A 143-acre development with a 15-acre lagoon, up to 4,400 homes and a performing arts venue could reshape the northeast corner of Dallas North Tollway and US 380 if Prosper's Planning and Zoning Commission gives it the green light.
BlackStone Communities is bringing The Marco, a Venetian-themed mixed-use project, before the commission Tuesday, Aug. 18. Town staff described the developer's vision as wanting to bring "a bit of Italy to Prosper," according to Community Impact.
The project's centerpiece is a lagoon and canal system spanning more than 15 acres, which would double as stormwater detention. The canals would be navigable by boat. A 26-foot-wide walkway called a passeggiata would ring the lagoon with limited car access, while traffic and parking are pushed to the development's outer edges.
What would get built
The planned development agreement caps total residential units at 4,400: up to 2,500 mid-rise apartments, 400 high-rise condos or apartments, 500 retirement-community units and 1,000 single-family homes, duplexes, villas and townhomes. The 4,400 overall cap and the 2,500 mid-rise cap are described as final in the current draft; other unit-type numbers could shift.
Beyond housing, conceptual plans show a public square, retail concentrated along the tollway frontage, a performing arts venue called The Phoenix, a hotel with condos overlooking the lagoon and two corporate headquarters campuses with separate parking.
Density and the tollway corridor
The proposal lands on a site the Prosper Town Council designated in February as part of the "U.S. 380 Gateway" sub-district under its Dallas North Tollway District Development Standards. Those standards, adopted unanimously on Feb. 24, envision a mix of medical office, research and development, technology, retail, hospitality and residential uses at the intersection, along with a "Central Lake" feature and "Green Gateway" open space.
Whether The Marco's 4,400-unit residential density conforms to those standards or would require a variance is not clear from available documents.
Mayor David F. Bristol said in April, when discussing a separate tollway project, that "multifamily residential development along the Tollway should be the exception rather than the norm." The Marco's proposal, with up to 2,900 multifamily units, will test that stated policy.
Tollway construction context
The North Texas Tollway Authority reported in April that crews are progressing toward a late 2027 finish of the DNT extension from US 380 to FM 428, with beam-setting, deck panels and concrete placement underway. That extension will bring direct tollway access past the site.
What else is on the agenda
Two other developments are also before the commission Tuesday, Aug. 18: Frontier Gateway, a 36.4-acre office, restaurant and retail project at Dallas Parkway and Frontier Parkway; and Saddle Creek Commercial, a 13.6-acre office and retail proposal near Preston Road and Prosper Trail.
The P&Z Commission meets at Prosper Town Hall, 250 W. First St. Meeting time was not listed in available documents; residents should check prospertx.gov to confirm. If the commission recommends approval, The Marco would advance to the Prosper Town Council for a final vote.
