The past and the future came together in a remarkable way Tuesday morning in Highland Village at a groundbreaking ceremony for The District of Highland Village, a mixed use urban lifestyle development to be built at the corner of FM 407 and Briarhill Blvd.

The land where an old stagecoach trail is still slightly visible marks the site where a first of its kind development will bring luxury townhomes, retail shops, dining and office space to Highland Village. Long time Highland Village resident Jo Moody addressed the group assembled for the groundbreaking. “Before Highland Village, before Denton County, this land was part of our history. Barely a few dozen feet from where we stand, there was once a stagecoach road. This land that we stand on has had many special and historical events take place on it. Our hope is that the new development will be successful and make its own history,” Moody said. The site was chosen back in 1986 as a stop on the Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, and there is a Texas shaped granite monument on the property to commemorate that event.

Those taking part in Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony included Highland Village Mayor Dianne Costa, Landcore Developer Mike Silvaggio, and others. Several Highland Village City Council members and staffers participated in the groundbreaking, along with Frank Wu, who had owned the property for many years before selling last year. Costa addressed the group and expressed great excitement about the new development. “It’s going to be a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said the mayor. “You had the courage to bring this unique development concept to Highland Village,” she said of the Landcore company. “We look forward to the beauty of this.”

As far as development goes, Mike Silvaggio said many companies are being conservative.  “Most people are running out of the fire, but we are running in,” he said, adding that he and his company believe in the North Texas area and the North Texas economy. Describing his vision for the land, Silvaggio said it is sort of coming full circle to a place where many people want to simplify their lives and conserve fuel. “You will be able to live, work and play right here at this corner. You are going to be able to stroll down a main street, shopping on one side and living on the other,” he said. The District is expected to take 36 months to build and will consist of 78,000 square feet of retail and offices along with 77 quaint luxury townhomes.