By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
A former corporate campus that once housed one of McKinney’s most recognizable employers could be headed for a major transformation.
The McKinney City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a rezoning request for approximately 14 acres within the former Globe Life campus near Eldorado Parkway and Custer Road, clearing the way for multifamily residential development as part of a larger mixed-use vision for the property.
Developer David Craig told council the broader redevelopment could eventually include apartments, retail, office space and an estimated $200 million in taxable value.
“This zoning request is one component of a very exciting mixed-use project and I am thrilled about it,” Craig said.
According to Craig, the long-term plan includes approximately 14.5 acres of multifamily housing, 33.5 acres of corporate campus uses and nearly 10 acres of retail development centered around the existing 300,780-square-foot office building.
Craig compared the planned retail component to District 121.
“District 121 is about four and a half acres,” Craig said. “So you can imagine what this is going to look like.”
A Changing Property — And a Changing Debate
The discussion quickly turned to Senate Bill 840, a state law approved by the Texas Legislature that limits the ability of cities to restrict multifamily housing in some areas.
Planning Director Lucas Reilly said the legislation changed how city staff evaluated the property.
“Under SB 840, that is what really kind of unlocked this property for multifamily development,” Reilly said.
Reilly explained that prior to September 2025, staff may have viewed a multifamily proposal on the site differently. However, state law now gives cities less authority to block apartment projects in qualifying locations.
Rather than rely solely on the state law, Craig said he chose to work through the city’s normal zoning process.
“First I’d like to say I oppose the bill,” Craig told council.
“I wanted a collaborative approach with city staff and their recommendation.”
Craig said developers who care about the communities where they build should work alongside local officials rather than simply using state law to bypass local review.
Parking Draws Concern
While council members ultimately supported the rezoning, discussion turned to one of the most debated aspects of Senate Bill 840: parking requirements for apartment developments.
Councilman Patrick Cloutier raised concerns about the state’s one-space-per-unit parking standard, arguing that larger apartment units often generate more vehicles than the minimum requirement assumes.
“I really hate the part of SB 840 that says parking is at a 1-to-1,” Cloutier said.
Cloutier noted that three-bedroom apartments are unlikely to have only one vehicle and warned that inadequate parking can create long-term challenges for residents and surrounding properties.
Craig responded that the proposed development is expected to exceed the minimum requirement.
According to the developer, the project could support up to 492 units under the zoning category, but current plans call for approximately 368 units with roughly 1.7 parking spaces per unit.
“We’ll submit the site plan on Monday, and that site plan will be 1.7 per unit as discussed,” Craig said.
Craig said the additional parking reflects both market demand and the realities of family-oriented housing, which typically requires more vehicle capacity than the state’s minimum standard.
A Bigger Vision for the Property
Craig argued the redevelopment would dramatically increase the value of the former Globe Life campus while bringing new housing, retail and office activity to the site.
“If you looked at this from just an AV value right now on our tax rolls, Globe Life is $51 million,” Craig said. “This mixed-use project will be somewhere around $200 million.”
Craig also emphasized that the apartment component would be smaller than what the zoning district would allow. While the property could support as many as 492 units under the MF-36 zoning category, he said current plans call for approximately 368 apartments
Other Issues Surface During Meeting
The Globe Life redevelopment was not the only issue discussed Tuesday.
During public comments, a McKinney resident alleged contractors tied to a North Texas pool fraud case were able to remove themselves from permits after inspections had been completed, affecting more than 20 families. Council took no action on the request.
Council also approved an agreement related to the next phase of Taxiway A improvements at McKinney National Airport. During council comments, Mayor Pro Tem Justin Beller Feltus said state Rep. Jeff Leach recently toured both the airport and the planned Venue development, receiving updates on several major projects underway in the city.