Whataburger, the Texas-based burger chain that’s expanded aggressively since its Pikes Peak region debut in 2022, now has its sights set on Falcon, the fast-growing unincorporated area of El Paso County outside Colorado Springs — though it could be at least two years until the restaurant arrives.

BurgerWorks Colorado, a franchisee that’s brought Whataburger to the area, has submitted a proposal to El Paso County planners that shows it will build a restaurant as part of Owl Marketplace, a 4.61-acre commercial development taking shape southwest of Owl Place and Meridian Road in Falcon.

Owl Marketplace is planned just northeast of the new King Soopers-anchored Falcon Marketplace shopping center at Meridian and Woodmen roads.

BurgerWorks opened the area’s first Whataburger in February 2022 at InterQuest Marketplace in northern Colorado Springs. Since then, it’s opened five more locations in the Springs.

A seventh Whataburger opened in April in Monument, north of town; BurgerWorks also broke ground this month on a location in Pueblo that’s targeted to open in March.

Plans for another Whataburger southeast of Cimarron and 21st streets on Colorado Springs’ west side, however, have fallen through, said William Tamminga, who heads the family owned BurgerWorks.

Tamminga said his franchise group has been eying Falcon as a logical expansion target.

Falcon, to the east and northeast of Colorado Springs, was little more than a rural area of large ranches and a handful of home sites 30 to 40 years ago.

As the Springs grew to the north and east, however, residential areas such as Woodmen Hills, Paint Brush Hills and Meridian Ranch were developed with thousands of homes.

Retailers followed over the years and at least three major shopping centers have been developed in Falcon with big boxes, smaller stores, restaurants and service-oriented businesses such as Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, Walgreens, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

“Like I’ve always said, we want to be where our customers are and we know we have a lot of customers out in Falcon and Peyton,” Tamminga said. “There’s tremendous growth of just the greater Springs area in that direction. That’s where we’re excited to be growing as well.”

BurgerWorks envisions a Whataburger similar to the ones it’s opened; the restaurant would have about 3,400 square feet, indoor seating and a drive-thru, according to the proposal submitted to El Paso County planners.

But Whataburger and other possible users at Owl Marketplace will be on hold for a while.

Owl Marketplace is being developed by Doubletree Ventures, a Phoenix-based commercial real estate investment and development company. Its property sits in a flood plain and Doubletree must comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency regulatory requirements before it can develop the site, said Brian Zurek, the company’s managing partner.

As part of that compliance, Doubletree plans to install an 8-foot by 8-foot underground culvert, which will redirect water from the property to a detention pond north of the Falcon Marketplace shopping center, Zurek said. The result: no commercial users likely would start construction at Owl Marketplace until 2026, he said.

Despite that delay, Zurek said Doubletree looks forward to Whataburger’s arrival. The company also is developing the site in Pueblo where BurgerWorks is building its latest Whataburger, he said.

“Their brand, their following, they’re well operated, great product, great people,” Zurek said of Whataburger and BurgerWorks. “And their clientele are fantastic.”

In addition to Whataburger, a proposal submitted to El Paso County planners shows that Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based gas station and convenience store operator, plans to build a convenience store on the site.

Zurek, however, said he couldn’t comment on other businesses that might come to Owl Marketplace. At least three commercial users are possible on the 4.61-acre site, he added.