After denying a proposal for a mixed-use development near Grapevine Mills, Grapevine City Council reversed course and approved a hotel and multifamily housing on 28.7 acres near the mall.

Council members unanimously approved the zoning and a final plat for the property during the June 2 meeting.

“There are restrictions that don’t allow us to have [single-family] homes out there,” council member Duff O’Dell said. “Our job is to look at the highest and best use, and when you look at all of the deed restrictions put on that property, there’s not anything else that’s going to be able to go out on that property.”

The details: Dallas-based developer Trammell Crow Company proposed adding up to 248 multifamily units and a 222-room six-story Sandman Signature Hotel on the 28.7-acre site near Grapevine Mills. The multifamily units would be spread across 11 buildings, according to town documents, and include:

• Eight efficiency units 

• 162 one-bedroom units

• 49 two-bedroom units

• 29 three-bedroom units 

What's next: The developer plans to obtain building permits for the site this summer.

From a new cafe to a Champagne lounge in, check out eight business updates from across Grapevine, Colleyville and Southlake.

Now open
Bon Bon Caffe
A new restaurant, Bon Bon Caffe, has opened along Main Street in Grapevine.

The menu includes cafe-style French and Italian options, such as croissants, pizza and gelato. Becks Edgington, a senior mixologist at Bon Bon Caffe, said the bar will also serve charcuterie boards, pastas and tapas-style dishes, in addition to the regular menu. There is also a brunch menu with omelets and Champagne towers that will be available on Saturdays and Sundays.

• Opened May 15

• 603 S. Main St., Grapevine

Pop & Pour
Pop & Pour opened its Colleyville location in late May, according to a social media post. The lounge offers Champagne, mimosas, sparkling wines from different countries and bites to eat.

“Bubbles are a tradition, a celebration and a way to savor life’s beautiful moments,” Glenn said.

• Opened May 22

• 5665 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 150, Colleyville

CSL Plasma operates several plasma donation centers across Dallas-Fort Worth, with locations in McKinney, Grand Prairie, northeast Fort Worth and Dallas. CSL operates over 350 locations in the United States and Europe, according to the company website. Community Impact contacted the company to learn more about plasma donation, and got responses from Wlenyeno Elliott-Browne, the company’s global head of plasma quality. Answers have been edited for clarity and style.

Who can donate plasma? Are there any age, weight or health restrictions? 
Generally, anyone in good health, between the ages of 18 and 74, who weighs at least 110 pounds, and meets eligibility and screening requirements can donate plasma. Prior to donating, every donor must complete a medical questionnaire, which is reviewed by a CSL staff member.

Is donation painful?
In general, people may experience mild discomfort when donating plasma, similar to when donating blood or having blood drawn. Donors often compare the feeling of the needle to a slight pinch or bee sting.

Nearly $8.4 billion in new state funding was not enough to save Texas public school districts from budget shortfalls and campus closures, school administrators said June 1.

What happened: During a 10-hour public hearing at the state Capitol, school district leaders spoke of efforts to stretch their budgets amid high inflationary costs as teachers explained their decisions to leave the classroom due to pay cuts and large class sizes.

The big picture: Last year, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2, a $8.4 billion school finance bill designed to increase educator salaries, create a new pot of money for fixed costs, provide more training for teachers and boost special education resources.

Roughly one year later, districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas are cutting staff and closing campuses, citing enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. 

Quote of note: "This funding deficit is the final straw for me, and it will be for countless other educators across the state who must leave or who lose their jobs," Austin ISD French teacher Rachel Preston told lawmakers June 1.