With the intent of providing an eco-friendly business and recreational park, the 182 acres of land near the Kansas River and K-7 Highway will be converted into the Eco-Commerce Center within the next 30 years.

“About eight years ago during strategic planning discussions of leaders in the community, it became apparent that the city was running out of ‘shovel-ready’ land that was appropriate for logistics/distribution and large warehouse-type buildings,” Shawnee city manager Carol Gonzales said. “The success of Perimeter Park … indicated that the city is attractive to that type of business … it contributes good paying full time jobs and good property tax base support.”

According to Shawnee city engineer Doug Wesselschmidt, the purposes of the center are not only ecological but economical.

 “The main goal and purpose of it would be to create space for a new business and industrial park in the city of Shawnee,” Wesselschmidt said. “The purpose of that is to create jobs, services, and to broaden the property tax space of the city.”

Eco-friendly plans include solar street lighting, water conservation, wind power and geothermal heating.

The city was first attracted to the area when the Holliday Sand and Gravel Company approached the city about excavating the sand around 43rd Street and K-7 Highway to create a lake. Since then, the city has become interested in capitalizing on that opportunity to create the center.

“That plan evolved and looked like it would be feasible from a layout standpoint, and that it would be beneficial to incorporate the area north of Holliday’s land also,” Gonzales said. “Work began with Holliday Sand and with the property owners of the northern area to discuss the feasibility.”

Different studies have since been conducted on the costs of utilities such as sewers, gas and electricity, as well as whether or not the site would be financially beneficial to developers.

This information will be presented to both city council and the current landowners, who they must convince to sell their property to the city for use.

“Property owners have indicated their interest in selling their property, but no formal agreements have been made, as we haven’t had a developer step up yet interested in developing the area,” Gonzales said.

Dealing with multiple property owners has complicated the process.

“If there was just one property owner…then the city would just be working with one person on how to develop the center,” Wesselschmidt said. “[Having multiple owners] makes the process take longer to build consensus between multiple people instead of just one person.”

The cost of utilities construction alone is $9,475,000-$12,360,000, although where the money will come from has not been determined.

In the end, Wesselschmidt and Gonzales believe now is a good time to start planning, for the same reason.

“These things take years—there are businesses out there who want to build,” Gonzales said. “We need to get the site ready. It will take decades for the business park to build out.”