The region includes higher-income areas, which skews the rate to higher rent pricing than what is affordable for Denton, Kent said. Affordable housing is defined as housing priced for renters to pay less than 30% of their monthly income on rent and uses area median income to determine those rent numbers, Kent’s report states. Residents who spend more than 30% of their income on housing are considered cost burdened,

80% AMI 100% AMI

50% AMI

30% AMI

Income bracket

SOURCES: CITY OF DENTON, US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Housing and Urban Development then scales that income to family size to determine the AMI for households of different sizes, Kent said. As of 2025, Housing and Urban Development data shows the Dallas region’s AMI for a family of four is $117,300 annually, while Denton’s AMI is $80,900, according to city data. When the state and federal agencies set affordable housing prices in Denton, it’s based on what’s affordable for the Dallas area’s median income, not Denton’s. “The [Dallas] area median income is significantly higher than Denton’s median income,” Kent said. “When the state [and] federal governments are defining affordability in our community, they’re using that much higher income to do it. That doesn’t translate well to the city of Denton.”

and residents who spend more than 50% are considered severely cost burdened, according to Kent’s report. Area median income, or AMI, is determined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and used to measure local housing affordability. Denton officials consider affordable rent to be priced for 50% and well below DFW’s area median income. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development calculates AMI with data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Kent said. Housing and Urban Development officials examine the incomes for families of four and find the median income, where half of the families earn a higher income and the other half earn less than the median.

Why it matters

Data shows that workers in seven of Denton’s 10 most-common jobs don’t earn enough to afford the median rate for a one-bedroom apartment in the city. These jobs include cashiers, customer service representatives, food service workers, retail salespeople, restaurant servers, office clerks and material movers. Kent said when renters are cost burdened or severely cost burdened and spend more than half of their monthly income on housing, it makes it difficult to put money away for other basic necessities. “If half of every paycheck is going to your apartment, it’s hard to save money. It’s hard to pay for health care costs, to take your kids on vacation, to do those things that enrich the lives of you and your family, to seek higher education and increase your income,” Kent said

Cost burden by income level Cost-burdened renters pay more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Severely cost-burdened renters pay more than half of their income on rent. Severely cost burdened Cost burdened Not cost burdened 25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0%-30% AMI

31%-50% AMI

Income bracket 51%-80% AMI

81%-100% AMI

>100% AMI

CONTINUED ON 20

SOURCE: CITY OF DENTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT

DENTON EDITION

Building affordability From the cover

CONTINUED FROM 19

By the numbers

The impact

Affordable housing developments

Complete

Under construction

Arbor Ranch, a 297-unit apartment complex on Roselawn Drive near Denia Park, broke ground March 19 and will offer 45 units at 50% of the area’s median income or lower, according to city documents. Council approved a tax credit, paid by the federal government, to developer The NRP Group to cover 30% of Arbor Ranch’s construction costs in February 2025. Nick Walsh, The NRP Group’s vice president of development, said the complex would not exist without the federal tax credits. “Without these incentives, those monthly savings wouldn’t exist for Denton families,” Walsh said. “These 297 units would likely never be built.” City data shows there are 35 housing developments with units priced for 50% area median income earners and under.

Out of Denton’s roughly 34,000 multifamily units, 624 are priced and reserved for renters earning 50% AMI or less, which the city classifies as affordable for Denton. Median market rate rent in Denton is $1,598 for a two-bedroom apartment, and $1,308 for a one-bedroom unit. To afford a market rate one-bedroom apartment in Denton without being cost burdened, a renter would need to earn about $4,360 a month.

428

288

380

Denton

Multifamily units in Denton

35E

288

Out of the city’s 34,419 multifamily units, 624 are designated as affordable for Denton. 1.81%

Total 34,419

35W

377

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

SOURCE: CITY OF DENTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT

For state and federal cost of living programs, Denton is included in the whole DFW metroplex, which has a higher cost of living than Denton’s market rate. This requires deeper rent adjustments to create rent reductions.

Two-bedroom rent in Denton over time

50% AMI for DFW (affordable for Denton)

Denton market rate

80% AMI for DFW

Rent prices for DFW’s 80% AMI was higher than Denton’s market rate from 2015-24. Denton’s market rate for a two-bedroom unit was $1,598 in 2024, while the Dallas region’s was $1,986.

$2,000 $1,500 $1,000 $500 $0

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

SOURCES: CITY OF DENTON, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ADAM DOE

Affordable multifamily housing

Looking ahead

Zooming in

800

624

Kent said developers can apply for low-income housing tax credits to help cover construction costs in exchange for lower rent rates. The credits come from the federal government, and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs administers the program. The tax credits can cover up to 70% of the construction costs, Kent said. To receive the tax credits, City Council must approve the developer’s tax credit application. City staff uses a scoring rubric as part of the appli- cation that scores more points if the developers reserve more units for 30% and 50% AMI earners. The application also requires the developer to host a meeting with residents who live near the new housing development. By lowering construction costs, the developer can pass the savings on to renters through lower rates. The federal government mandates the developer keep affordable rates for a set period. “The IRS says you have to maintain the afford- ability for 30 years [for the program],” Kent said.

Currently, 2,205 income restricted multifamily units are under construction in Denton, including 80% AMI. Of those units, about 200 are priced at 50% or less than the area median income, which is considered affordable for Denton, Kent said. Of the 8,700 anticipated affordable units needed based on projections from Kent, about 6,700 units will need to serve renters earning 30% AMI, and the remaining 2,000 units will need to supply 50% AMI earners. Another initiative is McAdams Haven, a complex developed by the Denton Affordable Housing Corp. that is currently in the city’s planning and zoning process. McAdams Haven will provide housing for residents who have disabilities and have been unhoused for more than a year, said Carrie Baugus, the corporation’s CEO. McAdams Haven is expected to break ground late this summer and open by the end of 2027. A news release from The NRP Group said Arbor Ranch will open to renters in early 2027. Initial

518

600

533

306

400

381

200

254

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

SOURCE: CITY OF DENTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT

rent will range from $565-$2,200 monthly. “We’re trying to make it to where people are not spending a significant portion of their income every month and paying for the cost of housing,” Kent said. “We want them to be able to spend money in ways that help them, their families and improve the quality of their life.”

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