Six construction projects to watch in the Rio Grande Valley in 2026
Workers gather near the Linde air separation unit project under construction in Brownsville, one of several major developments contributing to new construction — including hotels, workforce facilities, and industrial sites — across the Rio Grande Valley. Photo Credit | Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza

There are hundreds of construction projects underway across the Rio Grande Valley this year. But here are some notable projects the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal is keeping an eye on in 2026. 

Shops at Mercedes 

There are fewer than 20,000 residents in the mid-Valley city of Mercedes, which sits on the eastern edge of Hidalgo County along Interstate 2. But each day, there are more than 81,000 vehicles that drive through it — that’s one reason why there’s yet another retail development in the works. 

A decade after the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets opened in Mercedes as a retail destination, a new shopping plaza next door with popular anchor tenants is under construction. 

The Shops at Mercedes is a 28-acre development expected to cost $52 million. It is being built by San Antonio-based Merit Commercial Real Estate, led by McAllen native Will Collins. 

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