The Overland Park City Council is giving the developer of the $2 billion Brookridge project two more years to begin the first part of construction, work that officials say still needs to happen because of economic challenges.
After years of debate, the council in 2019 narrowly approved a $200 million tax incentive deal for the redevelopment of the Brookridge Golf Course, at the corner of Interstate 435 and Antioch Road. Developer Curtin Property Co. and government officials last year broke ground on the 200-acre site for the Meridian project, which includes 2,000 apartments, offices, golf courses and other outdoor amenities, two hotels, shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.
But city officials say construction challenges and financial problems have held back progress. The city council has already amended its development agreement twice, pushing back deadlines. The latest version would require the developer to start construction work early in July on the public and internal streets, as well as on the first multi-family building.
But because the developer could not meet the deadline, the city council unanimously agreed Monday to extend the milestone until July 2026. All other construction deadlines will also be postponed by two years.
According to the amended agreement, the first part of the work should be completed in 2028. And the developer would have to build at least 100,000 square feet of office space and 70,000 square feet of retail space by December 2029.
“We look forward to something happening on the project as soon as possible,” Mayor Curt Skoog said during Monday’s meeting. “I agree that it is frustrating, the times we are in. But I still believe in the plan and am hopeful that it is still a plan that can be realized financially.”
Skoog emphasized that some of the required construction has already begun. Work is underway on public street improvements at the intersection of 103rd Street and Antioch Road.
The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded an $8 million grant to pay for the design and construction costs. The city will complete the paving work and will be reimbursed through the KDOT grant and the developer, who will cover the remainder of the costs.
Jack Messer, assistant city manager, told the council’s finance committee earlier this month that the work includes improving the stormwater drainage system, burying utilities and installing traffic signals. He expects it to be ready this summer.
Councilman Jeff Cox criticized the project on Monday, saying he would have voted against the hefty tax break package in 2019, which was met with strong opposition from many neighbors.
“What we have now is a mess,” Cox said, adding that the city “has walked hand in hand in our partnership to the cliff.”
But he voted to extend the agreement, arguing that eliminating the tax breaks now would only hurt the city’s chances of seeing anything built on the site.
“The best we can do is hope that through the extension they can get funding and get this thing going,” Cox said.
If the developer fails to meet its obligations, it risks losing tax benefits or even the deal. But officials have said that would be a worst-case scenario, noting that the developer has been open about the status of the project and must seek an extension.
Developers first proposed redeveloping Brookridge in 2014, embarking on an arduous journey as the project went through several iterations. After years of rejected plans and changes, the council approved the redevelopment deal in 2019 by an 8-4 vote, one vote short of the nine “yes” votes required to approve the deal. It was pushed through after then-mayor Carl Gerlach cast the deciding vote.
The tax break package includes a combination of tax increment financing and a community improvement district, as well as economic development revenue bonds that provide a sales tax exemption on construction materials. At the time, council members in favor of the project praised the “pay-as-you-go” incentive model, which reimburses the developer once work is completed, and said it helps protect the city from risk.
