The city of Plano is set to spend $2 million on Harrington Homestead, a historic house on 3.88 acres of land near US 75, Assistant City Manager Curtis Howard said.

In a nutshell: City officials plan to use the land to build a facility that will house ConnectPlano—a hub for nonprofit organizations in the city—while maintaining the original character of the property, according to city documents.

Quote of note: “As we see the needs in the city of Plano grow, and we see some of the pressures that we have in modern society, this is really going to be a way to help those folks that are living on the edge, that need assistance,” Howard said. “We’ll be a better city because of that.”

The former NYLO hotel on Preston Road is set to reopen as The Clara Hotel in mid-2026, according to a news release from investment firm NewcrestImage.

In a nutshell: The hotel has been renovated with a focus on natural materials and soft colors designed to create “a sense of ease,” according to the release.

What's new: The hotel’s makeover will add a bar called The Library, which will operate as a lounge during the day and a reservation-only speakeasy on Thursday-Saturday nights, per the release.

• 8201 Preston Road, Plano

Three cities, including Addison, are set to vote on withdrawing from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system in May, which could lead to immediate service changes for Richardson residents if cities vote to leave DART. DART officials held a community meeting in Richardson on March 17 to discuss potential service impacts following the election, including bus route realignments and service closures in withdrawn cities.

The big picture: If Addison, Highland Park or University Park vote to withdraw in May, then DART will cease all services in that city the day after votes are canvassed, said Kay Shelton, DART chief of staff and chief strategy officer. Service closures in any of these cities would affect rail services, bus routes, GoLink zones and paratransit services.

Looking ahead: Regardless of the withdrawal elections, City Manager Don Magner said he also expects to see long-term service changes due to reductions in DART’s budget after approving a new funding plan for member cities.

As the Dallas North Tollway expands northward, town leaders in Prosper are working to solidify their vision for how land along the tollway will develop over the next few years. Meanwhile, developers have broke ground on a $10 billion master-planned community in Denton.

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