What’s Next for Justin Town Square? The City Is Looking for a Development Partner

If you’ve been wondering what might be coming to Justin Town Square, we have an update. The City of Justin is taking another step toward bringing more restaurants, retail and entertainment to town, and this time, it’s asking developers to show them what they can bring to the table.

The city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in October, inviting developers to submit plans for three city-owned parcels totaling nearly 11 acres within Justin Town Square. The goal? Find a development partner who can help turn the property into a destination for shopping, dining and gathering close to home.

Proposals are due November 19, 2026, with a potential developer selection planned for January 2027. Here’s what we know so far.

What Is the City Looking For?

The city wants more than buildings with empty storefronts. Its proposal calls for a development team that can attract actual businesses, with an emphasis on restaurants, entertainment and complementary retail.

The RFP highlights several priorities, including:

• Full-service restaurants, including chef-driven and upper-casual dining.
• Specialty shops and retail businesses that complement the dining options.
• Entertainment and gathering spaces that bring people to the area throughout the day and evening.
• Outdoor dining and pedestrian-friendly spaces that connect with the larger development.

Developers are encouraged to identify prospective businesses by name and provide evidence of their interest when possible. In other words, the city wants to see a realistic plan for who might occupy the space, not just a collection of buildings waiting for tenants.

No new restaurant or retail tenant has been publicly confirmed for these three parcels through this RFP as of October 23, 2026.

Where Will This Development Be?

The RFP covers three city-owned parcels totaling approximately 10.98 acres:

• Parcel A: 6.82 acres on the north side of Wilkerson Lane.
• Parcel B: 2.405 acres on the south side of Wilkerson Lane, west of Tally Boulevard.
• Parcel C: 1.757 acres designated for the planned future City Hall site.

The city is accepting proposals for one, two or all three parcels and may select more than one developer. The solicitation covers these city-owned properties, including the planned City Hall site, rather than necessarily every undeveloped property within Justin Town Square.

The parcels are described in the RFP as platted and graded, with internal streets already constructed. A portion of Parcel A is in a FEMA flood zone, which developers will need to account for in their plans.

Could the City Offer the Land to a Developer?

One interesting part of the proposal is how the city is willing to consider structuring the deal.

Options include a negotiated sale, a long-term ground lease or a land transfer at a nominal price or no cost through an economic development agreement, subject to applicable requirements and performance conditions.

The city may also consider certain economic development incentives and eligible infrastructure costs. These are possibilities outlined in the RFP, not benefits already promised to a developer.

Any final agreement could include requirements for private investment, construction deadlines, minimum development standards and commitments to open and operate the businesses. The city also describes potential remedies if a developer fails to meet its obligations.

The idea is to secure a development that delivers on its promises rather than simply transfer public property and hope things work out.

How Will the City Choose a Developer?

The selection process has two stages.

First, developers will submit their qualifications, experience and preliminary concepts. The city plans to evaluate those submissions and identify a shortlist, generally of no more than three respondents.

Shortlisted developers will then provide more detailed proposals, including financial information, proposed tenants, financing plans and construction schedules. They will also present to the City Council.

The city’s evaluation criteria place considerable weight on a developer’s experience and the quality of its proposed businesses, along with the overall design, financial capacity and benefits to the city.

The scheduled timeline includes:

• November 19, 2026: Initial proposals due.
• December 10, 2026: Scheduled City Council review of the shortlist.
• January 2027: Planned selection of a preferred developer.
• February–March 2027: Anticipated negotiations on a development agreement.

These dates are estimates and could change as the process moves forward.

What’s Already at Justin Town Square?

The larger development already has a mix of businesses and services, including The Academy, Action Behavior Centers, LaVie Nails + Spa, One Stop Mail Drop, and Crickles & Co. coming soon. Two medical businesses are in the works as well.

The new RFP is intended to help bring additional dining, retail and entertainment options to the area. However, it does not mean those businesses have already been selected or that construction is about to begin.

The city’s broader conceptual plan for Justin Town Square envisions approximately 250,000 square feet of commercial and municipal facilities, along with public gathering spaces and connections to nearby amenities. This is the larger development concept, not a guarantee of what will be built on the three parcels included in the RFP. The final design will depend on the proposals and any agreements ultimately approved.

Why Does This Matter for Justin?

Justin continues to grow, and with more households comes greater demand for places to eat, shop and spend time locally.

The city has identified attracting restaurants and other commercial businesses as a priority. If the RFP process results in a development partner with committed tenants, it could help move some of those plans closer to reality.

For now, there are still some big questions. Who will submit proposals? Which businesses might be included in their plans? And what will the final development look like?

Those answers may become clearer as the city reviews submissions and moves toward selecting a developer.

The next important date is November 19, when proposals are due. We’ll be watching for updates as the process moves forward and more details become public.

Sources: City of Justin, Request for Proposals No. 2026-01, Justin Town Square. Read the full RFP here and visit the City of Justin’s Justin Town Square project page for additional information.