Plano residents could see new restaurants and retail coming to the intersection of McDermott Road and Ohio Drive.

The details: Plano Planning and Zoning commissioners approved a renewed concept plan for the 2.6-acre retail center at a Dec. 1 meeting. Applicant Richard Ferrell applied to renew the retail center’s concept plan, which was originally approved in 2023, as several lots are still in development, and city street design standards have changed since the original plan was approved.

Zooming in: Senior Planner John Kim said one lot has already been approved for a restaurant, but several lots are still being marketed for development. Ferrell noted that plans to bring a Waffle House to the property are “nearing completion,” according to city documents. Juan Vasquez, civil engineer for the applicant, said they are planning to start construction early next year, and the applicant is in conversations with different tenants for the remaining lots.

The Biscuit Bar is closing its Plano location, according to a social media post made by founders Jake and Janie Burkett.

What you need to know: The pair cite a variety of reasons for the closure, including rising costs and supply chain instability, as well as a failed restructuring sale of the restaurant. In addition to the Plano location at The Boardwalk at Granite Park, Biscuit Bar will be closing all of its Dallas locations, according to the post.

Quote of note: “It is with the heaviest hearts that we share that after seven years of serving the DFW area and Abilene, The Biscuit Bar has closed its doors effective immediately,” the post states.

• 5880 SH 121, Ste. 102B, Plano

Richardson ISD’s six remaining junior highs are on track for expansion into middle schools by 2028, district officials presented to the school board at its Dec. 11 meeting.

The details: The junior high campuses require varying levels of expansion, renovation and construction to take on the additional sixth-grade students and programming planned for the middle schools.

James Watson, RISD’s senior executive director of operations, presented initial design plans and early renderings for each of the transformed middle schools. Some schools will have new additions built on to the existing campus, while others will have entirely new buildings constructed on their site.

What’s next: This month, the city is reviewing design plans, which are set to be finalized in the spring. Construction is slated to begin in June and projected to last until May 2028, with all campuses planned to open to sixth graders as middle schools in fall 2028.

Texas has grown rapidly in recent years, and data indicates that development is not slowing down. The Lone Star State gained about 168,000 jobs from September 2024-September 2025, leading the nation in job growth, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The overview: Texas is attractive to businesses looking to relocate or expand their operations due to its tax incentives and grants, lack of a personal income tax and roughly 200 higher education institutions, business leaders said during a Dec. 10 summit held in College Station by industry network YTexas.

As businesses of all sizes continue to move to Texas, local governments and associations also need to “support the ones that are already here,” said Dean Browell, the chief behavioral officer for Feedback, a digital ethnographic research firm.

Zooming in: In an October study, Feedback found that long-term Texas residents want to live in growing communities with strong education systems and plentiful job opportunities. That growth, however, can lead to rising property taxes and living expenses before residents begin feeling the benefits, Browell said.