Hillsboro’s long-vacant outlet mall site is finally showing signs of life, and it smells like sizzling fajitas. Chili's opened at The Point at Hillsboro on May 18, becoming the first new business to debut on the redeveloped footprint of the former Outlets at Hillsboro. The ribbon-cutting marks the visible start of a phased, multi-year plan that aims to swap a long-time eyesore for restaurants and retail the town has been missing for years.
City backing and project scale
Dallas-based Glaser Retail Partners is leading the overhaul, a roughly $75 million remake that will add about 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and reserve roughly 230,000 square feet for industrial and distribution uses, according to The Real Deal. The work replaces the old Outlets at Hillsboro at 104 Interstate 35 NE and is being supported by a tax-increment reinvestment zone. City records show the council approved a development agreement and moved to acquire portions of the site to help fund streets and utilities. City of Hillsboro documents outline the TIRZ actions and the development agreement.
Restaurants and stores set to arrive
Chili's was the first to open, with a ribbon-cutting on May 18, and local coverage says Panda Express and Chick-fil-A are expected to follow in July, with Waffle House later this year and Boot Barn slated for next year. The Hillsboro Reporter details the early lineup. The quick string of national names marks a sharp turn from the mall’s years of vacancy to a more outward-facing retail and restaurant strip aimed at capturing highway traffic.
Location, visibility and a new Buc-ee's neighbor
The property’s frontage on Interstate 35 about 60 miles south of Dallas is a major selling point. Developers say roughly 83,000 vehicles pass the site daily, making the corridor attractive to national operators, The Real Deal reports. A large sign at the parcel points across the interstate toward a planned Buc-ee's travel center. That Buc-ee's is listed at 165 State Highway 77, and chain listings present the travel center as an adjacent high-profile neighbor, according to Roadtrip Beaver.
Local jobs and public investment
Officials and media coverage have pegged the potential employment upside in the hundreds, with one estimate of about 400 new jobs tied to the redevelopment. Spectrum News reported that figure. The city has also taken a financial stake in the site to speed up infrastructure work and tenant build-outs. Reporting on the public-private deal shows the city paid millions to acquire an ownership interest as part of the plan, and Connect CRE outlines those earlier negotiations and the public investment.
What to expect next
Developers say the rollout will be phased, with restaurants leading the first wave and retail and industrial pieces to follow as construction continues. In an interview cited by Spectrum News, Glaser said, “With our first phase, we're rolling in with restaurants. They're all restaurants that are new to Hillsboro.” City officials and the development team say more tenant announcements are on the way as build-outs move across the site.
