SACHSE, Texas — Read this story and more North Texas business news from our partners at the Dallas Business Journal
A Frisco-based firm has plans to develop a downtown from the ground up for the small northeastern suburb of Dallas called Sachse.
City council members recently authorized its city manager to negotiate a master developer agreement with Nack Development at a meeting held June 3, bringing the project closer to fruition.
In short, the city and Frisco-based Nack Development envision a walkable, vibrant downtown for residents to enjoy while maintaining Sachse’s small-town charm. The developer plans to deliver “high-quality commercial spaces” for retail, restaurant and office purposes as well as provide residential offerings.
"The opportunity to create a downtown from the very beginning is a thrilling challenge,” Donny Churchman, president of Nack Development, said in a statement. “The inherent task is to build a space that connects with the residents in new ways, yet with an authenticity that feels like it's been here for generations.”
Founded in 2016, the North Texas firm has a knack for building downtowns that align with each “city’s cultures and values” as well as blending the old with the new. In particular, it is known for its work on downtown Frisco’s historic Rail District, which saw a mix of residential, office, commercial and entertainment space that breathed new life into the area. The district is now home to dozens of eclectic, independent restaurants, boutiques and other businesses.
The developer also has upcoming revitalization projects in Lewisville and Mansfield.
Furthermore, Sachse, which has a population of more than 30,000, straddles both Dallas and Collin counties and lies just north of Garland and Rowlett. The initiative to construct a downtown, on property known as the 5th Street Corridor, has been in the works for a while ever since the city’s economic development corporation bought the land for this project in 2018.
Before presenting the project to the city council, the future downtown area underwent through some initial infrastructure upgrades and construction projects. This included revamping a street to make it more pedestrian-friendly, improving water and sewer lines and building 50 off-street parking spaces.
Additionally, in an effort to engage the community with the downtown development process, the city partnered with Flower Mound-based Four Seasons Market LLC to bring a farmers market to residents. It takes place on the second Saturday of each month and will run through October 2024.
In a statement, Jeff Bickerstaff, mayor of Sachse, said there is “incredible momentum” in the city right now.
“We are excited to begin negotiations with Nack Development to accomplish our goal of building a beautiful downtown for our residents,” he said.