A large contingent of current and former city leaders joined a team from Centurion American Development Group to celebrate the next step in the Collin Creek Mall redevelopment project. Billed as a groundbreaking, dignitaries on hand actually pressed oversized buttons that illuminated a new Collin Creek logo and set off a small fireworks display.
The celebrations marked the beginning of work on the commercial portion of the Collin Creek redevelopment. Plans call for 400,000 square feet of retail space inside what’s left of the former mall as well as an assortment of restaurants and entertainment destinations.
There will also be 500 townhomes built on the site. Later state plans call for additional office space and a possible hotel.
“We’re thrilled to have broken ground on this exciting live, work and play development,” Centurion American President and CEO Mehrdad Moayedi said. “We’re looking forward to bringing to life an unmatched experience for residents and visitors alike in this prime location of Plano.”
Demolition of the former Dillard’s stores has been completed. Next month, the former JC Penny store is scheduled to be torn down. Work has already begun on single-family residential lots along Alma Drive, and parking garage construction should commence before year’s end
“Collin Creek will provide one of the premier mixed-use redevelopments in North Texas, right at the Southern gateway to our city,” Plano Mayor John Muns said. “The City’s agreement with Centurion American is historic. While many former regional malls across America sit idle and vacant with little or no hope of redevelopment, the City of Plano worked with the developer to fully fund the transformation of the Collin Creek Mall. Few cities have accomplished this feat.”
Just more urban blight targeting a very narrow part of the Plano population. The developers will make money with a few pennys tossed to the community.