CITY & COUNTY
News from Collin College, Collin County & Plano
Plano commission OKs plan for new life sciences development
BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY
PLANO A 200-acre, $3 billion development planned for the former Electronic Data Systems headquarters in northwest Plano is one step closer to breaking ground. The Plano Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously voted to approve zoning for the development that would transform the vacant space on Parkwood Boulevard into a massive life sciences center during its July 17 meeting. The matter was scheduled to go before council Aug. 14, which was after this edition’s press time. The big picture: Dallas-based invest- ment firm NexPoint is calling the project the Texas Research Quarter, and plans include:
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The development would be more than 200 acres. (Rendering courtesy NexPoint)
of life science because it’s a hugely emerging business.” The development was scheduled to go before council Aug. 14, which was after this edition’s press time. Quote of note: “A project of this size, this scope and this degree of economic impact ... is an opportunity for the city of Plano that we dare not pass up,” Commissioner J. Michael Brounoff said.
NexPoint President Frank Zac- canelli said the center could create more than 30,000 jobs at full build- out, many of which focusing on cell and gene therapy, with the ultimate aim of building an industry “hub” in North Texas. “What we’re trying to do is build a hub that would be a gateway from the East Coast to the West Coast,” he said. “In North Texas, we could have 10 [million] to 15 million square feet
• Over 4 million square feet of lab, office and therapeutic production space • 775 midrise residential units • A 9.5-acre park • A hotel NexPoint acquired the 91-acre former Electronic Data Systems campus in 2018. The district would incorporate 109 additional acres in the Legacy neighborhood, according to a news release from the company.
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