Business park could bring retail, restaurants, light industrial to this Wichita suburb
Goddard’s recent population spike and relatively limited amount of retail and light industrial space have combined to make Goddard City Center the right project at the right time for Evans Building Co.
Construction started recently on the business park that will have spaces available for lease as well as land available for sale. It is being developed on a 25.7 acre site on the south side of U.S. 54 east of South 183rd Street.
The first phase, about 4.5 acres, is located east and north of a Casey’s convenience store and is scheduled to be finished by year’s end, according to a development agreement between Goddard and Evans Building.
Plans call for two 24,000-square-foot buildings in the first phase, according to city documents.
Those buildings could be divided into suites ranging from about 3,000 square feet each. If a single tenant needs a bigger space, the project will be able to accommodate that as well, said Hunter LaMunyon, managing director for PETRA, the Wichita-based real estate company that is handling the project.
Goddard City Center could contain everything from light industrial to retail and restaurants before it is fully developed.
“We’re going to let the market tell us how many phases,” LaMunyon said, adding that Goddard City Center also will have land for sale. “That flex space really allows us to open up for a range of different users.”
Goddard has a population of 6,638 people, according to the 2025 Census estimate. That’s an increase of 30.5% since the 2020 Census and 52.8% since 2010.
And Goddard is planning on additional growth. Work will start this summer on a mixed-use project that will feature 40 affordable housing rentals and 12,000 square feet of space that could be developed into anything from restaurants and small shops to offices. The Goddard City Council is also working on a set of regulations for future duplex development.
“From our perspective, residential growth and current supply (of commercial space) in the market are ultimately the main drivers of this project,” LaMunyon said, adding that the right piece of land for the project was the final reason his client moved forward.
Evans Building purchased the land for the project from Healy Investments of Clearwater, according to city documents.
The total cost of phase one is expected to be approximately $5.7 million.
As part of the developer agreement, the city will issue industrial revenue bonds that will allow for a sales tax exemption on all construction-related costs, according to City Manager Craig Crossette. Those bonds will also provide a significant property tax break on a sliding scale for the next 10 years. The total amount of the potential property tax savings was not immediately available.
“We feel like we’re getting a huge benefit from Day 1 because of the sales tax benefit, the new jobs in the community and other indirect economic benefits, Crossette said. “We’re very grateful for the owners’ interest in investing in our community. They have been fantastic to work with, and we’re confident that they’re going to bring a really nice product to Goddard.”