252 luxury apartments with pickleball, resort-style pool coming to Blue Springs
A large plot of undeveloped city-owned land in Blue Springs could become a luxury apartment complex complete with retail stores and recreation spaces.
After months of discussion, the Blue Springs City Council held both a public hearing and a series of votes on the proposed $66 million apartment and retail development during its Monday night meeting, along with relevant zoning changes, infrastructure upgrades and upwards of $20 million in tax breaks.
The council held first and second readings of both development and financing plans for the project and will conduct final votes at an upcoming meeting, which would allow construction to officially begin.
Called ‘Iconic Blue Springs,’ the new complex would sit on about 23 acres at Adams Dairy Parkway and Napoleon Drive, near Adams Pointe Golf Club and James Walker Elementary School.
It is set to include 252 luxury apartments across five buildings, along with a dog park, pickleball courts and a clubhouse that contains a pool with a deck, an outdoor fire pit and a play area for children.
About half of the apartments would be one-bedroom units, with the other half consisting of two-bedrooms and studios. The apartments would all be rental units and would cost an average of $1,532 per month, according to project proposal documents.
The Blue Springs City Council first approved a proposal for the housing and entertainment complex in March. The city has owned the land in question for about 15 years and had previously put out a request for development proposals for the space.
Blue Springs Mayor Chris Lievsay said Monday that the apartments would likely attract a mix of young professionals and retirees, as opposed to students or families. He noted that the project will bring at least 300 new residents to Blue Springs as the city grows.
“I’m excited for the new things that will bring to the community,” Lievsay said in a video shared to social media following the vote.
What to expect at Iconic Blue Springs
The project is under development by Griffin Riley Property Group, based in Lee’s Summit. Kansas City architecture firm NSPJ Architects and Powell CWM, a civil engineering firm based in Independence, are also involved. Developers would buy the land from the city for $1.8 million, about $2.15 per square foot.
Matt Tapp, director of acquisitions and entitlements at Griffin Riley, said Monday that the project represents several years of close collaboration with city officials.
Tapp introduced the project as a chance to build a restaurant district in an area of Blue Springs that generally lacks dining and entertainment options.
“This project represents an opportunity to create the type of destination environment the city envisioned for this corridor,” Tapp said.
Developers submitted a list of proposed amenities which could be part of the space, though they noted that not every idea will likely make it into the final construction design. These include a ‘cyber cafe’ with a public WiFi network, an arcade and game room, a small movie theater, covered pavilions and built-in outdoor grills.
The project proposal also includes a gym with cardio and strength machinery and space for group classes, an indoor mailroom with digital package lockers and several water features. It would also involve stormwater infrastructure expansion and upgrades.
The proposed apartments will likely feature elevator access, in-unit laundry, walk-in closets, private balconies, “designer kitchens” and “spa-inspired bathrooms,” according to documents submitted by developers.
Construction is expected to start in spring 2027 and take place in overlapping stages, with residential units built over 18-36 months.
Phase two, starting in spring 2028, will involve building out at least three sit-down restaurants and four fast-food eateries, plus several other retailers and associated parking spaces.
Griffin Riley Vice President Jake Loveless said that developers intend to prioritize local labor for the project, which would likely require at least 100,000 hours of construction work.
Both the apartments and commercial spaces would go up for rent in 2029, according to project documents, with “full stabilization” of the mixed-use complex expected in 2030. Tapp said that this would give developers plenty of time to attract retail tenants — and customers — in stages.
“This is not a ‘build everything and hope it fills’ approach,” Tapp said.
Blue Springs residents who live within 185 feet of the proposed project site were notified by mail in April. Two public hearings on the proposed development took place in May, along with a neighborhood meeting attended by a sole resident, nearby gas station owner Zahed Muhammad, who expressed concerns about losing business as construction continues.
Multiple public incentives
Several public financing mechanisms have been proposed in order for the city to reimburse the developer for about $20.5 million in Iconic Blue Springs project costs over time.
The city received documents to establish a Community Improvement District along Adams Dairy Parkway in June. Developers proposed implementing a 27-year-long 1% sales tax within a CID that would include the luxury apartment and retail complex, with revenue going toward project costs.
A Chapter 100 bond structure has also been proposed, under which the Iconic Blue Springs developer would not pay property taxes to the city. Instead, the developer would contribute PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) fees each year, starting in December at what 5% of what the property tax payments would be and rising to 25% over 25 years. The city would also offer exemptions on sales taxes for construction materials.
The city also heard an agenda item authorizing $66.5 million in bonds supporting project costs, but did not conduct a final vote. The city would not be on the hook for bond payments under the proposal.
Kurt Peterson, a representative for Griffin Riley, said that using tax incentives for a development this size creates a “fixed structure of payment,” so that Iconic Blue Springs would not be impacted by ongoing issues with the property tax assessment system in Jackson County.
“Tax uncertainty in Jackson County; you’ve seen it, you’ve heard it, you’ve read it,” Peterson said. “It’s really, really hard for lenders.”
