Lee’s Summit Commerce Center, Discover Park help city garner area’s business growth

The Lee’s Summit Commerce Center, a new three-building industrial park, is providing a competitive edge in terms of attracting and recruiting employers to the city, said Scott Bluhm.

The Class A industrial development park, developed by Scannell Properties, has unique characteristics, said Bluhm, senior managing director and principal at Newmark Zimmer.

“The Kansas City metro has seen a significant portion of recent growth come through industrial-related users and investment,” he said. “This project put Lee’s Summit in a position to capture some of that growth.”

The Commerce Center is designed to accommodate industrial users such as manufacturing, logistics, food and beverage and e-commerce. The project, located just west of Northeast Douglas Street and Northeast Tudor Road, broke ground in May 2022 with Buildings A and B completed in 2023. Building C will be finished and ready for occupancy in mid 2024.

In all, the three buildings total more than 800,000 square feet on approximately 75 acres. The industrial park is located near a large railroad center and near the intersection of four major U.S. highways.

Building A was 50% leased prior to completion, he said, with Building B approximately 40% leased before it was finished.

“Zoetis, a pharmaceutical-related company with an existing presence in Lee’s Summit, immediately jumped on the opportunity to lease space,” Bluhm said.

Midwest Distribution, a Lee’s Summit snack distributor, is leasing space in Building B, he said, allowing the company to expand from around 20,000 square feet to more than 40,000 square feet.

Both Zoetis and Midwest Distribution have moved into their new spaces and are currently operating out of the Commerce Center.

“Lee’s Summit Commerce Center has seen a lot of interest and activity,” Bluhm said. “Scannell Properties and Newmark Zimmer hope to announce some new tenants here soon.”

Construction recently began at another major mixed-use development, located between Northeast Colbern Road and Northeast Douglas Street to the north and I-470 on the south. Plans call for the 268-acre Discovery Park to include a combination of retail, restaurants, general and medical offices, entertainment, hospitality and luxury multi-family housing.

The project includes three major components. The Village, scheduled for completion in 2026, will feature 70,000 square feet of commercial lease space, 1,100 luxury apartment units and two hotels: Marriott Towneplace Suites and Hilton Home2 Suites.

Discovery Crossing will serve as the retail center within the project and consists of approximately 90,000 square feet of commercial lease space. In addition, project plans include the Promenade, the entertainment/canal district featuring a pickleball venue, entertainment facility and mixed uses along the canal with luxury apartments above. Site work for Discovery Crossing and the Promenade is scheduled to begin this year.

Internal streets and utilities for Phase 1 of the Village have been permitted and are under construction, said Mike Weisenborn, project manager in the city of Lee’s Summit Development Services. Two applications are also under review by city officials, including a four-story, 126-room hotel and a mixed-use structure with space for commercial uses, 46 dwelling units and a parking garage.