Six years after a bankrupt developer left a gaping hole near the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco, a new multibillion-dollar development is finally moving forward. It’s called The Mix, and true to its name, the multi-phased project will encompass many different commercial and residential purposes.
At the head of the table for The Mix is New York City-based JVP Development. The company is promising “European-inspired paseos, different architectural styles and lush greenery” focussing on “natural esthetics, wellness and social interaction” in order to deliver a 112-acre walkable and highly inter-connected community.
Performance-based incentives and tax breaks granted by Frisco City Council, the Frisco Community Development Corp, and the Frisco Economic Development Corporation total $113 million, and are related to specific progress on the 28 acres of phase one.
Infrastructure must be completed by end of 2026. Eighty per cent of Phase One’s 100,000 square feet of retail space is to open by 2027, with an underground parking garage and open space ready by the end of 2033.
When finally completed, The Mix will offer two million square feet of Class A office space, 375,000 square feet of upscale retail and dining, a grocery store, a 450-room business hotel with 40,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 200-room boutique hotel. Three thousand elevated residential living spaces and townhomes will total another three million square feet. A 114,000 square foot medical facility serving The Mix community and surrounding area is also planned.
News of the development finally moving forward comes as a relief to the Frisco area after years of stalled activity.
Nearly 10 years ago, the site was envisioned as a $2 billion mixed-use development called Wade Park, part of a larger plan for what was then called “The $5 Billion Mile” near the intersection of the Dallas North Tollway and Highway 121. Construction was halted in 2017. Lenders seized the property in 2019. More than a year later, Atlanta-based owners Wade Park LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. All that was left was a massive hole in the ground for what was to be underground parking.
The Mix was first announced in late 2022. Ground was originally set to be broken in December 2022 and completed by 2026. A total of 20 acres of open green space was also promised, with a nine-acre central park that would include an event lawn and performance pavilion, playgrounds, promenades and a beautiful pond. Today, that still appears to be in the plan.
“This piece of land has been a troubled spot for Frisco for years, and we are happy to create something beautiful and useful here, delivering what the Frisco community has long awaited,” head of development for The Mix, Tim Campbell, said in a statement. “The Mix will revitalize this part of the city by incorporating inviting open spaces, striking architectural design and amenities.”
Phase one infrastructure work is being undertaken by AECOM Hunt. Joining the project team are master plan designers Torti Gallas + Partners of Washington, D.C., along with global sustainable design and engineering consultancy Arcadis, engineering firm Kimley-Horn of Raleigh S.C, and California landscape architects MIG. Commercial property and investment managers JLL will market office and medical space, with The Retail Connection looking after retail leasing. Arizona-based VCC has been named the project’s general contractor and construction manager.
The Mix has been designed to achieve Fitwel standards. Fitwel, originally created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. General Services Administration, describes itself as “the world’s leading certification system committed to building health for all.”
Overseeing the mix-used aspect of the development is community planner StreetLights Residential. In a statement, vice-president of development Greg Coutant spoke to the Mix’s Fitwel ambitions.
“We’re designing not only to optimize how residents will experience The Mix, but also to ensure the entire Frisco community will enjoy The Mix for its high-quality shopping, urban greenspaces, and the promotion of health and wellness as a Fitwel community. Our team has taken great care to craft unique experiences and tastefully designed buildings that will allow residents to navigate more approachable neighborhood blocks and create moments of discovery within an urban fabric.”
Recent Comments