In a bid to rejuvenate the fading Shops at Willow Bend, the Plano Planning & Zoning Commission has greenlit a sweeping redevelopment plan proposed by Dallas-based Centennial. Despite some local hesitance about the introduction of 965 apartments at the site, the project encountered no direct opposition during a three-hour debate on Tuesday night.
The ambitious overhaul aims to convert part of the mall into a bustling streetscape shopping experience, accompanied by residential units, an 18-story hotel, and a seven-story office complex. Centennial’s vision, as articulated by founder and CEO Steven Levin, is to emulate The Domain in Austin, described as "one of the most successful projects in the country", according to NBC DFW.
The redevelopment plans, which are now set to go before the Plano City Council in February, represent a multi-million-dollar effort to prevent the retail center from experiencing a decline akin to the fates of Valley View and Collin Creek malls. "The Domain is one of the most successful projects in the country, It was a spectacular ground-up project and this lends itself to something similar and we hope to replicate it," Levin explained, per The Dallas Morning News.
The proposal does not include single-family homes, a suggestion previously made by plan commission staff, with Levin noting the difficulties imposed by easements and setbacks from major roads, "If we could have, we would have. Unfortunately, the mall is out of time," he said. The project will instead focus on a mix of uses intended to synergize rather than lean on traditional models, as cited by The Dallas Morning News.
Adding to the urgency of the redevelopment is the mall’s loss of key retailers over the years, "Since 2020, the mall has lost 28 national retailers," said Whitney Livingston, president of Centennial. The plan, which could see the demolition of the Crayola Experience and a never-opened movie theater, is seen as an opportunity to revitalize an important asset to the community, as reported by NBC DFW.
David Downs, chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission, echoed the sentiment of rebirth and progress, acknowledging Plano's evolution from a mere Dallas satellite to a robust urban economy. "We are quickly running out of available undeveloped land, and we will have to house people," Downs stated. This project represents a chance to once again make the city of Plano a significant urban player, a potential squandered were it to decline, per The Dallas Morning News.
