Forney residents eager to know when H-E-B will finally open its doors may get their strongest signal yet at the January 12 City Council meeting.
On Monday night, the Forney City Council is scheduled to vote on accepting the public improvements for the H-E-B project. This step typically occurs near the end of major retail construction projects and often precedes final inspections and opening preparations.
Why This Vote Matters for the Opening Timeline
According to city records, the contractor has completed all required public infrastructure work tied to the H-E-B site, including:
Sidewalks along Irongate Boulevard
Roadway and traffic improvements along Gateway Boulevard
Sanitary sewer extensions
Storm sewer extensions and drainage improvements
City Engineer T. John Casey has formally certified that all punch-list items are complete and that the improvements meet city standards, recommending council approval.
This type of acceptance allows the city to formally take ownership and maintenance responsibility for the infrastructure—an administrative step that usually occurs after construction impacts are finished and before a store transitions to final operational readiness.
Does This Mean H-E-B Is Opening Soon?
The council vote does not officially announce an opening date, and H-E-B has not publicly released one. However, acceptance of public improvements is widely viewed as a late-stage milestone in the development process.
In many large retail projects, this approval happens weeks or months before opening, once roads, utilities, and pedestrian access are finalized and no longer considered temporary construction areas.
What to Watch Next
If the item is approved—as staff recommends—the next indicators residents will be watching for include:
Final inspections and certificates of occupancy
Store hiring activity and training schedules
Exterior signage and parking lot completion
The agenda item appears on the Consent Agenda, meaning it is expected to pass in a single vote unless a council member requests discussion.
For shoppers counting down the days, Monday night’s meeting may not answer the question outright—but it strongly suggests that Forney’s H-E-B is entering the home stretch.
