City Council Turns Its Attention to Road Extension Issues

OVERLAND PARK, KS-There’s a lot of activity planned for 107th Street between Nall and Roe avenues in Overland Park, but first the City Council must decide on the extension of 107th Street. The council will meet again next week to discuss the road extension issue, but it may not be the decisive meeting. The issue has been considered four times previously.

“There is a lot of litigation on the right of way issue,” says Fred Sherman, planner with the city of Overland Park. “The city may have to impose eminent domain. The road to the west of the proposed development has been dedicated and the city is pursuing the land to the north. On the southern portion, there has been approval given for the construction of a convenience store.”

A local financial services company wants to move and build its headquarters on a parcel of land on the west side of the area under consideration. The company’s interest in relocating to the site sparked renewed interest in the road extension issue. Also, approval needs to be given for the construction of what would be the second office building on the land. The property is owned by AMLI Residential.

Two years ago the city approved construction of an office building that has about 110,000 sf. Now, developers want to build a second structure of about 50,000 sf. AMLI is under contract to sell to someone else because it primarily develops residential property such as the nearby 402-unit AMLI at Cambridge Square.

Because of the city’s density requirements, AMLI has already decided not to develop additional apartment units and townhouses on the land where the second office building is now being proposed. Officials have indicated that there are several developers interested in the property. Greg Swetnam and Craig Kelly, brokers with Kessinger/Hunter & Co., are marketing the site for AMLI.