photo by: Shawn Valverde/Journal-World

This aerial view shows the proximity of Eudora High School to the Shadow Ridge subdivision on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

When it comes to major economic initiatives proposed by Eudora city leaders, all roads lead to the forthcoming arrival of the multibillion dollar Panasonic battery plant in neighboring De Soto.

But how wide those roads will be and how fast traffic will move, so to speak, still isn’t clear in this eastern Douglas County community of about 6,000 people. While several projects are in the planning stages, a building boom has not yet started in the community, even though the battery plant is expected to open in the first quarter of 2025.

What is clear is that the Panasonic project will have a large impact on the area, creating about 4,000 new jobs at a plant that will be about 10 minutes from Eudora.

While those plant jobs — plus others at surrounding businesses directly tied to the plant — might be good for commerce, the plant has created an immediate concern about a lack of quality housing in the community, Eudora City Manager Kevyn Gero said.

The relatively new city manager — she took over the top Eudora spot in June — said the city currently is focusing on a proposed expansion of an existing neighborhood near Eudora High School, which is on the south side of Kansas Highway 10.

photo by: Shawn Valverde/Journal-World

An aerial view shows Eudora’s Shadow Ridge subdivision on Jan. 19, 2024.

As the Journal-World reported, the city is considering the use of a special taxing district that would ultimately spur the construction of about 120 new homes. But as details of the special taxing district have emerged for consideration by state and local officials, it has become clear that the plan is not to build all 120 homes immediately, even though the area may see a surge of new employees.

Material submitted to the city said developers envision the construction of 10 to 15 homes per year between 2027 and 2035. That slow and steady pace is just fine with city officials.

photo by: Screenshot from City of Eudora

A timeline of the Shadow Ridge housing project, including projections into 2035.

Gero said that expansion of residential subdivisions is “ideal for supporting the region with their housing needs.” Eudora Mayor Tim Reazin agreed, but added that city leaders should take a measured approach to ensure that “new growth is positive and purposeful.”

“We have historical data and practices here that show what not to do,” Reazin said. He also expressed confidence in the marketability of the housing development, saying that the “developer will really market the subdivision heavily in our region.”

Reazin said some of that marketing will take care of itself and will come almost naturally as new employees of the Panasonic plant see the Eudora community for themselves — even if that view might be from behind a windshield.

“We are an amazing community,” Reazin said, “and as (De Soto) grows more industrial, we know those driving an hour to work will see our new homes and schools and want to live here.”

South K-10 entertainment district

Whether those windshield views will include a major new commercial and entertainment district — including a 5,000-seat arena — along K-10 Highway is still uncertain.

Ambitions for a mixed-use entertainment district that’s viewed by city leaders as a way of transforming Eudora into a regional tourism hub have been on the city’s radar for several years. The city held high-level discussions with the Kansas Department of Commerce about the project last summer, but those talks haven’t led to a decision to begin the project.

City officials, though, also said the idea isn’t dead.

“We’re still committed to an economic development project south of K-10,” Gero said. “That meeting was very productive, and they’re encouraging us to pursue the project.”

The project would be a unique one for the area.

As the Journal-World reported, the project would rely heavily on Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bonds from the Kansas Department of Commerce. STAR bonds are designed to assist in the development of large-scale entertainment venues and other tourism attractions by allowing the development to capture and use all sales taxes generated in the special district.

STAR bonds, which require special approval by the state, were used to help build massive projects like the commercial and entertainment district surrounding the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Other communities also have used the special bonds, but the Eudora project would mark the first time they would be used in Douglas County.

Both Gero and Reazin said that the STAR bond option is still under consideration. But before the city can apply for a STAR bond designation, the boundary for the district needs to be annexed into the city.

“We are still pursuing STAR bond funding as an option for economic stimulation,” Reazin said. “The end goal is diversifying our tax base, and we know it will take time to do it right.”

Gero added that the city is “working with financial advisers to really examine this tool and its risks,” and that “right now, the Department of Commerce is supportive of this project.”

Initial plans for the district, situated just south of K-10, called for a 5,000-seat entertainment venue and an array of retail and dining options. The plans include 300 above-store apartment units, a pub and brewery, fitness center and hotel.

While it is uncertain whether that project will develop as envisioned, more certain is that the roads around the proposed site will change dramatically, thanks to a very large federal grant.

The city received a $21 million federal infrastructure grant last year, which Gero said better positions Eudora to secure STAR bonds for the entertainment district. The money was awarded through the RAISE program, which stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity. The award amount, Gero said, is greater than the city’s entire annual general operating budget.

The grant funding is earmarked for a redesign of Church Street and expansion of 20th Street. Both streets are close to the proposed STAR bond site, which is near the southeast corner of the K-10 and Church Street interchange. The entertainment and mixed-use development would use vacant land near LMH Health’s Eudora facility, which is visible along K-10.

The road project entails the reconstruction of one mile of road from 20th to 28th streets, while converting the current two-lane road into three lanes with a center-turn lane. Additionally, a separate grant will be used to build a pedestrian crossing or shared-use path over K-10.

“We believe the grant puts us in a much better position for the infrastructure needed around the tourism aspect of the project,” Gero said. “We’re working to optimize the timing so that the projects don’t conflict with each other.”

Other economic initiatives

• City officials are well underway on a more traditional commercial development. As the Journal-World reported, the city, in 2015, purchased the closed Nottingham school building and the surrounding 15 acres from the Eudora school district for $850,000 with the goal of bringing commercial development to the site. The property is just north of Eudora’s Church Street exit off K-10. In 2020, the city approved the first commercial project for the site: a Casey’s General Store.

photo by: Shawn Valverde/Journal-World

An aerial view shows Eudora’s Nottingham Center on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

Since then, a Wendy’s and a Scooter’s drive-thru coffee shop have opened in the center. But plans for a large bowling alley and fun center that previously were announced have not materialized. Plans for Baldwin City-based Mid-America Bank to build a branch in the development are proceeding, Gero said.

Spaces along the back lot of the development are still on the market, according to Gero. She said that the city envisions Nottingham Center as being “pedestrian- and family-friendly,” and that the hope is for visitors to stop by multiple retailers while visiting the center.

“We’re trying to attract anchor-tenants that will meet that vision,” she said.

Gero said that the Nottingham Center and the STAR bond project could complement each other.

“So if the (STAR bond project) happened, there would be mutual benefits to the Nottingham project to capture those sales tax revenues from people visiting the tourism attraction,” she said.

• Gero said that the Panasonic plant could also create a need for additional industrial/warehouse space, and that the city could potentially take a proactive approach on that front.

“So that might be a conversation we have with the City Commission,” Gero said. “Getting their vision on what the plan is to meet that need in the region. Currently, we don’t have any available industrial space.”

• The city also is working to keep its downtown, which is located several blocks north of K-10 Highway, healthy. The city has a downtown grant program that awards money to local businesses for projects both big and small. For example, one recent grant is expected to help fund the construction of a new storefront sign for one of the downtown businesses.

Thinking about those types of details will be important as Eudora responds to changes in the region, said Gero, who previously worked for the City of Lawrence for nine years in a variety of management positions. She said more development is likely in the community, but how it is designed will be important to maintaining Eudora’s small-town appeal.

“More retail offerings will enhance those feelings,” she said of the small-town vibe. “I think you can be intentional with some of the design elements so that we maintain our charm in the way we want to, so that when folks come to town, they still know that this is Eudora.”