A mixed-use development being built in Leander has a new commercial component largely focused on Asian and local businesses. Called the Market District, it will add 30,000 square feet of retail space to Northline, which will include retail and dining concepts.

Northline already has relationships with a number of South Korean businesses, starting with Samsung. The tech giant's $42 billion semiconductor plant is located in the neighboring town of Taylor, and a press release from Northline presents it as the "anchor for a broader wave of Korean investment across Williamson County."

Williamson County signed an international economic cooperation agreement with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the first of its kind in the county. The next year, it started a sister-city partnership with the South Korean city of Yongin, which is poised as a semiconductor hub.

"Williamson County has built an incredible relationship with South Korean businesses looking to locate in
our region," said Northline Leander Development Company founder and developer Alex Tynberg in the release. "The goal for The Market District at Northline is to connect people with unique retailers, restaurants and services that aren’t offered anywhere else in the area."

The release doesn't say which businesses, if any, have already signed leases in the Market District. It says the mix of tenants will "lean toward Asian businesses." The Market District is located west of The Shops at Northline, opening later in 2026 anchored by Sprouts Farmers Market. Partners Real Estate is leading the search for tenants during the first phase of development.

Alongside the market, the development will include Leander's new City Hall and core offices, plus a new town square, a boutqiue hotel, a and a library, cultural center, and museum.

The Market District at Northline is expected to open in the first quarter of 2028.