2 huge projects could transform swaths of Johnson County with apartments, event center

Two huge developments would transform swaths of south Overland Park under plans headed to the City Council next week.

On Aug. 7, the council will consider the two projects with hundreds of apartments and commercial space. The first is Metcalf Village, on 40 acres of vacant land on the southeast corner of 159th Street and Metcalf Avenue, where the developer is proposing 900 residential units, including apartments and townhomes, restaurants and retail space, plus parks and pickleball courts.

The other project, Schlagel Farms, is at the southeast corner of 175th Street and Pflumm Road, where developers hope to build 300 apartments, 150 townhomes, retail, restaurants and an event center on 74 acres of undeveloped land.

The planning commission in July approved rezoning for both developments, despite some concerns about dense multi-family housing near Blue Valley schools. All of the housing would likely be market rate or luxury.

Metcalf Village

The city annexed the Metcalf property in 2007, and over the years, plans for shopping and housing on the site fell through. The city owned less than an acre of the land, which housed a fire station, but sold it to the developer in June.

The developer, Lux Living, is now asking for the 40 acres to be rezoned for a mix of residential, commercial and park space. Plans include 11 buildings, with more than 900 residential units and four parks.

One four-story apartment building would have 274 units, a 200-space parking garage, and several amenities, including a cafe, clubhouse with a gym, theater, bowling and a We Work co-working space for residents. Another four-story, 200-unit apartment building would have a large interior courtyard and a basketball gym.

One three-story, mixed-use building at the northern edge of the project would have 40 apartments and 20,000 square feet of retail space. Plans also include two, three-story townhome buildings and parks with walking trails, including one with pickleball courts.

Curt Petersen, an attorney representing the developer, said during July’s planning commission meeting that the team has worked with city staff “extensively on this project. We incorporated key design changes that frankly were really good, fundamental design changes to how this project flows.”

He said developers met with nearby homeowners over the past several months, addressing concerns over stormwater issues, traffic, landscaping and density.

“In a project this big, you’re never going to get everybody excited and wearing T-shirts in favor of your project. But there are a lot of people who have personally told us they are in favor of the project,” Peterson said. “There will be some, I’m convinced, that will not be in favor. But I think every one of them will say this was a developer who was diligent, transparent and was open and made a lot of suggested changes.”

Nearby homeowner Theresa Swallow, in the Blue Valley Riding neighborhood, thanked the development team for their meetings with residents. But she also voiced concerns about the high density and added traffic near Blue Valley High School.

“We are not opposed to development. We are looking for development that enhances the community and does not detract from our property value, and does not detract from our quality of life. This is a lovely design. But I do question the appropriateness of it,” she said.

Kevin Berman, with the architecture and design firm Hoefer Welker, said input from neighbors and city staff helped shape the project’s design. He added in an email that “the multiple acres of parks and public amenities has created both screening and buffering for the adjacent neighbors, as well as enhanced amenities for the public at large.”

City staff recommended approval of the project, and the planning commission unanimously approved rezoning, sending the request to the council on Aug. 7.

“I was somewhat concerned about the traffic circulation here and particularly with respect to future increase in traffic flow along 159th Street. But I think just considering that alone does not persuade me not to support the project here,” Planning Commissioner Edward Reitzes said at the meeting. “I think it’s a good design. … There’s good traffic circulation within the site. There’s plenty of green space, and I like the amenities too, the pavilions, pickleball courts and walking trails.”

Schlagel Farms

The Schlagel Farms project, at 175th Street and Pflumm Road, has had more challenges getting approvals at City Hall. The developer’s rezoning request was put off in May after planning commissioners voiced concerns about density and design.

The developer is asking for the 74 acres to be rezoned from rural land to allow for 300 apartments, more than 150 townhomes and 128,000 square feet of commercial space.

The commercial area, near 175th and Pflumm, would have 19 buildings with plans for drive-thrus and other restaurants, a gas station, retail and an unspecified event center.

The 150 townhomes — down from more than 170 previously proposed — would sit in buildings of three, five or six units, with garages in each one, as well as a clubhouse and pool. The buildings would have a private drive, connected to Noland Street and southwest into the Wolf Run subdivision.

The northeast corner of the property would have eight apartment buildings with 300 units total, with amenities such as a playground and yoga area.

The developer told the planning commission last month that the team has worked with city staff, lowering housing density and shifting the apartment buildings away from 175th Street and nearby single-family homes.

“We think that this does a great job of balancing the density in the right locations,” Aaron Mesmer, of Block Real Estate Services, told commissioners.

But city staff said they still couldn’t support the level of density proposed, and a couple of planning commissioners maintained their concerns.

“I’m also a little concerned about such a high density across the street from a middle school and high school and elementary,” Planning Commissioner Kip Strauss said. “When I think of other Blue Valley schools, I don’t think of that kind of density in such proximity to them.”

But the majority of commissioners said they were satisfied with the changes, approving the rezoning 7-2.

“I liked the project. I thought it was well thought-out, pretty well designed. They’ve made some changes in it that I think are good changes, moving the four-story multifamily to the interior of the site, I think, helps, makes it a better project, better layout,” Commissioner Thomas Robinett said. “I would be more concerned about the density if the multifamily was farther south, if there was not the transition from single-family in Wolf Creek to the south.”

The City Council will consider the rezoning request at its meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 7.