Development frenzy under way on Republic Road

Lately, West Republic Road reads like a directory of Springfield commercial realty elite.

And the plethora of signs posted by seven different Realtors along less than 1 mile of Republic Road means only one thing: development.

The progress is being led by two strip centers: Remington's Corner and Republic Plaza. Also coming is Burger King, Springfield's Office Plus, West Plains Veterinary Supply, a self-service car wash and about three office buildings.

"That place is getting ready to blow sky high," said Howard Bailey, the general contractor of Republic Plaza. "

That whole corner will be developed out in, I would say, two to three years ... between Remington's and Cox (Road)," Bailey added.

Remington's Corner

Nearing completion is an approximately 16,000-square-foot retail center at 1645 W. Republic Road, located in front of Remington's and appropriately called Remington's Corner.

According to the project's architect, Ben Goforth, Williams Construction began working on the project about three months ago.

Goforth said the building should be fully enclosed and ready for infill by the end of June.

Bob Murray of R.B. Murray Co., the leasing agent for Remington's Corner, said Alltel is the first and only tenant to sign a lease so far and he is working on getting a restaurant.

The development will have between six and eight tenants varying in size from 1,750 square feet and up, he said, and it will accommodate the restaurant as well.

Republic Plaza

A $2.2 million dollar strip center, Republic Plaza is going in on a 3.7-acre lot at 2121 W. Republic Road, adjacent to Albertson's. Bailey said it is being built in two phases for a total of about 30,000 square feet.

Bailey and Tom Rankin, Republic Plaza's leasing agent, expect the 16,200 square feet in the first building to be occupied by November. Super Cuts is the first signed tenant, and the center could house as many as nine more.

Rankin said the retail center holds two main points of interest.

"It's a grocery-anchored retail because of Albertson's and ... it serves an under- served residential population. Those two reasons are generating a lot of interest," Rankin said. We feel like this is going to be a first-class neighborhood center."

The second building,or phase II, may be occupied by next spring, Bailey said.

Future projects

Murray, who also is sales agent for the land for West Plains Veterinary Supply east of Remington's, said he has two lots under contract but they are not closed yet. What has closed for him is a new self-service car wash to be located on the east side of Kansas across from Signature Bank.

Murray added that he anticipates the others will close within the next month.

Springfield's Office Plus Inc.'s new facility will be a combination of its two existing stores, Springfield Office Plus and Office Furniture USA, according to the company's chief executive officer, Bill Abbott Sr.

Abbott said his project will break ground around June 1 but it won't be able to start construction until June 15 when the deal is officially closed.

"It is booming," he said of the area, "there's going to be a lot of dirt pushing going on."

Bill Beall, sales agent for the lot, said the new store will be off of Kingsley, behind Albertson's and fronting on James River Freeway.

Beall also represented a lot purchased by Burger King, which is to the west of Albertson's, and the lot next to the one purchased by Abbott, which Beall said will be the site of about three new office buildings.