Omaha developer proposes Prospect Village, largest Joplin development since 2011 tornado

An Omaha developer is planning a project for Joplin that would be one of the largest in the city's history.

Woodsonia Real Estate plans to build Prospect Village, a 78-acre mixed-use development, on a currently blighted lot in southwest Joplin. If built, it would be the largest development in Joplin since the devastating 2011 tornado and even farther back to construction of the Northpark Mall, which opened in 1972.

Prospect Village will redevelop those 78 acres for an indoor and outdoor sports complex, a park with a trail and water features, an anchor retail space, 350 units of multi-family housing, hotels, and additional retail spaces. The project is located on the former site of the International Paper Company on land that has been unused for decades, according to a press release from the city of Joplin.

“This property has been very unattractive to developers for a long time due to all the complicating factors this land faces,” said City Manager Nick Edwards. “We are thrilled that Woodsonia is looking at this property and willing to go through extraordinary effort to polish this diamond in the rough. This may be the only chance this property gets to be renovated into something that could greatly benefit our community."

The site has its share of development obstacles. It includes a regulated floodplain and floodway that covers a majority of the property. A Waters of the U.S. assessment found the site contains two acres of wetlands and an intermittent stream, which could require a special permit from the Corps of Engineers to develop. A high-pressure gas main also runs through the site.

There is also cleaning up to be done at the site. Since 1990, it has been an Environmental Protection Agency Super Fund Clean Up site due to prior uses for mining, solid waste landfill, and other environmental conditions. The cleanup and remediation would be subject to approval by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources before construction starts.

Prospect Village wouldn't be Woodsonia's first development in the Joplin area. The recent 32nd Street project, which includes a Menard's, a 250-unit apartment complex, and a future B&B movie theater, was also a Woodsonia development. That development utilized Tax Increment Financing and a Community Improvement District to transform a previously blighted area. Similar TIF and CID financing are proposed for Prospect Village.

"All of that will come forward as the project progresses for council approval," said Joplin public information officer Lynn Onstot. "The city will continue working with the developer as the project proceeds."

According to the City of Joplin, a grocery store at the site would address a common concern from citizens in the area. Prospect Village is also expected to draw tourism and spending to local businesses from visitors who would attend athletic events at the sports complex. It would also bring jobs, bring more retail and entertainment options to the community, and increase housing stock and affordability with more rental options.

While there is not yet a concrete timeline for the opening of Prospect Village, Onstot said site prep is expected to take 18 months. Vertical construction could start as early as 2026 with athletic tournaments taking place there by 2027. But those dates are subject to change as the project gets closer to council approval.

"It's a big one," Onstot said. "We're excited about it."