After sitting abandoned for nearly a year, Princeton Luxury Apartments may soon see construction resume.

The unfinished buildings and materials at the site were left vulnerable to mold, rain damage and corrosion. Princeton City Council members issued deadlines last week to get the project at the intersection of Ticky Drive and U.S. 380 back on course, but they stopped far short of giving the project their full blessing.

The city’s Housing Standards Commission, made up of City Council members, voted 3-2 to approve more than two dozen deadlines — from demolishing some buildings to construction completion in February 2026.

Council members Marlo Obera and David Kleiber voted against the order.

Obera on Monday said some of the deadlines were not soon enough. He later said the meeting did little to gain his faith in the project.

“It wasn’t organized. They weren’t forthcoming with information,” he said. “I just feel like there was not any mutual agreement because of their misstatements of facts — I’ll put it that way.”

Adding to the quagmire, two different parties told the council they were in the middle of acquiring the property.

“This whole thing is very concerning to me at this point,” Mayor Brianna Chacón said at the meeting, adding she thought the situation was “sloppy.”

Chacón stressed that the property owners should pay for any additional inspections required on the project, and work with residents who live near the unfinished apartments to address their concerns.

City officials greatly concerned

The property was rezoned in 2015 from commercial to multifamily, and in 2017, the City Council approved the project.

Original plans for the development include a dozen three-story structures — about 300 apartment units — and a one-story clubhouse.

The city approved the building permit in October 2021, and construction started in February 2022. The project started going off track as early as June 2023, when the city sent a violation notice for substandard structures and permit expiration.

The following month, project representatives told the City Council a legal dispute between the developer and contractors had delayed construction.

All construction stopped in October 2023 following a city inspection.

Childress Engineering Services, which inspected the structures in July, recommended demolishing the frames for three buildings and the foundation of a fourth. The remaining structures require different levels of rehabilitation, according to Childress.

Under the city’s new order, property owners must complete the demolition work by Sept. 15. The deadline for the entire project is early February 2026.

The demolition is already underway, and some of the actions listed in the order, such as those related to security and safety, were due earlier this month.

Before the council’s vote, several residents raised concerns about the project. Some criticized the council’s decision to rezone the area into multifamily, while those who said they live near the project said their properties were affected.

John Prom, pastor of Legacy Church, located next to the development, said he supports the project’s completion but raised concerns about dirt runoff going onto his property.

Marylou Pettis, who said she lives on Ticky Drive, said runoff from construction had covered sidewalks in the area.

In addition to construction work, the city’s order required the property owner to add video surveillance and other security measures, though police Chief James Waters said the department had not fielded frequent calls to the property.

“There have been a couple calls that amounted to no particular incident,” Waters said.

Potential sale

Kevin Parrish of commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap said he had a client under contract to purchase the property from the current owner. Traci Diamond, who identified herself as an attorney, told council members she represents a different entity who is also under contract to buy the property.

Parrish declined to comment on any transactions his firm is working on, and Diamond did not immediately respond to The Dallas Morning News’ questions via email.

Himesh Gandhi, who identified himself as an attorney representing the current property owner, apologized to the council and the city’s residents for the lack of progress on the project.

He said “financing issues” contributed to the delay.

“It was never the owner’s intent for any of this to cause the kind of harm and damage it’s done to the city,” he said.

When asked by council members about the two potential buyers, Gandhi confirmed that his client was courting potential buyers and said his client had terminated a contract with the party represented by Diamond.

“They clearly have a different belief, and that’s what courthouses are for,” Gandhi said.

Regardless of who owns the property, Gandhi said he did not see any issue meeting the deadlines listed in the order.

“I don’t see how it would impact the deadlines,” Gandhi said. “Somebody needs to act on the items that are requested, whether it be the current owner, whether it be the lender, whether it be the other parties claiming ownership.”

Erin Mudie, a city spokeswoman, told The News on Monday that city staff had been unaware multiple parties were trying to buy the property.

If deadlines are not met, the City Council, as the Housing Standards Commission, can call a meeting to take further action on the project regardless of who owns the property, said city attorney Grant Lowry.

Actions could include remedial work and demolition. The city would retroactively collect any associated costs, he said.