More details about a proposed shopping center in Lenexa that includes a new Hy-Vee grocery store emerged as the city’s governing body agreed to move it forward.

On Nov. 2, the Lenexa Planning Commission recommended approval for a preliminary plan and plat for the proposed Hy-Vee & The Shops at Freedom Fields, an over 32-acre project near 83rd Street and Kansas Highway 7. The vote was 8-0 with Commissioner Cara Wagner absent.

Originally submitted to the city in September, the plan planning commission meeting fleshed out plans for the property, as well as the first comments about from a Hy-Vee representative.

“You have a lot of population growth. You’re also right up against K-7, which visibility close to what we call an interstate is awesome, and 83rd Street, that’s basically a gateway corridor, I would say between the two communities,” said Rob Wadley, Hy-Vee real estate director. “(We’re) kind of excited about that and pretty pumped up about it.”

The property was annexed into Lenexa in 1986 and was zoned agricultural.

Since then, the city has rezoned it twice in attempts to construct retail developments that never took off, including a business and retail park in 2000 and a proposed Shoppes at Willowridge project in 2004.

The plans include nine buildings

The roughly 215,000-square foot property will include:

• A 93,000-square-foot Hy-Vee supermarket with 489 parking stalls, and Aisles Online and pharmacy drive-up stations
• A 5,000-square-foot Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh gas station and convenience store
• A 3,700-square-foot banking/retail location
• Two two-story office space buildings, ranging from 44,000 to 50,000 square feet
• Four retail or restaurant spaces, ranging from 1,800 to about 18,000 square feet

The land will be owned by Hy-Vee, which Wadley said is a plus because they can make decisions for what business will go into the shopping center, depending on what’s good for the neighborhood.

“We can determine which ones we want to sell (and) to who. We can also complement the neighborhood (with) retail that they don’t have or services they don’t have,” he said. 

An existing building on the northwest corner that includes a Pizza Hut, nail salon and vape shop is considered part of the overall commercial development, but it will not be under Hy-Vee’s ownership.

In addition to the structures and a parking lot, a pedestrian path that connects to the city’s trail system will be constructed.

The planning commission supports the project

Commissioner Ben Harber said that after seeing other projects fail at the site, it was time for something substantial to come in.

“I like the plan. I think it’s needed in that area,” he said.

While Commissioner Don Horine had questions about the pedestrian path and its connection to the city, he expressed his support for the project.

“It was interesting to see the past attempts because I think now the time has come for sure,” he said.

While he echoed Harber’s support, Commissioner Curt Katterhenry said the developers could afford to give up some of the site’s total 1,255 parking spots for more greenery.

“I think we give up some parking spaces for some landscaping there to help that out, and I’d be in favor of that,” he said. 

In agreement, Commissioner Chris Poss also encouraged the developers to add more landscaping.

“We’ve got an excess of parking, and we’ve got a problem with landscaping. It seems like a pretty easy trade-off to me to add some additional landscaping, lose some of the parking. From a practical standpoint, I don’t know why you’d want to maintain extra parking that you don’t need,” he said.

While he also shared worries with several other commissioners in the area about congestion the development could cause, Katterhenry said the development is needed.

“I think we need a grocery store out in that area,” he said.

What’s next

The Lenexa City Council will take up the preliminary plan and plat for the project at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17.