Economic Development High Priority

ARTICLE BY Jackie Hostetler

PHOTOS BY Kevin Anderson

The term “constant change” might seem like a bit of an oxymoron, but it’s a way of life for the citizens of De Soto, especially over the past several years. Those changes—the recent business growth and the booming housing market in the area—have brought opportunity, and with the opportunity has come financial growth and stability for the community.

A number of attractive draws in the De Soto area make it an ideal spot for both businesses and families to put down roots.

Astra Enterprise Park is the former location of the Sunflower Ammunition Plant.

“There’s a lot of interest in the community because of our values, our proximity to Topeka and Lawrence, as well as our proximity to the metropolitan Kansas City area,” says Sara Ritter, president of the De Soto Chamber of Commerce.

“For parents with school-aged children, De Soto has a very strong pull for families because of the school district. USD 232 is routinely a highly accredited, quality school district,” she says.

Andy Jacober, the Chamber board chairman, adds, “This brings an opportunity to encourage new residents and young families to the area.”

The Place for Business

As appealing as the school district is, the commerce side of De Soto is just as attractive to potential businesses owners. Determining exactly which businesses might be the best fit for the De Soto community is left, in part, to the Economic Development Advisory Committee.

The EDC has been in operation for approximately 25 years under the direction of the Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that, the EDC existed as a separate entity. The council is made up of 16 members, including the mayor, two members of the City Council, and members in rotating terms who may also serve on the Chamber’s board of directors. Ritter serves as president for the Chamber/Economic Development Council.

The ever-important role of the EDC has grown more vital in recent years with the continuous growth of the community.

“The EDC is empowered, thanks to the City’s Strategic Plan, to aggressively attract business and help put De Soto in the best situation for current and future economic development wins,” Ritter says.

What exactly does the EDC look for when determining whether a business is well-suited for the De Soto community?

“We have to decide, first and foremost, do they provide value to our citizens?” Ritter says. “Do they have high paying jobs? Do they participate in the community?”

While corporations selected will definitely provide employment opportunities for current citizens in the workforce, the EDC also considers future workforce potential.

“We don’t want to lose our De Soto graduates to larger cities. We want our families to come back here, have quality jobs, and continued quality educations,” Ritter says.

The Logistics

Once it’s been determined that a business could be a beneficial addition to the economic landscape, it’s time to consider logistics.

“We need to make sure we have the infrastructure. We have to evaluate whether we have the land, the water capacity, and the (electrical requirements),” Ritter says. “Electric is a big discussion right now because Panasonic requires a massive amount of electricity.”

Though electricity is a current discussion for De Soto, acreage and water capacity are in abundance, so the EDC sees a number of projects for which De Soto might be the only option for Kansas.

Astra Enterprise Park, formerly known as the Sunflower Ammunition Plant, covers more than 9,000 acres and is home to the City’s water treatment facility and the Panasonic battery manufacturing facility.

“There are a lot of projects that Astra is the only possible area in the state of Kansas that a project could be submitted to, based on the acreage and the city’s water treatment facility, which sits on Astra. Water and land are not typically an issue for us like it might be in other business parks around Kansas,” Ritter says.

Construction efforts have begun on the Panasonic plant located in Astra Enterprise Park.

De Soto Mayor Rick Walker also understands the value of the ammunition plant turned business park.

“We are excited to see the former ammunition plant being transformed into a manufacturing and job center, which will help bring much needed jobs to our community and contribute to the growth of the middle class,” he says.

If all the boxes have been checked up to this the point—value to the community, adequate land, adequate water, adequate electricity—then it’s time to look at the final step.

The potential business and the City begin discussion around construction timelines. The two entities must agree on a timeline that is mutually beneficial for both. Then, finally, if all the stars align, a new business venture begins in De Soto.

Arbor Ridge continues to add houses to the development, all in anticipation of new De Soto residents.

More Potential

Though the public eye has certainly been on Astra Enterprise Park in recent months, Flint Commerce Center shows just as much potential. The center, located on 103rd Street and Edgerton Road, holds 4.7 million square feet of industrial space. The Flint property is a rarity, as it sits on two interchanges.

“Initially, before Astra had come into the picture, the goal was more towards manufacturing,” Ritter says. “The City provided a bit more of an incentive for Flint to bring in manufacturers and less of an incentive for logistics (third-party fulfillment providers that offer order processing and services like warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping). We’ve all come to realize that, since COVID, our supply chain is a critical part of creating functioning and stable manufacturing companies. So, I expect that we’ll see some logistics and hopefully more manufacturing.”

Ritter continues, “Flint Commerce Center has the capability of holding four 1-million-square-foot buildings, and just under 10 acres of the center will be used for retail. I see a lot of possibilities for the property.”

The acquisition of the property wasn’t without challenges. According to Ritter, even before the land became available, the Chamber board knew it would be a wise investment. A pause had to be put on the plans because the infrastructure was going to be such a large undertaking. The Chamber put the property under contract to hold it and then worked with a developer who had the same vison as the governing body, the Chamber, and the EDC.

“Our proactive approach in encouraging economic development has been a strength, and the fact that everybody has been on the same page working cohesively at all levels from the State to regional partners to the City gives us the best opportunity for economic growth,” Ritter says.

Arbor Ridge continues to add houses to the development, all in anticipation of new De Soto residents.

In the Business of TLC

In addition to manufacturing and logistics corporations, De Soto is also experiencing growth in the TLC (Tender Loving Care) business in the form of a new veterinary clinic and an urgent care facility.

The De Soto Veterinary Clinic has been a long-standing business in the community, but a new veterinarian and a boost in business led to needs that couldn’t be met by the old facility. Enter the De Soto Chamber of Commerce and the EDC. After being contacted by the clinic, the Chamber was able to help the clinic secure land owned by the city for a new facility. However, the acreage was a bit bigger than the clinic needed. Local developer Dustin Baker with Alcove Developing also had an interest.

“Alcove and the veterinary clinic partnered together, and it worked out fantastically. The layout is beautiful,” Ritter says.

When complete, the 5,000-square-foot facility will consist of two stories. The upper loft area will house students from Kansas State University who complete their practicum work at the clinic during the summer. Other opportunities for commercial or possible residential growth are offered, as well, with an anticipated opening date in early 2024.

Dustin Baker and Alcove Developing have also been instrumental in a new urgent care center. The 7,000-square-foot building will be located on Lexington Avenue. The area behind the center will be developed into large, duplex-style housing that will lead into the De Meadows neighborhood.

A rendering of the proposed De Soto Veterinary Clinic.

courtesy Alcove Development

From economic growth to residential expansion, retail additions, and medical services, De Soto appears to be on a constant cycle of growth and change.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

If change is the law of life, then the community of De Soto is made up of stringent law-abiding citizens. And, as for the future, De Soto is not missing a beat.

Helping the Housing Growth

With all of the residential growth in the area, De Soto has formed a Housing Development Committee to help all transitions be as smooth and beneficial as possible.

The committee consists of several members from the City Council and the Planning Commission. In conjunction with the De Soto Chamber of Commerce and the EDC, the Housing Development Committee worked to obtain the 80 acres across from Astra Enterprise Park, which they will then connect with residential developers. When complete, the project will total $135 million of capital investment.

In response to concerns regarding the new housing plans, Ritter says, “We want the community to know that everything that has been done at the city level has been a joint effort as directed by the City’s Strategic Plan.”

To assist with this effort and to encourage continued transparency, the City has retained the services of Shockey Consulting and Mays Communications. The consulting firms will aid the community in transitioning through these periods of growth. In part, the firms have conducted (and will conduct) polls in which the community will have the opportunity to provide input. It’s the goal of all involved to continue transparency by letting the community know what is being done and why.

Ritter understands it can be difficult for longtime citizens to see so many changes.

“It will reshape the community, but our values will still be the same,” she says.

Ritter encourages all De Soto residents to join the official City of De Soto Government Facebook page, as well as the De Soto Chamber of Commerce page for accurate and upto-date information.

TO LEARN MORE

De Soto Economic Development Council

32905 W. 84th St., P.O. Box 70

De Soto, KS 66018

913-583-1585

desotoksedc.org