Jerry Jones Has Quietly Started on His Prosper Gates Development

15 Nov Jerry Jones Has Quietly Started on His Prosper Gates Development

Construction crews are busy at the northeast corner of Preston Road and U.S. Highway 380 in Prosper.

Jones’ Blue Star Land Co. is teaming up with developer Lincoln Property to build a shopping center covering more than 300,000 square feet on the property, which is just north of Frisco.

“We are kicking off the dirt work and putting in the utilities and streets,” said Blue Star Land CEO Joe Hickman. “We hope to have the first phase finished by the middle of next year.”

The 93-acre retail center is just the first phase of a major mixed-use project Blue Star plans along the north side of U.S. 380. A Wal-Mart store will be included in the project.

Additional retail, offices, apartments and homes are also planned in the Gates of Prosper project.

“We are excited to finally get started on it,” Hickman said. After the economic slowdown, “The Prosper market is now getting enough rooftops to support the retail development.”

Construction of a new interchange at Preston Road and the widening of U.S. 380 also have figured into the timing, he said. “It’s being driven by that traffic out there,” Hickman said.

Prosper is one of the Dallas area’s fastest growing communities.

The town has more than 15,000 residents and is expected to almost double in population in the years ahead.

Some of the most high-profile growth is in the U.S. 380 corridor, where the huge Windsong Ranch community is being built, plus additional retail.

Jones’ Blue Star Land is one of the largest developers in Prosper with residential projects in the works along with the new shopping center. Jones was one of the first major land investors in the town.

The company’s Gates of Prosper will anchor the south side of Prosper.

“It’s one of our front doors,” said Robert Winningham, who heads the Prosper Economic Development Corp. “We are excited about the quality of development going into this project.

“It’s been a long time coming.”

Lincoln Property is also a partner with Jones and the Dallas Cowboys in construction of the football team’s huge new headquarters and surrounding development in Frisco.

Along with office space and sports facilities, the Cowboys’ Frisco project includes a major retail venue plus an Omni Hotel.

– Via Steve Brown/The Dallas Morning News