Lighton Plaza Redevelopment on College Boulevard Faces Setback in Overland Park

Lighton Plaza Redevelopment on College Boulevard Faces Setback in Overland Park

The proposed Lighton Plaza redevelopment at 7500 College Boulevard in Overland Park, Kansas, has hit a temporary roadblock. The Overland Park City Council has voted to send the rezoning application back to the Planning Commission, signaling the need for further revisions before the project can move forward.

Overland Park Reconsiders the Vision for College and Metcalf Corridor

The project—proposed by Price Brothers, an Overland Park-based developer—aims to transform excess parking at the existing Lighton Plaza office complex into a vibrant mixed-use community featuring apartments, retail, and restaurants.

However, the current plan has faced criticism for being too auto-centric, especially with the inclusion of drive-thru restaurants along College Boulevard. Both city planners and councilmembers expressed concern that the project’s layout and design don’t align with Overland Park’s long-term vision for walkable urban redevelopment.

Councilmember Melissa Cheatham called it a “50-year decision,” emphasizing the need to ensure that redevelopment along the College and Metcalf corridor meets the city’s evolving standards for sustainability, density, and pedestrian-friendly design.

Inside the Lighton Plaza Proposal

The current Lighton Plaza redevelopment plan includes:

• A four-story apartment building with 160 residential units, structured parking, a pool, and a landscaped courtyard.

• 35,300 square feet of retail and restaurant space spread across three buildings, including two with drive-thru lanes and one sit-down restaurant.

• The proposal calls for rezoning portions of the office-zoned parking lot to RP-6 (Planned High-Rise Apartment District) and CP-2 (Planned General Business District) while keeping the existing 476,000 square feet of office space intact.

Despite aligning with city goals to repurpose underutilized parking lots and promote housing diversity, the inclusion of drive-thrus and limited residential density has made the plan controversial.

Overland Park’s Broader Redevelopment Vision: OP Central

The Lighton Plaza project is part of the larger OP Central redevelopment vision, which aims to revitalize the College Boulevard and Metcalf Avenue area—one of the Kansas City metro’s most active business corridors.

This long-range plan seeks to transform outdated corporate office parks into walkable, mixed-use environments featuring residential living, green spaces, and retail amenities that serve both employees and residents. Overland Park’s future zoning overlay district for this corridor will likely introduce more flexible design standards, encouraging projects that prioritize density and connectivity over auto-centric layouts.

City Council Urges More Density and Walkability

Several councilmembers, including Logan Heley and Jim Kite, voiced support for the idea of redevelopment but stressed the need to “refine” the proposal. Concerns included the overuse of drive-thrus, insufficient residential height and density, and a lack of pedestrian-oriented design features.

Heley warned against repeating mistakes made along Metcalf Avenue, where redevelopment projects didn’t fully align with the city’s Vision Metcalf plan. He suggested exploring potential development incentives to help Price Brothers bring the Lighton Plaza project closer to the city’s long-term goals.

“This is what we’ve been looking for,” said Councilmember Jim Kite. “But we don’t want to end up with another row of fast-food drive-thrus along College Boulevard.”

What’s Next for the Lighton Plaza Rezoning

The Lighton Plaza rezoning application will return to the Overland Park Planning Commission for reconsideration, though no specific timeline has been announced. City officials expect major revisions focused on:

• Converting the proposal into a true mixed-use zoning plan.

• Increasing residential height and density.

• Reducing auto-oriented features like drive-thrus.

• Enhancing pedestrian connectivity and green spaces.

As Overland Park continues shaping its next-generation city core, the Lighton Plaza redevelopment stands as a key test of how local policymakers balance private investment with public vision.

All rights to the original material belong to the Johnson County Post.
https://johnsoncountypost.com/2025/10/08/lighton-plaza-overland-park-remand-270254/