Answer Man: There’s a large field just east of the Highway M and Highway MM intersection. I recently saw a “sold” sign on the property. What’s going in? — Suzanne Walker, of Springfield
It’s going to be a 93-acre residential (as in apartments) and commercial development called Stone Creek Falls. It’s in Republic.
Plans call for two small lakes with a waterfall and a hiking path.
Part of the development includes working with the Missouri Department of Transportation and Republic to straighten and improve the intersection of Farm Road 103 at U.S. 60.
The current intersection is at an angle, and the new roadway will be at 90 degrees.
A new road will be built within Stone Creek Falls to take the highway north. The new road will connect U.S. 60 with Highway MM, an industrial area that includes the new Amazon distribution-and-warehouse center.
The builder is Sean Coatney of Countryland Homes, Inc., of Springfield.
Coatney recently finished building a similar development — apartments and commercial — called 60 West, a bit further west on U.S. 60.
An overall plan for Stone Creek Falls, dated June 2, 2021, is on the city’s website.
“He is getting ready to start Phase 1, which is over 700 apartments,” Andrew Nelson tells me. Nelson directs the city of Republic’s BUILDS department. He says that Coatney is working with other owners.
(BUILDS was created when the city combined the community development and public works departments.)
Let me be more specific about the location because it seems like the roads involved here have many different names.
The site is on the right side of U.S. 60 (also known as Highway 413 and also known as West Sunshine Street) as you head west.
It’s just east of the new “Welcome to Republic” sign and the Kum & Go at Highway M.
The apartments will be studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The buildings will be up to three stories.
Rental contracts will not allow more than one person to live in the studios.
In addition to the lake area, there will be a clubhouse, pool, pool house, dog park and play area.
The city and MoDOT already had planned to make changes to the U.S. 60 and Farm Road 108 intersection, Nelson says.
But Amazon built a 1.3 million-square-foot distribution and warehouse center that opened on Aug. 1, employing 200 people. It’s on Route MM at Sawyer Road.
“I would say Amazon’s presence accelerated that need,” Nelson says.
Amazon contributed $4 million to $5 million to improve nearby roadways, Nelson says.
The overall plan, he says, is to increase connectivity from Highway ZZ in the south; to U.S. 60; to Highway MM; to Interstate 44.
This is Answer Man column No. 2.
