Despite delays, upscale Belleville subdivision plans still in works, developer says

Belleville has spent about $502,000 to extend sewer lines to a proposed development featuring upscale homes and professional office buildings near Belleville West High School but construction on the Parkway West Estates project hasn’t started.

Developer Todd Keller said he is still finalizing development plans for the 50-acre site off Frank Scott Parkway West and that the project remains viable. He declined to release further details.

In 2015, Keller announced his plans to build over 70 homes worth $500,000 to $1 million and professional office buildings in front of the subdivision.

“I’m still optimistic about the project and hopefully we’re going to hear something here in the very near future,” Mayor Mark Eckert.

“I still have a lot of hope and a lot of belief that this group is going to make this happen. It’s been a very long time,” Eckert said. “And the one thing I have to give them credit on, they have stayed true to making sure this is a first-class, top-notch project.”

Eckert said he has spoken with the developers in the past week.

Keller said in 2015 that some buildings would be ready in summer 2016, but construction did not get started. Last year, he said construction was expected to begin in October 2016, but the work was not started.

Eckert said delays can be expected in large projects such as this.

“I’ve learned working with so many development projects there’s so many different stars that have to line up to make these projects successful and make them really get out of the gate in the way that you want them to,” Eckert said.

The City Council in 2015 annexed the Parkway West Estates site and agreed to pay to extend city sewer lines to the site.

Eckert said having the sewer lines in place raises the possibilities of other developers deciding to build in the area.

“I’m more optimistic than I’ve been in a long time that we’re going to see some action out there soon,” he said.

Keller has said that project would be worth $50 million when all phases are complete. He first discussed the project about 12 years ago but he said one of the reasons it didn’t get off the ground was because of the downturn in the housing market during the recession.

Belleville officials have reported the city could collect about $273,000 in tap-on fees if the project is built out as proposed.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Despite delays, upscale Belleville subdivision plans still in works, developer says."