"This development would never happen without Whole Foods," Terry Montesi said at the Shivers Farm groundbreaking on Sept. 23, as reported by Community Impact. Montesi is the founder and CEO of Trademark Property Company, the Fort Worth developer building the 40-acre project at State Highway 114 and White Chapel Boulevard. He called the grocer "the financial anchor to the development and that's what attracts retailers and the restaurants."
If you live in Southlake, that quote explains the whole project better than any rendering. The park, the restaurant patios around it, the boutique office building and the 37 homesites all follow from the grocery anchor. Montesi also said something that matters to anyone living north of 114: the Whole Foods will be the first major grocery store on that side of the highway.
A corner that waited for the right anchor
The land carries the name of a family that farmed here long before Southlake was a city. John Redman "J.R." Shivers was born in 1877 in the nearby Smithfield area of Tarrant County. He and his wife, Ora Grace, lived on and farmed about 100 acres in the area. He was also one of three original Carroll School trustees, according to a family history the Southlake Historical Society prepared when a park was named for the family in 2021. Trademark's announcement describes the Shivers family's Southlake roots as going back to the 1800s.
The site has come close to development before. At the groundbreaking, Mayor Shawn McCaskill said other developers and projects had not met the city's standard. "This is a prominent piece of property on State Highway 114 by White Chapel here in Southlake," he said. "So it's important to get this right."
The plan changed shape on the way. A concept presented in March 2024 called for 65 townhomes and 18 single-family homes. By the 2025 plan, the residential side had become 37 single-family lots, and 33,798 square feet was set aside for a grocery store that had not yet been named. The sources don't say whether that figure is Whole Foods' final store size. Trademark and the Shivers Family Partnership filled the grocery slot on June 18, 2026, when they announced Whole Foods Market.
Why the grocery store comes first
A grocery anchor brings steady weekly trips, and that kind of traffic gets restaurant and retail tenants to sign. Montesi said directly that having Whole Foods "helped bring the development together."
Trademark has used this approach in Tarrant County before. The company developed Waterside in Fort Worth with Whole Foods as its anchor tenant, and that store opened in 2016. At Shivers Farm, Trademark also has financial backing. Harrison Street Asset Management, a global investment firm, has invested in the project, which is estimated at $120 million.
The leasing numbers show the anchor already working. In early September, Trademark had signed three leases totaling 40,199 square feet and was negotiating with retailers and restaurants for another 65,000 square feet. In June, the negotiation figure had been 49,000 square feet. Trademark has not named the three signed tenants, and so far Whole Foods is the only tenant anyone has named publicly.
Montesi described the kind of evening he hopes the project will support:
"When they're sitting at home and they think 'how are we going to spend time tonight?' their subconscious fires and says 'I'm attracted to go to Shivers Farm. Let's go to that public space and we'll decide where to eat afterwards.'"
The public space he means is a park of nearly one acre, built around existing heritage live oak trees and surrounded by restaurants with outdoor seating. Many of the existing trees on the property will stay.
What gets built around the anchor
The project's address is 1900 N. White Chapel Blvd., near 420 W. State Highway 114. Here is what is planned:
- Whole Foods Market, which anchors about 110,000 square feet of retail.
- A park of nearly one acre around the heritage live oaks, with restaurant patios on its edges.
- A three-story Class A boutique office building, which Trademark is still designing.
- 37 single-family lots.
- A 3-acre pad approved for a hotel, entertainment or more retail.
The square footage has shifted slightly between documents. Trademark's June announcement listed 111,000 square feet of retail and 38,000 square feet of office. Its project page in late September listed 110,000 and 40,000. The design team includes architect Dwell Design Studio, general contractor Ridgemont Construction, and civil engineer and landscape planner Kimley-Horn.
The dates the city can enforce
Opening forecasts for Shivers Farm vary. At the groundbreaking, Montesi said retail tenants should open around early 2028. Earlier this year, the Star-Telegram reported a Whole Foods opening in the latter half of 2028. In September, the Fort Worth Report said Trademark was aiming for the second half of 2028. These dates may refer to different milestones. The deadlines in the master development agreement, which the City Council approved on June 16, are firmer.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Master development agreement approved | June 16, 2026 |
| Whole Foods announced | June 18, 2026 |
| TIRZ first reading approved | Sept. 15, 2026 |
| Official groundbreaking | Sept. 23, 2026 |
| TIRZ vote scheduled | Oct. 6, 2026 |
| Final project and financing plan presented | Nov. 3, 2026 |
| Construction must begin | Before Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Commercial section must be complete | Dec. 31, 2028 |
| Residential section must be complete | June 30, 2029 |
The agreement also requires Trademark to invest at least $127.9 million, to create at least 200 jobs by the end of June 2028, and to reach a minimum taxable value of $80 million. For comparison, the 2026 appraised value of all the land inside the proposed tax increment reinvestment zone is $803,531, according to Daniel Cortez, the city's economic development and tourism director. That means the project has to lift the zone's taxable value roughly a hundredfold.
The TIRZ is designed to capture that growth. It would cover 25.9 acres of the commercial district and last 21 years. Up to 95% of the future tax increment could be reinvested inside the zone for utilities, parks and roads. The agreement caps total city incentives at $18.85 million, including TIRZ funds and any grants or reimbursements. This would be Southlake's second TIRZ. Creating it would not change the performance standards Trademark has already agreed to.
As of Oct. 3, the TIRZ has not been created. The council approved a first reading on Sept. 15 and is scheduled to vote on the zone and its preliminary plan on Oct. 6. The final plan is scheduled for Nov. 3. If Tarrant County chooses to participate, the city's 95% share would be reduced to account for it.
What happens on the site next
Montesi said mass grading would likely start about a week after the groundbreaking. That makes earthmoving at White Chapel and 114 the first sign of progress drivers on the highway are likely to see this fall. The Oct. 6 council meeting will show whether the financing structure moves forward, and the Nov. 3 plan should show whether Tarrant County is participating.
The next public update to watch for is a tenant announcement. Three leases are signed and about 65,000 more square feet were in negotiation in September. Each restaurant that commits to the park edge makes Montesi's evening scene more concrete. Southlake already has one well-known gathering place in Southlake Town Square. Shivers Farm's plan adds a grocery store, a park and restaurant patios on the north side of 114, the side Montesi said has no major grocery store yet. You can find more on how the city is changing in our Southlake neighborhood guide.
If you live near White Chapel and 114 and want to talk through how Shivers Farm might affect your street, your commute or your plans for your home, The Verrett Team is following each council vote and tenant announcement as it happens. Contact Us anytime with your questions.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
