Carrollton’s economy is on a rapid upswing. At a Nov. 3 city‑council work session, Director of Economic Development Jenny Zeilfelder reported that the city attracted $182 million in private capital during the previous fiscal year. Of that amount, $172.9 million came from corporate projects and $9.57 million from retail‑rehabilitation projects, creating more than 2,100 jobs for local workers.
Key projects driving growth
Among the headline deals, PennyMac secured the former AmeriSource building, converting roughly 300,000 sq ft into office space for a workforce that will grow from about 500 employees now to over 2,000 at full build‑out. AER Manufacturing, a longtime Carrollton employer, was highlighted as a major business‑retention project; the company operates eight facilities totaling about 1 million sq ft.
UNION Tech added 220,000 sq ft of advanced‑manufacturing space, earning the best industrial lease award from the D CEO Commercial Real Estate Awards in March. Energy Access Innovations received approval to transform flex space into its headquarters’ executive offices, with a planned opening in early 2027.
Local revitalization and new openings
Zeilfelder also noted several upcoming openings that will revitalize previously vacant sites: SOL Korean Grill will occupy a space that sat empty for 18 years; Island Vintage Coffee will replace a former Chick‑Fil‑A location; Double Oak Tack will open in downtown Carrollton; and the DK Village shopping‑center redevelopment at Josey Lane and Frankford Road will bring new retail and dining options.
These projects underscore Zeilfelder’s point that shopping locally fuels the city’s economy. “When you shop in cities like Allen, McKinney and Frisco, you may help contribute to their economic‑development fund, which we’re competing against,” she said. “It’s just another good reason to shop locally in Carrollton first.”
Business‑development activity and outreach
In the prior fiscal year, the Economic Development Department logged 121 business‑attraction engagements, hosted 25 international delegations, and conducted 39 business‑retention visits. For August alone, the department assisted nine businesses, fielded 14 general inquiries, generated one qualified lead, responded to six state‑level information requests and completed 20 development activities, including five retention visits.
Economic impact and real‑estate metrics
When the recent agreements were executed, the participating properties had a combined taxable‑base value of $167.5 million. Over the same period, Carrollton paid $5.19 million in cumulative property‑tax rebates. The properties now have a reported appraised value of $537 million—an increase of roughly $370 million.
Zeilfelder described Carrollton as having about 57 million sq ft of commercial space, with 45 million sq ft dedicated to flex and manufacturing uses. The city hosts more than 8,700 businesses and over 500 restaurants. Occupancy rates stand at 95.1 % for industrial, 94.6 % for retail and 86 % for office space, outpacing the DFW average industrial occupancy of 92.1 %.
Mayor highlights battery‑manufacturing milestone
Mayor Steve Babick highlighted the ribbon‑cutting of the ACT‑ION battery‑manufacturing plant, describing it as a potentially transformative, closed‑loop, environmentally friendly operation that could make battery production faster and cheaper. Located near downtown along the rail corridor and I‑35, the plant leverages rail access to support regional logistics.
“As I reflect on what our economic‑development team has done just in the last year, and how it’s transformed since I was first selected to council, it is night and day,” Babick said. “I think we hear that from those companies that you cited coming to Carrollton.”
Population and commuting patterns
Carrollton’s population is approximately 136,000, supporting about 100,000 jobs. Zeilfelder noted that 62 % of workers commute from elsewhere, while 38 % both live and work in the city—an indicator of Carrollton’s role as a regional employment hub.
“We are a major employment center,” Zeilfelder said. “We are drawing workers into the city every day. That speaks to the strength of our commercial base and also signifies a role we play in the regional economy.”
Original reporting: Branch Herald (Carrollton / Farmers Branch, local news) — read the source article.
