Olive Garden

Olive Garden Restaurant is being built at 2325 Expressway 83 in Penitas, Texas. The project, registered with TDLR as Olive Garden - Penitas, TX, involves the new construction of a 7,487 sq ft full-service restaurant with associated site work. The estimated cost for this build is $2,000,000, which works out to $267 per square foot.

The development is owned by Penitas Crossing Phase I, LLC, with GPD Group serving as the design firm of record. Marc S Frame is the registered accessibility specialist listed on the filing. This project is privately funded on private land. TDLR completed plan review in January 2026 and construction is scheduled to finish in October 2026, with work starting March 2026.

Project Scope and Local Context

The scope covers a full-service restaurant with site work in the building pad area. This 196-day build window is close to the county median of 212 days for similar new construction filings in Hidalgo County. The $2,000,000 estimated cost is above the county median of $660,256 for this type of work, placing it in the top quarter of recent filings. The $267 per square foot cost is also above the county median of $100.

Penitas Crossing Phase I, LLC has two other TDLR-registered projects in Penitas: a $330,000 project for Penitas Crossing and a $2,000,000 Longhorn Steakhouse that is in review. GPD Group has designed six other projects totaling $11,625,076, including schools and other dining locations. Local businesses near the site include Turbo Lube 10 Minute Oil Change, Murphy USA, and Motel El Arbolito.

Area Demographics and Labor Market

According to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates for ZIP code 78576, the population is about 13,902. The median household income is $48,205, and the median owner-occupied home value is $116,600. There are 3,362 housing units in the area, with housing predominantly owner-occupied. In July 2026, the Hidalgo County unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, higher than a year earlier.