BY: KYLE BOAZ, REPORTER kboaz@sbj.net
Earth is moving 20 miles east of Springfield in an area officials have deemed the next market primed for development in southwest Missouri.
In Rogersville, developments are bringing rooftops to the city, a move town officials expect to spur commercial development and municipal revenue.
“You get commercial when you get rooftops, and our rooftops haven’t been significant enough for people to go, ‘Gosh, I want to go out there,’” said Jon Hill, mayor of the town of roughly 3,800 people.
If you build it…
Rooftops are on the way.
Morelock Builders & Associates Inc. is working on a $100 million residential development on 42 acres dubbed Logan Estates Community. North of Citizens Bank of Rogersville along U.S. Highway 60, crews are moving dirt and constructing a 72-unit apartment complex, 40 multifamily housing units, 35 single-family homes and 20 units for residents over 55 years of age.
“When we looked at opportunities for development in and around Springfield, it became obvious that, given the proximity, there had been an overlooked market,” said Wayne Morelock, owner of Morelock Builders. “Rogersville at this point is really east Springfield.”
Morelock plans to be developing Logan Estates for the next three to four years. The apartments are slated first, in about eight months, he said, followed by the 55-plus units within 12 months. The single-family lots should be available in the next 90 days.
Morelock said the company purchased the land 12 years ago, and the acreage already had all utilities accessible.
Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective and Marshall Waters Woody and Associates Inc. were hired for architecture work.
Morelock said there are 9 acres planned for commercial use on the southwest corner of the development along Main Street, potentially a convenience store to start.