Panda Express is on its way to Portland, promising orange chicken on the north shore of Corpus Christi Bay. The fast casual chain is planning a ground-up restaurant inside the new Portland Town Center along U.S. Highway 181, giving shoppers at the Target-anchored retail hub one more national option when the takeout cravings hit.
New Panda Express Site And Timeline
According to MySA, a filing with state regulators puts the planned restaurant at 3054 U.S. Highway 181 and describes the project as ground up construction. The paperwork sets a mid July 2026 construction start and targets an estimated completion in February 2027. If it opens as planned, it would be Panda Express' first location on the north side of Corpus Christi Bay.
How The Store Fits Into Portland Town Center
The Portland Panda Express is slated for a spot within Portland Town Center, a 45 acre, roughly $100 million mixed use development being handled by Houston based Sendero Industries. The center at the corner of U.S. 181 and Broadway is anchored by a Target and a James Avery and includes multiple pad sites for restaurants and retail.
Developer announcements highlighted in PRWeb previously named tenants such as Raising Cane’s, Five Guys and Chipotle, signaling that the project is leaning heavily into national chains.
Local Context And Infrastructure
Portland has been steadily growing, and Town Center is a major piece of the city’s commercial buildout. State project filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) list Tract 7 at 3048 U.S. Highway 181, while city notices and developer materials outline infrastructure upgrades and planned multifamily units that are expected to feed retail demand. Those filings help explain why national brands are zeroing in on the north shore of Corpus Christi Bay.
Timing And What To Watch
According to TDLR, the project is penciled in for a mid July 2026 ground breaking and a February 2027 completion window, though those dates can shift with permitting and construction logistics. Residents and investors may want to keep an eye on updated state records and future developer announcements for permit filings and visible construction milestones.
