The once-bustling corridors of The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano are set to witness a transformation following the Plano City Council's green light for a zoning overhaul. The move, which was approved with a 6-2 vote on Monday night, aims to breathe life into the flagging shopping mall by allowing for a dramatic mixed-use redevelopment that's been in the works.
Struggling with declining visitors and an exodus of retailers, the mall has seen 28 national retailers shut up shop since 2020, as reported by NBC DFW. The approved zoning revision will pave the way for the demolition of over half a million square feet of the mall to make room for an open-air center, upscale apartments, a towering hotel, and office spaces in a bid to create a 'vibrant destination' as city officials hope.
According to details shared by Christina Day, Plano's director of planning, the core of the mall will remain intact, preserving anchor stores such as Macy's, Dillards, and Neiman Marcus, while over 900 new housing units, including townhomes and multifamily units, will be added to the mix. The plans also make room for retail outlets interspersed with the residential spaces.
Mayor John Muns expressed his enthusiasm following the vote, asserting, "We're excited for [the developer] to start this and make this the special place we know it can be," during the city council meeting, as WFAA captured. However, dissenting voices within the council expressed concerns that the development's housing strategy may not foster the kind of long-term residency that conforms with the city's broader plan.
Local stakeholders, like Irene Lam of Plano Antique Mall, anticipate a boon from the influx of new residents likely to patronize existing businesses. "They are going to have to come here to buy something to decorate. That would help us," Lam conveyed in an interview with WFAA. As the developer reels from the city's approval, the timeline for demolition and groundbreaking remains up in the air, with many Plano residents and observers keenly awaiting the next chapter in the mall's story.
