🏗️ Steel is rising, Whole Foods is coming, and Frisco just approved a $750K playground

I drive past the corner of Lebanon Road and the Dallas North Tollway basically every single day. For a long time it was just... a pit. A very expensive, very muddy, deeply sad pit.

But The Mix just hit its one-year construction anniversary, and things are actually happening. We're talking steel and concrete rising out of the ground on the Phase 1 north side. The full vision is massive: 3,299 residential units, 2 million square feet of office space, and 375,000 square feet of retail and dining across 112 acres, per The Mix's master plan.

The near-term Phase 1 gets us 635 residential units, 100,000+ sq ft of retail, and ~115,000 sq ft of office space. Oh, and Frisco's first Whole Foods is locked in as the retail anchor. Construction on the store started mid-2025.

Quick timeline to know:

The city has up to $113.4 million in performance-based incentives tied to milestones, so this thing has to actually get built to unlock the money. Good.

As someone who's watched this site collect rainwater for two years, I am ready for the Whole Foods era of my commute.

Okay, this one is personal. Very personal.

Frisco City Council approved a $750,000 playground equipment order for the planned Lexington Park, a 7-acre neighborhood park coming to the southwest corner of Eldorado Parkway and Coit Road.

Here's what's coming:

A pump-and-play water station. My 2-year-old is going to lose her mind. My 4-year-old is going to try to live there.

The park's total budget is $4.25 million, which will also cover shade structures, hike and bike trails, a multisport court and a big open lawn. The hike and bike trail is expected to be done by end of this year, per the city's project dashboard. Playgrounds will follow.

Emily already has this bookmarked. I'm just glad it's not another errand for me to run.

I work in Legacy West. I eat lunch in Legacy West. I know every parking spot in Legacy West. So when I say this news actually got me to put my phone down at dinner, that means something.

The Henry, Fox Restaurant Concepts' all-day neighborhood restaurant, is officially coming to Legacy West in late 2026. It's taking over the old Frontgate space at 7700 Windrose Avenue, building out a 12,976-square-foot footprint with indoor and outdoor dining, a full coffee bar, open kitchen and a central bar.

What makes The Henry special is that it genuinely does everything. It's a morning coffee stop, a brunch spot, a working lunch, and a real dinner out, all under one roof. Founder Sam Fox has been doing this concept since 2019 in Uptown Dallas, and the Plano location will be its 13th nationwide.

A few menu highlights worth knowing:

Construction starts this month. Opening is late 2026.