Cover Story: DFW's Northern Frontier above U.S. 380 is key to Metroplex's expansion

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Jake Dean

The towns above U.S. 380 once were considered the hinterlands. But now they are quickly becoming extensions of our expanding Metroplex.

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Nicholas Sakelaris

Staff Writer- Dallas Business Journal

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If you think Frisco is the northern edge of the Metroplex, you haven’t talked to Corbett Howard about Celina.

Without batting an eye, the town’s executive director of economic development says the far northwest Collin County enclave of 9,000 will be the next Frisco. He sees a future filled with thousands of homes, corporate offices, entertainment venues and access to major highways and roads.

“When the decade of 2020 shows up here, that’s going to be the decade of Celina,” said Howard from his office in the historic town square. “2020 to 2030, we will experience the growth that Frisco did in the last decade.”

The theory is that Celina will gain momentum as its swelling southern neighbors — Plano, Frisco and Richardson — become massive new employment centers. It’s just 16 miles to Plano and the future U.S. headquarters of Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM).

It’s this anticipated growth that excites Howard about this farm town’s future. Celina could have 40,000 people by 2020 and could add 100,000 by 2030, said Howard, the town’s mayor from 2002 to 2008. It’s already the site of the proposed $1.3 billion Light Farms master-planned community, which will include 3,500 homes when completed. Celina is primed to be absorbed by Dallas-Forth Worth’s exurban sprawl.

North Texas suburbs are projected to continue swallowing up ranches and farmland until they butt up against the Red River. At 78 square miles, Celina is geographically larger than Plano or Frisco. It’s about 40 miles from both the Oklahoma border and downtown Dallas. Maybe Howard’s right. Just maybe Celina will become Dallas-Fort Worth’s next frontier.

Nicholas covers the energy, manufacturing, aviation and transportation beats for the Dallas Business Journal. Subscribe the Energy Inc. newsletter