Black & Veatch proposes $1.1 billion mixed-use district in Overland Park

Black & Veatch, the global engineering firm based in Overland Park, could be set to redevelop its headquarters into a full-fledged, walkable district with new housing and retail in a billion-dollar-plus project.

City documents show that Black & Veatch has proposed building a new 612,000-square-foot world headquarters for thousands of employees on the site, located off 115th Street and Lamar Avenue. Its current office building in the area would be demolished.

Working with other developers, the company’s future redevelopment would also include additional office space, 1,884 new housing units in a mix of apartments, townhomes and condos, 550,000 square feet of retail space, a 160-room hotel, parking structures for the development and surrounding area and a new public park right in the center. There would be more than 20 new buildings across the 80-acre site.

The project would also fold into other surrounding developments, like Galleria and Element 25 as Black & Veatch looks to “create an expansive walkable, community focused part of the city with vibrancy 7 days a week from morning until evening,” according to application material for the proposal.

Black & Veatch is requesting public financing for the approximately $1.1 billion project, including $227.7 million in tax increment financing, which would use the increased property tax revenues from redevelopment to help cover its costs, $19.9 million from a community improvement district with a 2% sales tax, and a sales tax exemption on construction materials.

Overland Park’s finance committee is expected to take an initial look at the proposal on Wednesday. There would need to be further public hearings and approvals by the City Council to finalize the project.

Construction could begin in 2026 and run through 2038 in phases.

The proposal comes as Overland Park officials have looked to encourage redevelopment in the area around College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue.