Check out the 6 most read stories from Community Impact’s Plano coverage in 2025.
1. Luxury bus service adds route from Plano to Austin
A luxury bus service is now offering direct trips between Plano and Austin.
Service is provided by Vonlane, a regional transportation company that caters to business and leisure travelers.
The route begins at the Renaissance Dallas hotel in Legacy West and terminates at the DoubleTree by Hilton near Austin’s Arboretum shopping center, according to Vonlane CEO Alex Danza.
2. J. Alexander’s to open first North Texas location in Plano
J. Alexander’s Kitchen and Bar is coming soon to Plano, according to a J. Alexander’s representative.
The Plano location is set to open in early 2026, followed by a new location in Prosper in summer 2026, according to the representative.
J. Alexander’s serves a variety of American cuisine, including wood-fired steaks, seafood, burgers and house-made desserts.
“We can’t wait to bring our signature wood-fired cuisine and hand-crafted cocktails to the DFW area and share the J. Alexander’s experience with the community,” J. Alexander’s said in a statement.
3. Kroger sets relocation date in Plano
The Kroger at the corner of Coit Road and SH 121 is scheduled to relocated across the street on Jan. 24.
Kroger is the anchor store for Coit Marketplace which is being developed by United Commercial Development and Venture Commercial leases the property.
4. City of Plano approves purchase of now closed Davis, Forman Elementary Schools
The city of Plano spent roughly $8.4 million to purchase land from two closed Plano ISD campuses at a May 27 City Council meeting.
The city bought the land that formerly housed Davis Elementary School for roughly $3 million, and Forman Elementary School for about $5.4 million as part of an interlocal agreement with PISD. Both campuses closed at the end of the 2024-25 school year, in addition to Armstrong and Carpenter Middle Schools. PISD trustees decided to close the four campuses in June 2024, due to declining enrollment.
The city also plans to purchase Armstrong Middle School, while Carpenter will remain with PISD, per the interlocal agreement. All four schools are set to be demolished prior to the city taking over.
5. Plano council approves 215-acre Lavon Farms mixed-use development
The Lavon Farms development in east Plano is moving forward following final approval from city officials.
At their Dec. 8 meeting, Plano City Council members approved rezoning the property from agricultural to residential community design—a designation created by Plano’s Envision Oak Point Plan, which aims to strategically develop and connect northeast Plano.
The 215-acre Lavon Farms development is planned to include:
626 single-family residential units1,052 multifamily units37 acres of open space, including 10 acres of parks, a micro farm and ranch“We’re executing the vision that was really provided to us by the community stakeholders,” Trammel Crow Company Principal Kevin Hickman said.
6. Dillard’s to close Plano location at The Shops at Willow Bend in 2026
Dillard’s will close its Plano store at The Shops of Willow Bend in early 2026, store employees confirmed.
An exact closure date has not been set beyond sometime in 2026, according to a store representative. Two store employees told Community Impact the store is expected to close in January 2026. Signs at the store directed customers to shop online or at other nearby locations.
The closure follows Neiman Marcus’ recent decision to close its Willow Bend store in January 2027 as part of the mall’s anticipated redevelopment plans.