For The Mix — a new development coming to former Wade Park in Frisco — the emphasis is on the open space

The unfinished site of Wade Park became the center of litigation after development stalled on the land, which had originally been expected to bring a mixed-use experience to Frisco. The site now features a large hole in the ground that was originally created for a parking garage.

Bringing a new design to the table, The Mix is looking to include a number of uses including office space, retail space, a grocery store, a business hotel, a boutique hotel and residential uses.

Phase one of The Mix is slated to break ground this month and will be located at Dallas Parkway and Lebanon Road. The phase will comprise 28 acres.

“I think Frisco’s been waiting on this to be developed for a long time, and we’re bringing something special to Frisco,” said Tim Campbell, head of The Mix.

Campbell said while the ultimate number of phases will be driven by the market, he anticipates at least three for the project. Phase one is slated to be complete in 2026, and Campbell expects the overall unfolding of The Mix could take around 10 years, depending on how long it takes to finalize tenants.

For both Campbell and Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney, a significant aspect of the new design for this spot in Frisco is the open space. Plans for the $3 billion project include a total of over 20 acres of open space including pocket parks and a fitness trail running the perimeter of the development. At the heart of the development will sit a nine-acre central park that Campbell said will be very programmed. Plans for the park include an event lawn and performance pavilion, playgrounds, promenades and a pond.

“Frisco has some pretty strict requirements for delivering open space, and we are exceeding it significantly, because we believe it’s something important to give to Frisco,” Campbell said.

Cheney said work has been underway with the new developer for a while.

“We had some work session meetings late last year where they showed us their revised plans and revised vision for the site,” Cheney said. “Quite frankly, I think the new site plan is far superior to the former one. They have really heard what Frisco leaders have been saying, which is we want a commitment to open space in all of our developments, and so they kind of reprogrammed The Mix to have a large central park in it, much like you see in many developments here in Frisco, and they plan to build that first phase kind of all at once, to really kickstart the development.”

The announcement comes at a pivotal time for Frisco, with the opening of the PGA of America headquarters building, a preliminary opening for a portion of Grand Park in the books and with University of North Texas at Frisco preparing to welcome students to its brand new campus in January. It also comes as Frisco looks ahead to the near future when other major developments will snap into place making up the grand puzzle that is Frisco: work on the Fields development is on the horizon, the Omni PGA Frisco development is set to open to the public in the spring and Kaleidoscope Park at the HALL Park development is slated to open in late 2023.

As Cheney puts it, the goal for the city is for Frisco to be unique and for each development to be distinct.

“That’s important to us as a city as we plan out the entire 10-mile stretch, is that not everything’s the same, that you can have different experiences on different days in our community and be able to find whatever you’re looking for right within Frisco,” Cheney said.

For Campbell, The Mix’s addition to the greater Frisco puzzle will bring a development that is “a place for everybody.”

“It’s got retail, medical, hotel, residential, it’s being certified as a Fitwel community by the time that we’re done, and we think that the amount of open space and the way that it’s laid out and programmed will allow this to be a destination that the entire family can come to and spend the day,” Campbell said.

According to its website, Fitwel is the "world's leading certification system committed to building health for all." Generated by expert analysis of 5,600-plus academic research studies, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future where all buildings and communities are enhanced to strengthen health and well-being.

More information is at TheMixFrisco.com

“We know that that site is still very much a valuable site, right in the heart of Frisco and the Dallas North Tollway, and so the final story — I’ve said for many years — of Wade Park is that it will be a success story,” Cheney said. “So I think as we move forward and they start building out their new plans, the final project will be something the city’s proud of.”