Glendenning, Walmart Partner up for Celina Mixed-Use Project

A legendary land man is partnering with the world’s biggest retailer for a mixed-use development in fast-growing Celina.

The Collin County suburb’s first Walmart will anchor Rex Glendenning’s 190-acre project, at the northwest quadrant of Preston Road and Collin County Outer Loop, the Dallas Morning News reported.

The City of Celina is also a partner in the forthcoming project, called Shawnee Trail Development, where Glendenning’s development firm plans residences, retail and restaurants, along with green space, trails and water features. With its village-like layout, the developers hope to pay homage to the area’s history as a route for driving longhorn cattle.

Other collaborators include Nelson Partners Architects and Planners and KFM Engineering and Design. Shop Companies’ Thomas Glendenning, a relative of the developer, will handle leasing.

Walmart’s expansion aligns with its broader strategy of opening 150 stores nationwide within the next five years, with four earmarked for Texas. Construction of the Celina outpost is expected to start in August.

The project is the first endeavor of the developer’s Glendenning 1887 brand, the outlet reported. The name is an homage to Glendenning’s great-grandfather, who moved to Celina in 1887 to farm. Rex Glendenning and his wife, Sherese, are also longhorn cattle breeders, based in Celina.

Shawnee Trail Development is another sign of the rapid growth that Celina and other parts of Collin County are experiencing. Last week, San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B acquired 21 acres in the town, which is about 43 miles north of Dallas.

The site, at the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and Fred Smith Parkway, is located within Centurion American Development Group’s planned Legacy Hills development. The 3,200-acre community will feature an 18-hole golf course, more than 7,000 single-family homes, 4,100 multifamily units and 100 acres of commercial development.

Celina’s population grew an estimated 97 percent between 2020 and 2023, according to the Texas Demographics Center. It was home to an estimated 33,000 people in January 2023.

—Quinn Donoghue