Development
BY JACQUELYN BURRER
Council approves office warehouse at former Fry’s Electronics building Plano residents can expect to see a new office warehouse at the former Fry’s Electronics site, located at the northeast corner of US 75 and President George Bush Turnpike. What happened Plano City Council members approved Aug. 11 a proposed zoning request tied to a new rede- velopment plan for the former Fry’s Electronics building. WareSpace, a company offering shared work- space solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses, would manage the office warehouse. The zoning change created a “Commercial Flex Warehouse” designation, removing the previous mixed-use designation, to fit WareSpace’s plan as it did not align with any of Plano’s other zoning designations, according to city documents. The site has remained vacant after Fry’s Electronics closed nationwide in 2021, according to city documents. Zooming in Jason Thorburg, WareSpace vice president of construction, said the Plano facility anticipates to house approximately 120 to 160 small businesses. The facility will include small workspace units, shared common amenities, a loading zone and eight truck docks, according to city documents. Thorburg said the majority of tenants at other locations use their facilities for small business storage and distribution needs. “Our goal is to repurpose [the site] and
Plano raises park fees for developers Plano City Council members adopted an ordinance to raise park fees for new housing developments, citing escalating land costs and Senate Bill 840, which will expand where multifamily and mixed-use develop-
75
Proposed development
PGBT TOLL
N
reactivate this portion of the city and ... bring that activity in there to help small businesses,” Thorburg said. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Julie Holmer said staff should look at introducing the new zoning desig- nation in other areas around the city with similar vacant properties that could be repurposed. “That space has been empty for way too long, and I think [this] could actually revitalize the area and activate the area,” Holmer said. Some context Plano Planning and Zoning commissioners pre- viously approved July 21 a preliminary site plan, with conditions that the applicant revised details on the east and west sides of the facility. Previous plans for a mixed-use redevelopment were approved by Plano City Council in August 2023 but did not move forward, which led to the new proposed redevelopment plan by WareSpace, according to city documents. One more thing WareSpace will be required to create a monthly report detailing what tenants they are housing and their businesses’ uses to ensure they are staying compliant with building codes and usages.
ment can be built. Breaking it down
Park fees are one-time payments charged for each new residential unit to help fund public parkland. Plano’s park fee program was established in 1993, and the fees only go towards funding the purchase, development and improvement of public parkland, according to city documents. Ron Smith, director of Parks and Recre- ation, said Plano is divided into 14 zones for park fees and that all fees collected in a zone must be used in the same zone.
Plano's park fees for new development
Single-family unit
Multifamily unit
+175.55%
Since the program was established in 1993, fees have only been updated twice — in 2019 and now 2025.
$6K
$5K
+202%
$4K
+345.62%
$3K
+341.83%
$2K
$1K
$0
1993
2019
2025
SOURCE: CITY OF PLANO/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Bruce Glasscock Community Park coming soon to Legacy West development Plano residents can expect to see a new commu- nity park coming soon to the Legacy West area. The details At their Aug. 4 meeting, Plano Planning and E COMMUNICATIONS PKWY.
to include walking trails, shaded seating areas, a pavilion and terraced lawn spaces, according to city documents. Staff also plans to remove dead trees, or trees of compromised health, while planting new trees for the park. Looking ahead Construction is scheduled to begin early 2026, according to the city’s website.
Zoning commissioners unanimously approved the site plans for the Bruce Glasscock Park site, named after former Plano City Manager Bruce Glasscock, who retired from the city in 2019. The 7.1-acre park will be located near Legacy Drive and Communications Parkway and is set
DNT TOLL
Bruce Glasscock park site
LEGACY DR.
N
14
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook