Regional developers and business leaders are discussing more than $20 billion in potential investment across Denton County, where over 12,000 acres of former ranch land are being positioned for significant growth. The scale of planned residential, commercial, and industrial activity is creating new construction opportunities while increasing pressure on infrastructure and long-term planning.
The development outlook was the focus of the Denton County Growth Summit held Aug. 26 at the University of North Texas' DATCU Stadium. Hillwood Communities Senior Vice President Andrew Pieper joined other development and planning executives to discuss the region's growth, development pipeline, and challenges associated with expanding communities while preserving local character.
Hillwood's Landmark development in Denton is among the largest projects in the pipeline. The roughly 3,200-acre mixed-use community is planned to include thousands of single-family homes and apartments, along with commercial space, schools, parks, and trails. The project is expected to develop over multiple decades and could add tens of thousands of residents to the city.
Hillwood is also expanding its footprint in Denton County through Lantern, a planned community near Pilot Point. The company purchased about 618 acres for the future development, with current planning calling for approximately 2,000 homes along with retail, apartments, parks, and trails.
The broader development pipeline extends beyond residential construction. Industrial and advanced manufacturing projects are also increasing demand for land and infrastructure. MP Materials selected a 120-acre Northlake site within the AllianceTexas development for a planned $1.25 billion-plus rare earth magnet manufacturing campus.
