SHAWNEE, Kan. -- The plan to turn an empty Shawnee strip mall into a redeveloped retail, restaurant and residential center is back up for discussion Monday.
The city council is scheduled to hear public comment and vote on a proposal giving a developer tax breaks in exchange for turning the mostly empty Westbrooke Village Shopping Center into a revenue and tax-generating site.
The deal would save the developer, MP Westbrooke North, LLC, roughly $25 million over 22 years.
The Westbrooke Village Shopping Center near 75th Street and Quivira Road has been mostly empty for years. The redevelopment plans call for building 530 apartment units, an underground parking garage and 11 buildings to house restaurants and retail businesses.
The city council will vote on two items Monday. First, is establishing a tax increment financing district. This will allow the city to reimburse the developer an amount of the property tax they pay on land located in the district.
Second on the agenda is establishing a community improvement district sales tax. This tax would generate $6 million over 22 years by charging consumers an extra 1.5 percent on items they purchase at businesses located in the district.
These types of tax deals are common in redevelopment projects. Cities often see the redevelopment as long-term tax and economic stimulants, so they agree to tax breaks up front.
The Westbrooke redevelopment should be totally complete in 2020.
Monday's city council meeting and public hearings begin at 7 p.m. at Shawnee City Hall, 11110 Johnson Drive.
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