Overland Park staff recommends planning denial of $320M Kroenke project

Last edited 8:55 a.m., Aug. 17, 2015

Overland Park, Kan., city staff are recommending a planning commission denial on a rezoning request for Central Square, a $320 million redevelopment of defunct Metcalf South and 95 West shopping centers proposed by co-developers Lane4 Property Group Inc. and The Kroenke Group.

The Kroenke Group was founded by Stan Kroenke, the owner of the St. Louis Rams, Denver Nuggets and the son-in-law of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. co-founder Bud Walton.

At issue for Overland Park city staff is a proposed 177,000-square-foot big-box retailer planned on the south side of one of the Kansas City area’s busiest intersections: 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue.

Staff hasn’t taken issue with the retailer, only the big-box retail space, saying current plans don’t conform with the long-term development goals for the area through the Vision Metcalf plan.  

Increasing the mix of uses and reducing surface parking could bring the project up to snuff. The Overland Park Planning Commission is slated to review the plans Monday.

Read more from the Kansas City Business Journal.