Your Expert Guide

Plano: A dynamic, family-oriented place where convenience is key

Agent Lisa West.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty

There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

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Boasting the excitement of constant growth, beautiful new subdivisions, and never-ending things to do in the community, Plano has stirred up quite a scene as a sister city to Dallas proper.

Real estate agent Lisa West has seen firsthand the Plano renaissance, having lived in the area for more than 25 years. She cites its family-oriented neighborhoods and excellent schools as well as its affordability and convenience for work and play as some of the top qualities that draw people to the area.

Plus, with easy access to sporting events, live music, shopping, dining, and more, residents always have a wide range of options for entertainment.

When West is not building relationships with her clients in Plano and beyond, she is extremely active in her community and dedicated to raising her three children, who attend Parish Episcopal School.

West offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Plano. Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
Look no further than Legacy West and The Shops at Legacy. These two neighboring destinations are home to a wide range of restaurants, including West’s top picks: The Capital Grille, Bob's Steak & Chop House, Mi Cocina, and Toulouse.

She also recommends Legacy Hall at Legacy West, where you can take your pick of 20 curated local artisanal vendors while savoring live music.

Where to play
For a beautiful slice of nature in the city, West heads to Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, a haven for green space and a range of walking and hiking trails. You can also get your workout in at a variety of wonderful gyms and studio facilities in the area.

The members-only Gleneagles Country Club is another favorite destination for its two championship golf courses, pool, restaurants, and more.

What to see
While Plano has many fests throughout the year, West says to definitely bookmark the family-friendly Plano Balloon Festival as one of the most highly anticipated traditions every fall.

Kids also love the Heritage Farmstead Museum, which features interactive exhibits and events.

Where to live
“Homes in Plano are perfect for everyone, from first-time buyers to families, empty nesters, and single professionals,” says West. “People gravitate to the large yards, greenbelts, community pools, neighborhood gatherings and block parties, and the selection of both traditional and contemporary new construction.”

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Lisa West lives, works, and plays in Plano. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email lwest@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-893-0287. You can also follow her on Instagram here.

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Downtown News

Dallas City Council approves major subsidy for new West End Lofts

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805 Elm St. in the West End.

The Dallas City Council approved a $49 million incentive package for the development of the West End Lofts Project, a proposed mixed-use, mixed-income, and transit-oriented development project.

The project would take up three parcels within the historic West End: 805 Elm St., 711 Elm St., and 211 N. Austin St., directly south of the West End DART light rail station and directly north of El Centro (Dallas College).

Led by Sycamore Strategies, LLC, the estimated $103.2 million project will include 154 mixed-income apartments comprised of 56 efficiencies, 25 one-bedroom, 69 two-bedroom, and 4 three-bedroom units to be constructed within the historic 805 Elm Street building and in a new 6-story building to be constructed on the existing adjacent surface parking lot.

Of the 154 apartments, 63 (41 percent) will be income-restricted and leased solely to households earning at or below median income.

The project will include residential amenities, ground floor retail/commercial space, the creation of an approximately 25,751-square-foot plaza and promenade, and approximately 140 parking spaces in the historic 711 Elm Street parking garage.

The project’s funding includes $54,224,085 in non-City sources, including equity in the form of low income housing tax credits and historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The City’s incentive package includes an amount not to exceed $28,275,676 in City Center TIF District funding as well as up to $20,724,324 from other economic development funding sources administered by the City’s Office of Economic Development, including general obligation bond proceeds from the economic development/housing propositions in the City’s 2012 and 2024 bond programs.

In a statement, Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said that the project will provide affordable housing and ground floor activation within downtown’s West End Historic District.

Prior to the City Council's December 11 approval of a subsidy for the project, it got a thumbs up from the City Center TIF District Board of Directors, with the added condition that best efforts be made to provide a minimum of two square feet per residential unit for pet relief facilities.

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