Plano North | March 2025

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Plano North Edition VOLUME 11, ISSUE 7 MARCH 22APRIL 21, 2025

2025 Camp Guide A new Bend New Willow Bend plan now includes Macy’s demolition

INSIDE

W. PLANO PKWY.

DNT TOLL

W. PARK BLVD.

RENDERING COURTESY CENTENNIAL

Also in this issue

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Impacts: Discover the new ramen restaurant in downtown Plano (Page 6)

Community: Explore area options and nd the perfect summer camp adventure for your child (Page 16)

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Water Wisely Help Plano

• Water early in the morning or later in the evening. Using sprinklers between 10 am and 6 pm is prohibited to minimize evaporation and ensure more efficient water usage. • Reduce runoff by shortening your watering times. Run your sprinklers in short cycles and wait one hour between cycles to allow water to soak into the ground. • Direct spray onto landscape. Avoid accidentally watering the fence, sidewalk, street or driveway. • Inspect your irrigation system monthly. Check for broken, damaged or missing sprinkler heads to avoid wasting water. Ensure hoses and pipes are connected properly to avoid leaks and fix any breaks. Watch for upcoming sprinkler repair classes at Plano.gov/SEEDPrograms. • Use compost and mulch in your yard. Compost creates nutrient rich soil that holds moisture, allows better root penetration and releases water and nutrients to plant roots. Mulch around plants keeps temperature consistent and reduces evaporation. Consider using Texas Pure Products mulch and compost – shop at TexasPureProducts.com. Twice per week watering is permitted April 1 - October 31 Once per week watering is permitted November 1 - March 31 Resident addresses with an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8) as their last digit and HOA common areas water Mondays and Thursdays. Resident addresses with an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9) as their last digit water Tuesdays and Fridays. • Only water when needed and only on assigned watering days. You may not need to water if rain is in the forecast. Subscribe to for weekly watering recommendations. WaterMyYard.org Plano.gov/Watering

Water is our most precious resource, so it’s important we protect it. If we all do a small part to conserve, together we can make a big impact.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The City of Plano is hosting a Town Hall focused on the 2025 Bond Referendum on Thursday, April 10. Learn how to participate at Plano.gov/TownHall.

PLANO NORTH EDITION

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Impacts

T A

C Y RD.

3 Popeyes The fast food establishment serves fried chicken, seafood, biscuits and more. • Opened Feb. 10 • 1200 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano • www.popeyes.com 4 Ramen Belly Menu items include pot stickers, sashimi, ramen and poke bowls. • Opened March 14 • 1001 14th St., Ste.100, Plano • www.ramenbelly.co

RIDGEVIEW DR.

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MCDERMOTT RD.

North Plano

A NY DR.

HEDGCOXE RD.

GRANITE PKWY.

LEGACY DR.

CORPORATE DR.

Coming soon

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PLANO PKWY.

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SPRING CREEK PKWY.

5 Shaahi Biryani The menu includes chicken tikka masala, beef nihari, kabab platters and more. • Opening TBD • 3421 E. Renner Road, Ste. 110, Plano • www.shaahibiryani.com 6 BASIS The school offers “STEM-infused, college preparatory, K–12 tuition-free curriculum,” according to the school’s website. • Opening in August • 4501 Hedgcoxe Road, Plano • www.enrollbasistx.com 7 Cherry Blossom Lounge The business will offer wine tastings and pairings. Cherry Blossom Lounge doesn’t have a wine menu online and its website hasn’t been published yet. • Opening in Summer 2025 • Plano Market Street, 1929 Preston Road, Plano • Facebook: Cherry Blossom Lounge 8 Keke’s Breakfast Cafe The eatery’s breakfast menu features apple-cinnamon waffles, buttermilk pancakes, egg and cheese sandwich, and more. The lunch options will include portabella panini, Buffalo chicken sandwich, chicken

CHAPEL HILL BLVD.

PARKER RD.

PARK BLVD.

South Plano

PARK BLVD.

15TH ST.

1 4 TH ST.

P L A N O P K W Y .

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RENNER RD.

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1 5

2 Palestinian Excellence The company offers a wide variety of traditional and modern clothing items, focusing on Palestinian embroidery and cultural designs, CEO Sulieman Alhazma said. • Opened Feb. 2 • 2070 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Ste. 314A, Plano • www.palestinianelegance.com

Now open

1 Alohahola The restaurant menu includes Hawaiian BBQ, seafood, musubi, fried rice and more. • Opened mid-March • 3421 E. Renner Road, Ste. 104, Plano • www.alohahola.com

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Caesar salad and more. • Opening TBD • 9615 Coit Road, Plano • www.kekes.com

Relocations

9 Piada The eatery’s menu features a variety of pasta bowls including carbonara, basil pesto, diavolo and marinara. A build-your-own pasta option is also available. Other items include piadas, salads and more. • Opening April 29 • 9605 Coit Road, Ste. 101, Plano • www.mypiada.com 10 Singas Pizza The eatery’s menu features a variety of pizza options including black olive, BBQ chicken, pepperoni, shrimp, eggplant and more. Spaghetti sauces include mushroom, garlic butter, alfredo and others. • Opening in June • 8245 Preston Road. Plano • www.singaspizzas.com

13 Mazie’s Mission Rescue Hospital The nonprofit veterinary hospital dedicated to serving homeless and neglected animals, relocated to Plano in January. Mazie’s Mission offers professional veterinary care, expert forensic evidence and adoption assistance to shelters, rescue groups and 14 Lee Graves Salon The salon’s expansion, which increased the salon’s space from 2,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet, allowed for increased services. Lee Graves Salon reopened on Feb 21. • 6101 Chapel Hill Blvd., Ste. 103, Plano • www.leegravessalon.com 15 Kentucky Fried Chicken The fast food chain is set to move its U.S. headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano. • 7100 Corporate Drive • www.kfc.com 16 The Kickin’ Crab The restaurant will offer shrimp, oysters, tilapia and

first responders, as well as other non-profit animal welfare groups. • Opened in January • 6505 W Park Blvd., Ste.155, Plano • www.maziesmission.org

In the news

11 Atlantic Aviation Plano City Council approved an economic incentive that will provide the company with $300,000 to move their headquarters into a 25,000-square-foot space on Granite Park 6’s seventh floor. • 5525 Granite Parkway • www.atlanticaviation.com 12 Bojangles The standalone restaurant set for the corner of SH 121 and Coit Road is expected to start construction on July 31 and finish in January 2026. North Carolina-based Bojangles serves chicken sandwiches, tenders, fried chicken and grilled chicken with a variety of sides and desserts, including the restaurant’s signature Bo-Berry Biscuit, according to its website.

more. The restaurant is not slated to open until late 2025, according to documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 3420 K Ave., Ste. 160, Plano • www.thekickincrab.com

Closings

17 JOANN The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy Jan. 15, and announced that all stores will be closing. • Closing TBD • 700 Alma Drive, Plano • www.joannrestructuring.com

• 3840 SH 121, Plano • www.bojangles.com

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

Government

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY & CODY THORN

2 city grants to bring HQs to Plano

3 Plano City Council seats up for grabs The filing period to appear on the May 3 ballot in Plano ended at 5 p.m. on Feb. 14. Check out the final list of candidates for multiple city council seats. On the ballot Incumbent John Muns, who was first elected as mayor in 2021, is running for re-election unopposed. The Plano City Council Place 2 race will have three candidates, with Bob Kehr, Douglas Reeves and Carson K. Underwood all running. Christene Krupa Downs and Cody Weaver are running for Place 4, while Vidal Quintanilla and Hayden Padgett are both running for the Place 8 seat. Current Place 2, 4 and 8 council mem- bers Anthony Ricciardelli, Kayci Prince and Rick Smith, respectively, have all hit the term limit and cannot run for re-election. What else Early voting for the May 3 election will last from April 22-29. The last day to register to vote is April 3.

Atlantic Aviation Corporate Headquarters

DNT TOLL

The city of Plano has entered economic incentive agreements to relocate Sally Beauty Holdings and Atlantic Aviation’s corporate headquarters to Plano. The big picture Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., announced in a news release that it would leave Denton and relocate its corporate headquarters to Plano. The company founded in 1964 will lease 140,000 square feet of office space at 7900 Windrose Avenue in the Legacy West development. The move will bring approximately 600 employees to Plano at the end of 2025. “Legacy is recognized as one of the premier business parks in the United States, offering unparalleled opportunities for businesses like Sally Beauty to thrive,” Doug McDonald, Plano Director of Economic Development, said in a news release. Sally Beauty has more than 4,000 stores across three continents and recently opened 10 Happy Beauty Co. stores to meet the demand of high-quality, low-cost beauty products in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to a news release.

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Sally Beauty Corporate Headquarters

What else Atlantic Aviation is keeping its headquarters in Plano, but moving around two miles north to Granite Park 6. Plano City Council approved an economic incentive that will provide the company with $300,000 to move their headquar- ters into a 25,000-square-foot space on Granite Park 6’s seventh floor, located at 5525 Granite Parkway. Atlantic Aviation provides a variety of aircraft maintenance services at various locations nationwide, including locations in Dallas and Addison. The company’s headquarters were previously located at 5201 Tennyson Parkway.

Plano council approves new parks facility, trailhead improvements at Oak Point Park

OAK POINT PARK

A new maintenance facility for Plano’s parks department is set to be constructed at Oak Point Park. The gist The 15,520-square-foot maintenance facility set for the corner of Los Rios Boulevard and Parker Road will feature space for offices, equip- ment storage, vehicle maintenance bays and more. Plano City Council approved the project at its Feb. 10 meeting. The new facility will also feature trailhead improvements with restrooms and a bicycle services station open to the public. The site will also feature more than 90 parking spaces.

Diving deeper The new facility will be replacing the current facility at Schell Park, which Plano Assistant Director of Parks Dave Angeles said is outdated. He added that the facility’s location near Memorial Elementary School and several neigh- borhoods is not ideal. “We really would like to get our maintenance facilities a little bit further away from the resi- dential areas, as well as preventing the ingress and egress of our staff during school hours and school release times,” he said. The construction of the facility will cost nearly $13 million , and will be paid for with 2021 bond funds.

E. SPRING CREEK PKWY.

What’s next Construction on the project is expected to begin early this summer, and will take 12 months to complete, Plano Director of Engineering Caleb Thornhill said.

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

Education

BY DUSTIN BUTLER & HANNAH JOHNSON

State performance reviewed by PISD board Plano ISD has a “Superior Achievement” rating in financial integrity and “meets requirements” for special education needs, according to the district’s 2023-24 Texas Academic Performance Report, or TAPR. The PISD Board of Trustees reviewed the TAPR during its Feb. 4 meeting. The Texas education code requires the district to publish the TAPR annually. The details Antoine Spencer, director of research and accountability for PISD, presented the results, which covers the district’s STAAR scores, annual growth and more. Across all STAAR test subjects— reading, math, science and social studies—82% of PISD students were at approaches and above, while the state average was 75%.

PISD staff details behavior program

Plano Region Percentage approaching or meeting grade level State Plano ISD 2024 STAAR scores

82%

The district began implementing a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Program four years ago in campus cohorts, the first of which has completed the implementation. The approach The program is focused on positive reinforcement aimed to prevent behavior issues in students, Jana Sandall, director for student management, said. The district also uses a classroom man- agement tool called STOIC, an acronym which stands for structure, teach, observe, interact and correct—five elements Sandall said will help lead to effective behavioral improvement. Since 2023, 55 campuses have been trained with the tool, Sandall said.

76%

Reading

77%

80%

72%

Math

74%

80%

75% 75%

Science

86%

Social Studies

78%

80%

SOURCE: PLANO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

Plano invests $6.8M in road concrete repair More road work is set for sections of Alma Drive and Independence Parkway. The city of Plano is spending $6.8 million for road construction on Alma Drive and Indepen- dence Parkway. Plano City Council approved a contract with Jagoe-Public Company for the arterial overlay projects during its Feb. 24 meeting. The specifics The arterial overlay projects are set for Alma Drive between Parker Road and Hedgcoxe Road and Independence Parkway between Spring Creek Parkway and SH 121. The work includes 1,500 square yards of con- crete repairs followed by the installation of a thin asphalt overlay. On average, sections of road that undergo the arterial overlay process will not need additional

15th Street lane closed for replacement work Plano drivers can expect lane closures for construction on 15th Street until July 15. What you need to know Work started on replacing a screening wall on 15th Street from Alma Drive to just east of Booker Lane on Feb. 9. The outside lane of westbound 15th Street closed as a result. Crews are also replacing screening walls on Independence Parkway and Parker Road. Those projects are expected to complete in June and March, respectively.

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maintenance for 15 to 20 years, while roads with only concrete repairs need maintenance every five years, on average, Plano Senior Engineer Samson Bekele said.

BOOKER LN.

E. 15TH ST.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

DART implements changes to fare structure

Park Boulevard projects ongoing

Several changes to Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s fare structure were implemented March 1. The specifics DART is set to implement a “simplified fare structure,” according to a news release from the transit agency. Single-ride, a.m./p.m. and midday passes used for bus and GoLink rides will be replaced by one standard three-hour passes, which would cost $3 local fare and $1.50 for those eligible to pay a reduced fare. A day pass will stay at $6 local, or $3 reduced fare, but the price of a monthly pass will increase from $96 local or $46 reduced to $126 or $63. The transit agency is also removing the option to buy an annual pass, but members enrolled in the DART Corporate Annual Pass program will see no change in their rates, according to the release. Veterans will also be able to apply for a reduced fare card.

A variety of construction projects along Plano’s Park Boulevard are set to finish this summer. What you need to know Both phases of the work to rehabilitate the roadway’s water line—ranging from Preston Road to the eastern city limits—are set to end this summer. Also underway and finishing this summer are improvements at Park’s intersections with Ohio Drive and Ventura Drive.

DART updated its fare structure at the beginning of March.

DUSTIN BUTLER COMMUNITY IMPACT

Quote of note “Our goal is to make fares more straightforward and equitable for all passengers,” DART Assistant Vice President Jing Xu said in the release. “By con- solidating and refining our fare products, we aim to maintain a balance between affordability and the high level of service our customers expect.”

OHIO DR. PRESTON RD.

PARK BLVD.

PLANO CITY BOUNDARY

VENTURA DR.

PGBT TOLL

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

A new Bend From the cover

What you need to know

moving the pieces around.” The new plan includes the demolition of the mall’s southern half, including Macy’s, instead of its southern half as originally planned. Centennial also added 50 single-family townhomes in addition to the three planned apartments.

Just over a year later, a new plan for the project titled “The Bend” was approved. Michael Platt, Centennial executive vice president of mixed- use development, said the revision was “more reective of the market.” “It’s the same chessboard,” Platt said. “We’re just

A plan to redevelop The Shops at Willow Bend from a 1.4 million-square-foot indoor mall into a mixed-use district was sent back to the drawing board shortly after receiving City Council approval in February 2024, when Macy’s informed property owners Centennial that its location in the mall would be closing.

Existing site plan

Proposed concept plan Key:

Key:

1 Dillard’s 2 Macy's

1 Dillard’s 2 Neiman Marcus P Parking garages Enclosed retail

3 Neiman Marcus P Parking garages

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Enclosed retail Parking lots

Open spaces Single family townhomes Multi family apartments Parking lots

DALLAS PKWY.

SOURCE: CENTENNIALCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The inspiration

Levin said that the mall had 50 tenants when it was acquired by Centennial in 2022, and it currently has closer to 30. “We can’t have a mall that is empty,” Levin said. “The tenancy is waning and struggling, so we’re trying to get started as fast as we can.”

Brian Dunne, who owns The Mexican Bar in Willow Bend, said last year that several of the businesses were “hanging on by a string,” adding that the redevelopment was necessary. “[Mall tenants] feel strongly that we need this to happen for us to survive,” he said.

The loss of Macy’s is the latest blow for Willow Bend, which opened in 2001. A planned $125 million redevelopment in 2015 never materialized and several big tenants have left the mall since, including the Apple store in 2019.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

Diving in deeper

What’s next

at Willow Bend, with both transitioning from traditional indoor malls to include a more diverse set of uses. Braster said that the major difference is that The Shops at Willow Bend is still open, putting it in the “right spot to redevelop in a more sustainable way.” “We all watched Collin Creek die,” Braster said. “And to have another great asset like Willow Bend do the same thing... we couldn’t let that happen.”

The Bend plays into the city’s current plan for redevelopment, Plano Director of Special Projects Peter Braster said, as the city has little green space left, and future growth will focus on redevelopment. “You have to keep up growing and evolving,” Braster said. “Maybe not outward in geographics, but still, growth happens.” Of the other major redevelopments in Plano, the Collin Creek Mall is most similar to The Shops

"We still feel like the vision and the strategy for the center is correct, but we just need to pivot in how we actually implement that."

MICHAEL PLATT, CENTENNIAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

The project’s first phase is set to break ground this year, according to a news release from Centennial. Construction will start on the southern half of the mall, focusing on the construction of the apartment buildings, the release states. “Willow Bend is yesterday’s suburban mall— it was designed for a different era,” Platt said. “The one thing that really doesn’t work on this site is what’s there today.”

Plano’s two largest indoor malls are both in the process of major redevelopments. Reinventing retail

Malls

Square footage

Residential Units

Open space (acres)

Hotel(s)

1.4M sq. ft.

965

10 acres

Willow Bend Mall

1.1M sq. ft.

3,100

8 acres

Collin Creek Mall

SOURCE: CITY OF PLANO/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

Community

Camp Guide

2025

Heritage Farmstead Museum Type: day Ages: grades K-5 Dates: June 9-13, June 16-20, June 23-27, July 7-11, July 14-18, July 21-25 Cost: $265 per week • Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 W 15th Street • www.heritagefarmstead.org iCode Type: STEM Ages: 5-15 Dates: May 26-Aug. 22 Cost: $499/weekly • iCode Plano, 7200 Independence Parkway, Ste. 210 • www.icodeschool.com

Dates: June 23-27 Cost: $375 (5-day camp) • 2011 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Ste. 800 • www.bricksbotsbeakers.com Club SciKidz Type: academics, arts, day, overnight, sports Ages: PreK-7th grade Dates: July 7-25 Cost: $295-$405 (weekly) • One Community Church, 2400 SH 121 • www.clubscikidzdallas.com Edge Dance and Performing Arts Type: dance Ages: 3-13 Dates: July 7-Aug. 1 Cost: $249-$299 • Edge Dance & Performing Arts Center, 4101 E. Park Blvd., Ste. 101 • www.edgedance.com

Plano

PISD Exploration Program Type: academics Ages: grades 1-7 Dates: June 2-17 Cost: $300 (weekly) • Various PISD middle school campuses • www.pisd.edu/Page/32588 Shine Performing Arts Camp Type: performing art Ages: 6-12 Dates: July 7-11 Cost: $200-$445 • 1509 H Ave., Plano • www.shineplano.org/summer-camp Wonderful World of Wizards Type: academics Ages: grades K-5

North Texas Performing Arts Type: theater Ages: 5-18 Dates: June 3-Aug. 8 Cost: $299-$459

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BY DUSTIN BUTLER & KAREN CHANEY

Texas Dynamix Gymnastics Type: sports Ages: 4-12 Dates: May 28-Aug 2 Cost: $45-$70 (daily) • 1901 Preston Park Blvd., Plano • www.texasdynamixgymnastics.com Twinkle Star Dance Academy Type: dance Ages: 3-10 Dates: July 8-19 Cost: $99-$129 • 3400 Preston Road, Ste. 225 • www.twinklestardancers.com/plano

• 6121 W. Park Blvd., Ste. B216 • www.ntpa.org/camps

Pipe & Palette Type: arts Ages: 5-17 Dates: May 28-Aug. 8 Cost: $95-$385 • Pipe & Palette, 6121 W. Park Blvd., Ste. B112 & B113 • www.pipeandpalette.com

School of Rock Type: music Ages: 7-18 Dates: June 3-Aug. 9 Cost: $550

City of Plano Type: day, indoor, outdoor Ages: 6-16 Dates: starting June 2 Cost: varies • Locations vary • www.planoparks.org

• School of Rock, 1501 Preston Road, Ste. 550 • www.schoolofrock.com/locations/plano

Trailblazers Summer Club Lionheart Children’s Academy hosts the

Trailblazers Summer Club that provides a variety of offsite field trips, math and reading activities and more. Type: day, field trips Ages: K-12 years Dates: Full and partial summer options are available

Texas Chess Center Type: day, chess Ages: 5-17 Dates: May 27-Aug. 8 Cost: $186-$514 • 4105 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Ste. 610 • www.texaschesscenter.com

This list is not comprehensive.

Cost: Available at request • 2301 Premier Drive, Plano • www.lionheartkid.org/trailblazers

PLANO NORTH EDITION

Events

Nonpro t

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

BY KAREN CHANEY

Heritage Farmstead preserves history

Plano Bridal Show The event features a variety of wedding-related

March

exhibitors and vendors. • March 30, noon-5 p.m. • $12 (adults), $6 (ages 3-14) • E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano • www.bridalshowsinc.com

The Texas Golf Expo Golf-focused speakers, contests, giveaways, vendors will all be present at the Texas Golf Expo. • March 21, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; March 22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; March 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. • $20 (entrance) • 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano • www.texasgolfexpo.com Collin Jazz Fest Area middle and high school jazz bands will be performing at a series of evening concerts. • March 28-29, 7 p.m. • Free • 2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Room A175 • www.collin.edu/department/music/musicevents Little Farmer Fridays at Heritage Farmstead The series of events will include feeding ducks, meeting the farm’s pigs and more. • March 29, April 4, 10 a.m.-noon • $15 (ages 2-11), $7 (ages 13-23 months), $5 (12 and older), free (under 12 months old) • 1900 W. 15th St., Plano • www.heritagefarmstead.org

With 13 original structures situated on the four acres that comprise Heritage Farmstead Museum, Kathy Wilson, recently retired vice president of marketing, development and livestock calls this an “educational historic mecca.” Wilson said people walk the dirt paths for several reasons, like engagements, weddings, summer camps, events such as Lights on the Farm and more. What’s happening Heritage Farmstead gives public tours, oers grounds admissions and tours of the Victorian home. “It’s beautiful to get up face to face with our animals,” Wilson said. “We have a mammoth Jackstock donkey back there named Poncho and we have pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks.”

April

Dance Plano! 2025 The event is a showcase of professional dancers from performing companies and studios. • April 5, 2:30 p.m. • TBA • 1509 H Ave., Plano • www.planometballet.org Easter Egg Hound Hunt Attendees can bring their dogs out to sni out hidden Easter eggs lled with dog treats. • April 12, 9 a.m. • $5 • 5901 Los Rios Blvd., Plano • www.plano.gov/2078/Special-Events

Volunteer opportunities include tending Heritage Farmstead Museum’s livestock including Angora goats.

PHOTOS BY KAREN CHANEYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Spring into Colorfest 5K Run & Community Garage Sale Plano Parks and Recreation is hosting its third annual Spring into Color 5K and Community Garage Sale. • March 29 • $25 (5K), free (garage sale admission) • 6000 Jupiter Road, Plano • www.facebook.com/events/980811547259476

W. 15THST.

1900 West 15th St., Plano www.heritagefarmstead.org

Tours of the historic Wilson House are given weekly.

PLANO 5930 West Park Blvd (972) 250-0500 PLANO NORTH 5420 State Hwy 121 (469) 687-2581

ALLEN 1839 N Central Expressway (972) 908-3488 EAST PLANO 3404 N Central Expressway (972) 423-6688

COIT ROAD 1453 Coit Rd (972) 867-2821

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BUZZIER THAN USUAL!

A TOUR OF THE STATE, MADE ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT MARCH 2025

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

DETOURS: An El Paso Refuge CRITTER: American Bumblebee OUT THERE: Meanwhile, in Texas

MADE IN TEXAS: A Leathermaking Legacy FEATURE PREVIEW: Where to Eat Now

Above: The Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

PLANO NORTH EDITION

DETOURS

A Tribal Sanctuary On a Sacred Trail

Location: eleven miles southeast of downtown El Paso. BY JOSH ALVAREZ

CRITTER

American Bumblebee

The bumblebee does something most bees don't: buzz pollination, which involves gripping the plant with its legs and vibrating its whole body. If you eat blueberries, potatoes, or tomatoes— all of which rely on buzz pollination— you’ve got a bumblebee to thank. WHY IS IT SO BIG? The better to collect all that sweet pollen to feed its young. That fuzz is actually densely packed hairs, or setae, that trap pollen as the bumblebee floats from flower to flower. Its large body likely evolved to provide even more surface area.

DOES IT STING? Only if you mess with its nest.

HOW MANY SPECIES ARE THERE? Texas has between seven and eleven types. The most common is the American bumblebee, found statewide. North Texans might spot the brown-belted bumblebee, while those in the west are likely to see the Sonoran variant. The gentle giant is in trouble, though: Since 1974, popula- tions across North America have fallen by 46 percent. SCIENTISTS KEEP TABS, RIGHT? Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is one of several Texas orga- nizations partnering with Jacqueline Staab, the owner of Darwin’s Bee Dogs. Her German shorthaired pointers are trained to sniff out bumblebee nests for population surveys. “If we lose bees,” says Staab, “we lose Texas ecosystems.” —Rose Cahalan

INSIDE THE ADOBE walls of the Ysleta Mis- sion are clues to a deep history of acculturation that characterizes El Paso to this day. The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe, more commonly known as the Tigua, established the mission in 1682, making it one of the oldest in Texas (much of the current structure was built in 1851). The Tigua arrivedherefromNewMexico,whichtheyfled after the Pueblo Indians there overthrew the

Spanish colonial system, in 1680, forcing Span- iards and Christianized Pueblos to seek safety elsewhere. The Tigua dedicated the mission to Anthony of Padua, patron saint of things that have been lost, whose figure stands atop the entrance; inside are blankets dyed in brilliant blues and reds and a statue of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Catholic Church’s first Native American saint. The structure, part of the El Paso Mission Trail, holds a mass every day. If you can, plan your visit for June 13, when the Tigua celebrate Saint Anthony with traditional dancing.

The church interior at the Ysleta Mission, in El Paso.

PLANO NORTH EDITION

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MADE IN TEXAS

He Goes With the Grain Clint Wilkinson carries on his grandfather’s leatherworking legacy out of the same downtown Denton storefront. BY PAUL L. UNDERWOOD

OUT THERE

Meanwhile, In Texas

After the San Antonio Zoo announced the birth of Tupi, the first capybara born there since 2000, it had to clarify to X users that it was “not associated with or benefiting from” a crypto- currency named after the baby animal. The number one item on the TSA’s top ten list of the most unusual airport confiscations in 2024 was a gun tucked into the back of a baby stroller at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport. The Texas State Aquarium, in Corpus Christi, released into the Gulf of Mex- ico some 270 green sea turtles it had rescued when they became hypother- mic during a recent cold snap. A Temple woman was sentenced to felony probation for theft after with- drawing money from a GoFundMe account created for her after she lied about a cancer diagnosis so that her friends “would like her more.” A Bexar County jail officer was arrest- ed and fired after allegedly giving an inmate food from Whataburger . After the Houston Police Department announced plans to clean up its prop- erty warehouse, authorities revealed that rats had possibly compromised ongoing cases by eating mushrooms and other drugs stored as evidence. A man stole a pickup truck and led police on a chase to the Midland airport, where he drove through the perimeter fence and onto the runways before abandoning the vehicle. —Meher Yeda

George W. Bush and Fort Worth soul star Leon Bridges, as well as Stetson and 7-Eleven. Wilkinson works out of the downtown cor- ner storefront once owned by his grandfather Weldon Burgoon, who opened Weldon’s Sad- dle Shop & Western Wear in 1957. Burgoon, who helped cover the cost of Clint’s birth, in 1982, by giving a saddle to the obstetrician, taught his grandson the craft. Wilkinson started an e-commerce site for the shop and, with his grandfather’s encour- agement, began branding his own handsewn leather goods with his name. In 2019, a year after Burgoon died, Wilkin- son reopened the shop, which he renamed Wilkinson’s Fine Goods. He’s known for his leather tote bags, belts, and wallets, and he sells wares from other brands, like Nocona- based Fenoglio Boot Company. He’s also de- veloping a line of leather-crafting supplies. The intention, he says, is to create “a way that I can still be in the leather community when I’m seventy-five years old and can’t make anything anymore.”

LAST SUMMER, WILKINSON’S FineGoods, in Denton, received its biggest online order to date. Owner Clint Wilkinson was intrigued by his new client, who purchased a massive array of custom desk mats, bootjacks, and cherrywood boxes with hand-tooled leather accents. “I was just like, ‘Holy crap,’�” Wilkin- son recalls. “He must be a politician or lawyer or something.” Not quite. Wilkinson looked up the buyer, a Utah resident named Austin Post, and re- alized that he was doing business with Post Malone, the rapper who was raised in nearby Grapevine. Wilkinson emailed him to explain that fulfillment would take some time be- cause every item would be handmade. The two now exchange texts about everything from the order’s progress to the woes of their be- loved Dallas Cowboys. Eventually Wilkinson’s client list would include former President

Clint Wilkinson and Charlie Talkington in the Wilkinson’s Fine Goods workshop, in Denton.

PLANO NORTH EDITION

2025

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Japanese hand rolls, sashimi, and sushi and en- joy the restaurant’s excellent vinyl collection. What does all this say about dining in Texas as weapproachtheendofthefirstquarterofthe twenty-firstcentury?Maybejustthis:Weneed to make room for more fun. The hospitality industry knows hard times all too well, with the ever-rising costs of raw ingredients and labor and the hollowing out of once vibrant restaurant-centric neighborhoods. Given all that, who wouldn’t opt for a break from the real world? It was in the same spirit that we selected the ten best new restaurants in Texas, along with a handful of honorable mentions. So get out there. Ask some friends to dinner; try some wild and crazy dishes; visit a place not on your radar. Life is serious enough—live a little. And eat a lot. To read the list of the best new restaurants in Texas, please subscribe to Texas Monthly .

IS IT OUR imagination, or are Texas restau- rants more, well, imaginative than ever? On our visit to an idiosyncratic spot in the Gulf Coast town of Kemah, we were treated to bil- lowing dry ice, a blowtorch, and a pasta cre- ation that was a dead ringer for a coral snake. In Dallas, we settled into a long, narrow dining room that looked as if it had been uncoupled from the Orient Express. In Fort Worth, we were sure that characters in The Crown would have felt right at home in a convincing replica of a posh London townhouse. Of course, not everything we loved this past year was stagy. One of our favorite venues was a comfy lit- tle place in Houston where guests can order

FEATURE PREVIEW

Where to Eat Now Dining in Texas has been one big experiment this year. Dry ice. Pasta snakes. Whey foam. Corn bubbles. (That’s right: corn bubbles.) Our best new restaurants want you to have a meal you’ll never forget.

BY COURTNEY BOND AND PATRICIA SHARPE

A scallop dish from Ishtia, in Kemah; smoked king salmon crudo at the Chumley House, in Fort Worth; sabering a bottle of wine at Isidore, in San Antonio.

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

State

BY SHELBIE HAMILTON

Kalahari to open in Allen by 2030

The details

The resort will offer day passes and season passes for locals, and restaurants and select other amenities on site will be open to the public. As many as 1,000 jobs are expected to be gener- ated by the project and would draw workers from across the region, city documents state. “It really puts us on the map for bringing visitors and bringing in tourism dollars that we can then use to augment our local tax base,” said Daniel Bowman, executive director and CEO of the Allen Economic Development Corporation. The project would join a number of entertain- ment-focused attractions under development along the SH 121 corridor, including the Cannon Beach Surf Park, the Sunset Amphitheater and The Farm in Allen, featuring entertainment venues Chicken N’ Pickle and High 5. McKinney Mayor George Fuller said the city was in the running to have the project developed in McKinney, but that the development in Allen will still benefit McKinney residents and the surrounding community. “It drives traffic to our ... community region,” Fuller said.

Kalahari is on track to open a $950 million resort in North Texas by 2030. Company officials are looking to develop the project on a 123-acre site on Allen’s northern border with McKinney, located at the southwest corner of SH 121 and Stacy Road. Allen City Council unanimously approved an economic incentive agreement for the project at a Feb. 25 meeting, with council member Tommy Baril absent from the meeting. The performance-based agreement includes potential tax rebates for the resort company, as well as requirements for details of the project like hotel rooms and convention center space, according to a presentation at the meeting. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions is the creator of America’s largest indoor waterparks.

Proposed location

SRT TOLL

The family-owned company operates full-service resort properties in four states, with each offering vacation amenities as well as meeting and convention spaces. The company has one existing Texas location in Round Rock, as well as locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The company is also developing a location in Virginia, according to its website.

The situation

The proposed Allen resort would span 1.2 million square feet, and include:

the completion of the 38-year term, the city would collect about $26 million annually in local tax revenue. The “pay for performance” rebate incentive also includes waivers of certain city fees, a grant of a 15-acre parcel on the site already owned by the city, and future bonds issued by the Allen Community Development Corpo- ration and the Allen Economic Development Corporation, city documents state. City officials are also considering establishing a public improvement district, a type of special financ- ing district, for the resort.

The economic incentive agreement for the project is dependent on performance by the developer. If resort officials meet minimum require- ments for tax payments made to the city, they would be provided a partial rebate of city taxes over the course of the 38-year deal. If perfor- mance requirements or project milestones are not met, the city would not pay out rebates and would retain the land. An estimated $390 million in new tax reve- nue would be collected by the city as a result of the agreement, city documents state. Following

At least 900 guest rooms

An indoor and outdoor waterpark

A 165,000-square-foot convention center

At least 14 food and beverage outlets, including a steakhouse

A family entertainment center/arcade

SOURCE: CITY OF ALLEN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Looking ahead

The process will include public hearing opportunities during the zoning review and prior to a vote on the site plan by the Allen City Council. City officials also plan to collaborate with Kalahari representatives to conduct additional informational meetings for the public.

Following the project site being secured, architectural and site plans for the project are expected to take a year to create. Public outreach will begin following the initial planning phase, and the project plans will then proceed through review processes by city staff, the Allen Planning and Zoning Commission and the Allen City Council.

While the economic incentive agreement requires the project to be operational by 2033, the resort could open as soon as 2030, Bowman said. “Kalahari has exceeded our expectations in terms of direct revenue to the city, as well as growth in the area in which they were built,” Round Rock City Manager Brooks Bennett said.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Real estate

302 homes were listed on the market in Plano in Jan. 2025 and 154 were sold, compared to 200 listings and 139 sold homes last January. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

January 2024

January 2025

+57.14%

+29.17%

-13.64%

-2.94%

-5%

75074

75075

75093

75023

75024

75025

SRT TOLL

DNT TOLL

75025

Median home sales price

75024

January

2024

2025

75023

$300,000 $465,875 $728,750 $422,500 $607,000 $550,000

$470,396 $475,000 $570,000 $435,000 $667,500 $619,500

75074

75093

75074

75075

PGBT TOLL

75093

75023

75024

Plano

75025

January

2024

2025

200 302

New listings

Average days on market 0% +82.21%

139 154

Closed sales

+6.69%

+15.14%

+48.66%

+51.37%

Homes under contract

176 207

MARKET DATA COMPILED BY COLLIN COUNTY AREA REALTORS • WWW.CCAR.NET

75074

75075

75093

75023

75024

75025

PLANO NORTH EDITION

Real estate

BY COLBY FARR

Plano sees increase in commercial real estate in 2024

in 2024, while vacancy hovered around the same level as the previous year, according to the report. New development remained conservative despite the increase from 1 million square feet delivered in 2023, Weitzman Executive Managing Director Robert Young said. “This limited development is another reason our retail market remains so tight and that leasing is so strong in existing centers,” Young said. In 2025, the report projects retail occupancy will grow to 95.6% with 2.7 million square feet of space absorbed and 2.7 million square feet of new construction deliv- ered. Much of the new construction will be driven by new stores from Kroger, HEB, Tom Thumb, Costco and other anchor retailers. “DFW’s retail market has never been stronger in terms of balanced supply and demand,” Young said. “Retail development today is truly based on the fundamentals of population growth, housing growth, job growth and economic viability.”

Grocery stores drove new construction in Dallas-Fort Worth’s retail market while the area maintained its occupancy record set in 2023, according to Texas-based real estate rm Weitzman’s latest annual forecast. In Plano, new businesses such as Crunch Fitness and EoS Fitness, a pair of gyms, contributed to a growing retail market. In early 2025, Plano also saw a new Kroger Marketplace open at the corner of SH 121 and Coit Road, which follows the Weitzman forecast trends. The full story Dallas-Fort Worth nished 2024 with a retail occupancy rate of 95.1%, 2.4 million square feet of space absorbed and 1.5 million square feet of new construction, according to the report. The occupancy rate in 2024 matches the record previously set in 2023 and continues an 11-year run of occupancy rates measured above 90%. Inventory increased to 199.9 million square feet

Weitzman Executive Managing Director Robert Young speaks during the 2025 Weitzman Annual Forecast.

COURTESY WEITZMAN

Plano’s commercial real estate in square feet Commercial real estate Vacancy

14,371,790

957,032

14,418,393

896,977

SOURCE: WEITZMANCOMMUNITY IMPACT

BEWARE: North Plano Homeowners must now verify homestead exemptions every 5 years – or risk losing it.

Fun Fact: If you haven’t applied for your homestead, you can get refunds for the last 2 years! Thats $4,705 total saved!

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Scan here or visit Ownwell.com/impact Monitor Your Homestead Exemption

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