From a final resolution to the future use of its historic fire station and city hall to a high-profile business relocation to development along the 135th Street corridor, Leawood officials have discussed some marquee development projects the past few months.
Here are a few to keep an eye on in 2026.
New park at the old city hall and fire station
After over 16 years of starts and stops, city councilmembers decided in October on a key sticking point over the future park where its old city hall and first fire station buildings now stand.
Both buildings, which date to the 1950s, have been unused for years and are in need of repair. Councilmembers decided only one would remain in the park master plan — the fire station.
Over months of meetings and community input, councilmembers discussed various ideas that included concessions and meeting space, a playground, a walking trail and a demonstration garden.
There was also considerable local support for putting an ice cream or coffee shop in the city hall building, and councilmembers also considered whether to take up an offer by a private citizen to buy the property.
Because the size, accessibility and mitigation issues made the small city hall impractical, the majority decided it should be razed to make room for the other park elements.
Mayor Marc Elkins said he hoped to have the plan finalized by the end of 2025, but it hit a snag in its final few steps.
In their last regular meeting of the year, city planning commissioners failed to find the votes to recommend the plan for final approval by the city council, so they continued it. Because of difficulties scheduling during work on the city budget, the earliest it can come back to the planning commission is May 26.
During the meeting, planning commissioners expressed concerns that the public should have more time to view the final drawings. There were also questions over crosswalks and the decision to remove the old city hall.
Hallbrook North off I-435 and State Line Road
Longtime Country Club Plaza resident Lockton, an insurance brokerage firm, confirmed its plans to cross the state line and move its headquarters to Leawood’s Hallbrook North development in 2030.
Lockton will be the key tenant at the 34-acre campus on the northwest corner of College Boulevard and State Line Road.
The $765 million project by developer VanTrust Real Estate is the biggest to date for Leawood and it includes a 12-story, 440,000-square-foot headquarters building, with plans for a second, eight-story building to come. Lockton officials had said they needed to make the move to accommodate their growing business.
The development plans also include retail, a hotel, two apartment buildings, a child care center and restaurant space.
The city council also approved a $152 million tax incentive package that includes funds from tax increment financing — the first TIF deal for Leawood — a special 1.5% sales tax within a Community Improvement District, a guest tax on hotel stays and sales tax exemptions from qualifying construction and equipment purchases.
Mission West at 135th Street and Mission Road
Mission West, a 22-acre office, commercial and residential development proposed by developer Rick Oddo, received major setbacks from the city council and planning commission in the waning months of 2025. Both bodies rejected rezoning for the northwest corner of Mission Road and 135th Street.
The city council’s decision means Oddo has to wait at least six months before bringing forward another plan, although councilmembers have the option to waive that rule.
The proposal was for 10 buildings, with 326 residential units, 57,000 square feet in retail and 37,000 square feet of office space.
Councilmembers expressed concerns about the proximity of the high-rise apartment buildings to Mission Trails Elementary School as well as traffic and safety issues it might cause.
Oxford Promenade (also) at 135th Street and Mission Road
Initiated in 2023 by Legacy Development and NSPJ Architects, this project on the southwest corner of 135th and Mission Road called for 294 apartment units, 91,000 square feet of retail and 81,000 square feet of office space. The Leawood City Council two years ago approved its preliminary site plan and preliminary plat.
But last April, the project’s developers asked for and got a one-year extension on those approvals, which would have otherwise expired.
Development lawyer Greg Musil told councilmembers that high construction costs and difficulty finding the right mix of tenants have caused difficulties slowing progress down.
