Like many other North Texas, Celina’s rapid growth over the past couple of years is changing its landscape. In addition to new roadways and other developments, Celina is getting the attention of big retail companies.
As Local Profile previously mentioned, Celina announced recently the closure of a deal with Costco to build a 160,000-square-foot building on 43 acres on the corner of Ownsby and Preston Road which is expectedto bring 1,000 to 1,4000 job s. Costco’s commitment to this development is truly a testament to the city’s growth and potential as this will be the first Costco in the U.S. built in a city with less than 30,000 residents (at the time the deal was closed).
And it’s not just Costco that’s looking to get ahead of the curve in Celina. In April, Centurion American Development Group broke ground to begin the construction of a 3,200-acre community with 7,000 single-family homes and another 4,100 multifamily units. The space will also include land for Celina ISD schools and fire and police stations, according to REX Real Estate.
Matthew Kiran, a real estate agent with REX Real Estate, told Candy’s Dirt that Celina’s residential population has exploded. According to the 2020 U.S. census, at the time Celina had 16,739 residents, but after being ranked as the #1 fastest-growing city in North Texas three years in a row by the Dallas Business Journal, that was bound to change. Today the population sits at around 37,000 people, according to the city website, more than twice what it was two years ago.
Just like Anna, Celina is strategically located near growing economic and commercial centers like Dallas, Prosper and Frisco and new developments are set to enhance that advantage: the Dallas North Tollway, which connects Dallas to Frisco, is going to expand 10 miles through Celina and Preston Road, which passes through many of the North Texas fast-growing communities like Plano, Frisco, Prosper and Celina is under continued development.
Earlier this month Celina and Collin County officials cut the ribbon for the future Collin County Outer Loop, a 55-mile multi-modal transportation route that will connect Denton and Collin counties.
These ongoing developments have already had an effect on the city. In 2025, a new 200,000-square-foot Methodist Health System facility is expected to open, bringing more than 200 jobs to Celina.
According to Kiran, the city approved 2,600 to 3,000 residential permits this year alone and the city manager’s report for the fiscal year 2022 estimated that there are 600,000 square feet of retail space available in the city. He added that 700 to 750 residents are estimated to be moving to Celina each month, so there should be no surprises if more retail stores pop up in the near future.
