The Prosper Town Council has approved a rezoning request for The Marco, a large-scale, Italian-themed mixed-use community planned at the corner of Dallas North Tollway and University Drive. The project will span 143 acres and is slated to carry a total development cost of approximately $2 billion, positioning it as one of the most ambitious master-planned communities in the area.
The Marco is being led by developer Jeff Blackard, founder of Blackard Cos., who is known for creating experiential, European-inspired environments. Blackard previously developed Adriatica, a $350 million Croatian-style village on 45 acres in McKinney, and is applying a similar destination concept to The Marco. For this new undertaking, Blackard is partnering with Cawley Partners.
Plans for The Marco call for a broad mix of uses anchored by extensive residential development. The community is expected to include more than 4,000 residential units, with housing types ranging from traditional apartments and senior living options to luxury condominiums. Some of the high-end condos are anticipated to reach price points of up to $10 million per unit, underscoring the project’s upscale positioning within the residential market.
In addition to housing, the plan includes a meaningful commercial component. The Marco is programmed for up to two hotels and roughly 1 million square feet of office space, as well as specialty retail and restaurant offerings. A grocery store and a market hall are also envisioned, creating a day-to-night environment that integrates daily needs, dining, and entertainment in a single walkable destination.
The development’s design will draw heavily from Venetian themes, with a 15-acre central lagoon serving as the focal point of the master plan. That lagoon will be connected to a network of canals large enough to accommodate electric boats, creating extensive waterfront frontage for homes, hotels, and commercial uses. The Italian-inspired architecture and water features are intended to differentiate The Marco from more conventional suburban mixed-use projects.
As approved, the master plan provides for waterfront homes and other residential product ringing the lagoon and canals, with hotel, office, and retail components integrated into the broader site. The large-format grocery and market hall are expected to complement the specialty retail and restaurant offerings, supporting both residents and visitors drawn to the destination’s thematic design.
Construction on The Marco is targeted to begin in winter 2027, following the completion of additional planning and predevelopment work after the recent rezoning approval. Once underway, the full buildout of the community is expected to occur over a period of approximately five to ten years, reflecting the scale and complexity of the mixed-use program.
The Marco’s combination of residential density, office space, and experiential retail and hospitality elements is designed to create a new destination node along Dallas North Tollway and University Drive, with the Venetian-inspired lagoon and canal system serving as the project’s defining feature.
