BlackStone Communities is asking the town of Prosper to approve a large-scale master plan that would bring an Italian village-inspired destination to the community. The proposed project, called The Marco, is envisioned as a mixed-use district organized around a central water feature and is currently under municipal consideration.
The Marco would span 143 acres at the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and US 380, positioning the development at a prominent regional crossroads. Plans call for a blend of residential, commercial, office, entertainment and hospitality uses, all integrated within a highly programmed environment intended to function as a standalone community hub.
According to coverage from Community Impact, the framework for The Marco includes a public square, ground-floor and destination retail, single-family homes, multifamily housing, a performing arts venue and a hotel. These components would be organized around a lagoon with interconnected canals, designed to be large enough to accommodate boat navigation. The lagoon and canal system would cover more than 15 acres and is described as the defining feature of the project.
The residential program for The Marco is planned to accommodate a range of housing types with an overall cap of 4,400 units. Entitlement documents outline multiple residential formats, including mid-rise apartments with a maximum of 2,500 units, as well as up to 400 units of high-rise residential product, which could be delivered as either condominiums or apartments. The plan also reserves capacity for a retirement community component of up to 500 units, indicating an age-targeted element within the broader residential mix.
Beyond housing, the proposed master plan allocates a substantial share of the site to office, commercial and entertainment uses. BlackStone Communities envisions a significant office presence that includes office condominium space tailored for smaller companies. Conceptual materials for The Marco also depict two larger corporate campuses with dedicated parking fields, identified as potential locations for corporate headquarters users.
The hospitality and cultural elements, including the hotel and performing arts venue, are intended to complement the lagoon-focused design and support a year-round activation strategy. Together with the public square, these features are positioned as anchors for retail, dining and experiential offerings that would serve both residents and visitors.
As proposed, The Marco remains subject to Prosper’s review and approval processes. BlackStone Communities is actively engaging with the town in an effort to secure the necessary entitlements that would allow the Italian village-themed master-planned development to move forward at the highway-fronting site.
