{"id":314335,"date":"2026-05-29T18:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/314335\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T18:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:35:09","slug":"more-than-a-highway-allen-mckinney-officials-launch-121-north-corridor-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/314335\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018More than a highway\u2019: Allen, McKinney officials launch 121 North corridor initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA branding initiative for the SH 121 corridor between Allen and McKinney is posing the area as a focal point for economic growth in both cities.<\/p>\n

The Allen<\/a> and McKinney Economic Development Corp<\/a>.\u2019s launched a branding initiative called 121 North<\/a> in May. The initiative\u2019s goal is to highlight growth and opportunity along the corridor.<\/p>\n

Among the advantages listed with the initiative\u2019s interactive online map and project highlights are mixed-use development The Farm and concert venue Sunset Amphitheater.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s yet another example of how reaching across our boundaries to our partners to do something for the region is delivering great results,\u201d MEDC President and CEO Michael Kowski said.<\/p>\n

These projects spanning two cities across a single highway made the partnership \u201ca huge and exciting opportunity,\u201d AEDC President and CEO Dan Bowman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 121 North corridor is where two of Collin County\u2019s most purposeful cities share more than a highway,\u201d the website states. \u201cThey share a commitment to intentional growth, coordinated planning and a quality of life that companies and families are actively choosing over bigger, louder alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

The specifics<\/p>\n

The initiative brands the area as an entertainment district, with planned uses including Kalahari\u2019s waterpark and arcade<\/a> as well as the 3-acre surf lagoon at Cannon Beach<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur main goal, for both Allen and McKinney, is to serve as a business recruitment tool,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cWe want people [and] companies that are coming and looking at the North Texas region, or looking at relocations within the region as well, to see 121 North as a collective option for both of them, whether they’re on the Allen side or the McKinney side.\u201d<\/p>\n

The branding initiative is intended to signal to developers that there is an \u201cintentional plan\u201d for the corridor, Kowski said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s very few corridors in the entire country that are seeing as much activity as this one stretch of road,\u201d Kowski said.<\/p>\n

MEDC owns several properties along the corridor, including 46 acres near the corner of Lake Forest Drive and SH 121. MEDC officials are in active negotiations with a development group regarding that property, Kowski said.<\/p>\n

The corporation also owns land next to Hub 121, the future Cannon Beach surf resort and the McKinney National Airport<\/a>. Owning the land allows city officials to be more intentional with its development, Kowski said.<\/p>\n

McKinney- and Allen-area developer Bucky Gillett said the joint effort between the two cities will help attract businesses to the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything that helps drive business this way is a positive thing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Key updates<\/p>\n

More than 20 projects are actively under development or being planned along the SH 121 corridor, according to a news release.<\/p>\n

Check out these project updates on developments along the SH 121 corridor. This list is not comprehensive.<\/p>\n

\"\"The SH 121 corridor has a number of projects underway in both Allen and McKinney. (Source: 121 North\/Community Impact)Allen<\/p>\n

1. 121 Tech Park<\/p>\n

Developer: Stillwater CapitalDetails: 250,000 square feet of office space, 740,000 square feet of tech flex space, 30,000 square feet of space for restaurant and retail uses, and 129 townhomes on about 80 acresTimeline: Completion slated for early 20282. Allen GatewayDeveloper: North American PropertiesDetails: 650,000 square feet of office space, 147,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space including a Katy Trail Ice House and 1,300 urban residential units on 75 acresTimeline: The project is estimated 7-8 years to full build-out. Groundbreaking for Katy Trail Ice House, a restaurant, is planned for 2026, Bowman said. The Twin Creeks Active Adult Community is also expected to break ground later this year, said Joey Pellicone with North American Properties.3. The AvenueDeveloper: Thakkar DevelopersDetails: 1 million square feet of office space, 275,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 1,600 urban residential units, 150 single-family homes and 300 hotel roomsTimeline: Phase 1 under construction4. CrestviewDeveloper: Trammell Crow CompanyProject: townhomes, apartments, a hotel, a grocery store and office space on 60 acresTimeline: Estimated 5 years to full build-out5. The FarmDeveloper: JaRyCo DevelopmentDetails: 1.6 million square feet of office space, 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 2,400 urban residential units, 112 townhomes and 150 hotel roomsTimeline: Completion in next 3-5 years6. KalahariDeveloper: Kalahari Resorts and ConventionsDetails: $950 million resort with 900 guest rooms, over 165,000 square feet of convention space and 75,000 square feet of restaurant spaceTimeline: Estimated opening in 20307. Sloan CornersDeveloper: Billingsley CompanyDetails: 6.1 million square feet of office space, 120,000 square feet of retail space, 4,000 urban residential units, 400+ hotel roomsTimeline: Build-out of project Phase 1A estimated in 2028McKinney<\/p>\n

8. 121 Commerce Park<\/p>\n

Developer: VanTrustDetails: Over 750,000 square feet of industrial space across five buildingsTimeline: Opening second quarter of 20279. Cannon BeachDeveloper: Cannon Development GroupDetails: Surf park with a 3-acre surf lagoon, beach, lazy river, restaurants, retail and family entertainment space, 150 hotel roomsTimeline: Opening mid-202710. Sunset AmphitheaterDeveloper: VenuDetails: 20,000-seat amphitheater, 290+ firepit suitesTimeline: Opening summer 2027Why it matters<\/p>\n

The branding initiative aims to drive even more development to the corridor. Bowman said this is important because the SH 121 corridor represents about 5% of the city\u2019s land mass but has large economic potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe financial piece will be huge because, again, it\u2019s disproportionately more growth that we have the opportunity for on [SH] 121 than other parts of the city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The tax dollars that stand to be gained from development along the corridor serve as one of the city\u2019s main funding sources for infrastructure projects and city services.<\/p>\n

\u201cSales and property taxes are the way that we as a local city get most of the dollars that we use to do everything from filling potholes [to] building roads, hiring police and fire [staff]. … A lot of sales tax opportunities up there,\u201d Bowman said of the corridor.<\/p>\n

\"chartQuote of note<\/p>\n

\u201cThese companies, when they look at a location, they don’t see city borders the way we do,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cThe assets and developments and companies that we have between the north and south sides of [SH] 121, when you look at them in whole, are just staggering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/p>\n

The projects along both sides of SH 121 will be developed in phases. Some restaurants, office space and multifamily units are now open, including entertainment venue The Hub at The Farm and multifamily community Hartwood at Sloan Corners, while other concepts are underway, such as the Katy Trail Ice House restaurant at Allen Gateway, which is expected to break ground in late 2026, Bowman said.<\/p>\n

Developers and McKinney officials broke ground on the Cannon Beach surf resort in 2025. The $200 million project\u2019s first phase is expected to open in mid-2027. Bowman expects the corridor\u2019s economic development and unique entertainment vision to \u201ccome to fruition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think people will say all of this feels like multiple cities within a city, and that it was done in a cohesive way, instead of piecemeal,\u201d Bowman said.<\/p>\n

For more information on the 121 North initiative, visit www.121northtx.com<\/a>.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A branding initiative for the SH 121 corridor between Allen and McKinney is posing the area as a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314336,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[113073,113072,44713,1242,113070,61563,102,104,103,712,1247,113069,113071,86435,113074],"class_list":["post-314335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-121-corridor","tag-121-north","tag-aedc","tag-allen","tag-allen-economic-development-corporation","tag-allen-edc","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-dallas-fort-worth","tag-mckinney","tag-mckinney-economic-development-corporation","tag-mckinney-edc","tag-medc","tag-sh-121-corridor"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}