At the start of 2026, the Johnson County Post is looking ahead to some of the major development projects that we are keeping an eye on this year, including those that have already begun work or are anticipated to start in the next 12 months.

This story focuses on projects in De Soto.

A data center near the Panasonic plant

Construction on a $3.1 billion data center is set to begin later this year.

Once fully open and operational, the data center will house computer servers and networking equipment and provide the infrastructure for storage and processing of large amounts of data. The De Soto City Council approved the 290-acre project in August.

Located at the northwest corner of 103rd Street and Edgerton Road, the center is set to be built in four phases. The first phase is expected to be completed by 2027, with the full project anticipated to reach completion by 2035.

Before construction can start this year, the project must finalize the preliminary design and permitting for the site.

Merck Animal Health’s massive expansion

Merck Animal Health — which develops and markets a range of veterinary products and services, including medications and vaccines — and the state of Kansas announced in May a joint partnership for a $895 million expansion of the company’s manufacturing facility in De Soto.

The 80-acre expansion includes an $860 million investment in Merck’s existing property at 35500 W. 91st St., with the remaining $35 million going toward the company’s research and development labs.

The main campus expansion includes three buildings:

• a 100,000-square-foot production building,
• a 15,000- square-foot central utilities building,
• and an 80,000-square-foot warehouse.

Site preparation began after the May announcement, though the expansion’s commercial manufacturing isn’t expected to start until 2030, according to the company. After construction is complete, the expansion is expected to bring in 200 full-time positions with Merck.

New housing and restaurants at K-10 and Kill Creek Road

In September, the city council approved GRATA Development’s Limestone project — a mixed-use project at the northeast corner of Kansas Highway-10 and Kill Creek Road.

The $225 million project includes a hotel, 102 single-family homes, a 350-unit multi-family apartment complex and three quick-service restaurants. Work is expected to begin this year, though no buildings are anticipated to be completed by the end of the year.

By the end of 2027, however, the company hopes to have built 25 single-family homes, 120 apartments, all three restaurants and the hotel.

A potential community center

In 2023, the city started exploring options for a potential community center. The city applied for a no-obligation grant, but was rejected.

Still, community interest remained high, so De Soto officials conducted a feasibility study, collected community feedback and learned more about potential funding requirements and possibly partnering with the YMCA.

Though De Soto currently has a community center attached to city hall, a new community center would provide updated facilities and have more capacity for additional services, like child care.

In the fall, the city hired Clark & Enersen to help build the Community Center Master Plan, which includes community engagement, site evaluation and conceptual planning.

Upcoming community engagement opportunities include:

• Jan. 31: A pop-up event during youth basketball at De Soto High School
• Early to late February: An online community survey
• Feb. 3: A pop-up event during pickleball at the City Hall Community Center
• Feb. 13: A pop-up event during a De Soto High School basketball game night.