A 30,000-square-foot Asian marketplace is planned for Leander’s Northline development, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and businesses projected to open in 2028. The marketplace is envisioned as part of a larger mixed-use district intended to serve as a downtown center for Leander. Plans call for restaurants, retail and other businesses, alongside Northline’s proposed apartments, health care facilities and Sprouts Farmers Market. The concept has broadened from an earlier Koreatown proposal into a marketplace that could feature businesses representing Korean, Japanese, Chinese and other Asian cuisines and cultures. Possible offerings include sushi, dumplings, Korean barbecue and quick-service Chinese food, said Chris Price, a senior vice president at Partners, the real estate firm working on the project. The site is about 27 miles north of Austin, near Austin Community College’s Leander campus and CapMetro’s Red Line terminus. Its location and the area’s changing population are part of the developers’ case for the project. Price said about 15% of Leander’s nearly 100,000 residents are Asian. Community organizer EC Chi of the KoreaTexas Forum said residents have been asking for more Asian grocery stores, restaurants, banks and other services. He linked the increased interest to families and workers moving to the region, including amid Samsung’s semiconductor investment in Taylor and the presence of other major technology employers in Williamson County. Brian McMurray of Partners, who previously worked on Austin’s Crescent shopping center, said the region’s growing technology workforce has helped create demand for a wider range of businesses. Developers say the project could help fill a gap: Central Texas does not have a major, dedicated Asian commercial district like those in Houston and Dallas. The opening timeline remains a projection from the development team. If built as planned, the marketplace would offer residents and visitors a concentrated destination for Asian food, shopping and services within Northline’s broader walkable-district concept.