Grand Prairie Annexes 900 Acres for Provident’s Goodland

Grand Prairie is pulling thousands of acres into its city limits to make way for one of North Texas’ largest new communities.

The city council this month approved annexing about 900 acres into Goodland, a 5,000-acre master-planned project from Dallas-based Provident Realty Advisors. Located south of Mansfield near the U.S. 287 and 360 Tollway, the development is envisioned as a small city of its own, with homes, retail, civic amenities and even a water tower branded with its name. Goodland already counts more than 700 homes, with 280 more underway by David Weekley Homes and Highland Homes. At full buildout, the city projects the community will house 50,000 people and generate $5 billion in taxable value, the Dallas Business Journal reported.

Provident’s plans for the annexed acreage include higher-density residential, regional parks, trails, a church, an event venue and a coffee shop. The firm is also planning a 50-acre town center with civic buildings and a walkable urban core, expandable if demand warrants. City services from Grand Prairie such as police, fire, water and sewer will now extend to the new land.

Rylan Yowell, managing director for Provident, said the annexation vote was key to the developer’s partnership with the city. It’s part of a phased agreement with the city to absorb all 5,000 acres. The vote on the 900 acres comes after the City Council annexed 1,500 acres of Goodland in December, and follows a pattern by the municipality of supporting and annexing master-planned communities within its extra-territorial jurisdiction. Grand Prairie committed up to $45 million for new roads, including the nearly-finished Goodland Parkway, a 6-mile arterial linking Highways 360 and 287 that’s expected to open by year’s end.

The council also approved zoning changes to allow mixed-use and medium-density housing. The vote drew some opposition, mostly from residents worried about property taxes, but passed unanimously.

Provident is also planning a 25-mile trail network and restoring 1,600 acres of floodplain and creek corridors. Earlier this year it broke ground on The Retreat, a $14 million amenity center with a clubhouse, pool, playground and fishing ponds, set to open in 2026.

— Eric Weilbacher