McKinney is rolling out a series of multi‑million‑dollar projects in its historic downtown and surrounding areas, while a new 40,000‑sq‑ft Dave & Buster’s is set to open this summer, offering residents more recreation and economic activity.
According to Community Impact, the city’s road and infrastructure upgrades include improvements to Tennessee, Lamar and Hunt streets, a project budgeted at about $19.5 million that will run from November 2026 through December 2028. The work will feature full street‑pavement reconstruction, upgrades to water, wastewater and storm‑drainage systems, new ADA‑compliant sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping and hardscaping, with Phase 1 utility work already under way. A second set of streets—Church, Henry, Wood, College, Hunt, Davis and Valley—will be rebuilt at an estimated cost of about $25.2 million, phased from summer 2027 to summer 2029, with similar upgrades and phased utility work.
The city is also planning an enhanced at‑grade pedestrian crossing on State Highway 5 between East Virginia Street and East Louisiana Street. City staff are coordinating with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on the second phase of the SH 5 reconstruction and are evaluating independent improvements such as vertical monuments and streetscape elements.
Parking improvements are under way, with a downtown parking management project that will install real‑time digital signage at the South Kentucky Lot, Cloyd Lot and Chestnut Garage. Camera installation is slated for February, and signage is expected in March or April. A semi‑regular downtown parking study collected data in July and August; the draft is slated for publication in December.
Facility upgrades include rehabilitation of the Chestnut elevated storage tank, which now has new lighting, a relocated T‑Mobile antenna, fencing and landscaping. Two city‑owned properties—the former City Hall and former Development Services building—are being demolished to clear sites for future office or hotel uses, with developer proposals to be reviewed in December. The Roy & Helen Hall Memorial Library is set to reopen on Dec. 1, with a grand opening celebration Dec. 5, featuring a reimagined layout, youth spaces and a 55‑seat planetarium. The McKinney Performing Arts Center is also undergoing renovation, with exterior painting restored to its historic green accents and interior work affecting restrooms and parking on Tennessee Street.
On the regional level, TxDOT’s 2027 Unified Transportation Program includes $38.23 million for an eight‑lane freeway around north McKinney along Bloomdale Road East from Ridge Road to County Road 161, $125 million for a new freeway alignment from Trinity Falls Parkway to SH 5 (starting 2033), $153.97 million for engineering and right‑of‑way work on FM 2933 to US 380 and East University Drive, $39.95 million for a new Spur 399 alignment, and $435 million for expanding US 380 in Frisco. These projects aim to improve safety, reduce congestion and support reliable movement for people and goods.
Arcade and restaurant chain Dave & Buster’s will debut its largest North Texas location—about 40,000 sq ft—on July 27 at the Plaza at Fort Buckner. A ribbon‑cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., with doors opening at 10 a.m.; the first 100 guests will receive free all‑day gameplay. Construction cost is estimated at about $8.1 million, and the venue will feature arcade games, a full food and drink menu, sports screens and event spaces.
What’s next: The library reopens Dec. 1 with a grand celebration Dec. 5. Digital parking signage is expected March‑April, and the downtown parking study will be released Dec. . Developer proposals for the former city‑hall site will be reviewed Dec. . Dave & Buster’s opens July 27. TxDOT’s freeway alignments continue through design and right‑of‑way phases in the coming years.
Sources: communityimpact.com, communityimpact.com, communityimpact.com
