Residential, commercial development planned in Republic

A residential and commercial development planned in Republic has the go-ahead to move forward from the city's government.

Stu Stenger of developer Ron Stenger Cos. said Republic City Council last week approved the rezoning of a roughly 91-acre tract to a planned development from mostly agricultural zoning to pave the way for Wilson's Valley. A development company within Ron Stenger Cos., dubbed Wilson's Valley LLC, purchased the former farmland about a year ago for undisclosed terms, Stenger said.

"We're happy to be working with the city of Republic," he said. "They embrace progress and growth and a practical and intelligent long-term view."

Stenger said work would begin on Wilson's Valley in a couple months. Noting the cost of the development hasn't been fully estimated, he said Kenny Singer Construction Co. would conduct the infrastructure work. A general contractor and architect have not yet been selected.

Wilson's Valley – a nod to the topography of the land and the nearby Wilson's Creek National Battlefield – will include roughly 225 apartment units, 160 single-family home lots and a commercial component that would front U.S. Highway 60, Stenger said. The site is located at Highway 60 and Farm Road 101, between the Amazon plant and Republic High School.

"It's a very desirable area for people who want to live there now because of the jobs that have been created in Republic," Stenger said. "There's a huge demand for housing. We've very undersupplied in the area right now."

Amazon.com Inc.'s (Nasdaq: AMZN) Republic fulfillment center opened last year with 1,400 associates on board, according to past reporting.

Magers Management Co. earlier this year announced plans for a $65 million mixed-use development in Republic called Iron Grain District. It, too, has residential and commercial components.

Convoy of Hope in fall 2021 opened its $14 million, 250,000-square-foot world distribution center on 135 acres the organization purchased in 2020 in Republic. Next up is Convoy of Hope’s $34 million global headquarters and training center, a 195,000-square-foot project adjacent to the distribution center that's currently under construction, according to past reporting.