<span class="dropcap"><strong>D</strong></span>uring the past several years, development has moved from the busiest areas of State Road 135 further south.
A Kroger and neighboring shopping center are under construction at Smokey Row Road, two new 10,000-square-foot retail shopping centers are planned at Whiteland Road and now new development is planned at Stones Crossing Road.
Property owners Jack and Patty Swartz had 50 acres on the east side of State Road 135, south of Stones Crossing Road, rezoned for commercial use more than a year ago.
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Now, Franciscan St. Francis is planning a medical office building on the property, according to plans filed with the Greenwood planning department. And a commercial real estate firm is marketing the rest of the property.
The intersection long has been considered prime for development. Last year, the city of Greenwood created a tax-increment financing, or TIF, district along State Road 135 to help set aside funding to bring new infrastructure and development to the area.
Johnson Memorial Health built a health pavilion nearby. A shopping center southwest of the intersection has continued to fill up. Across Stones Crossing Road, at the northeast corner, the city is also considering plans for a new gas station.
Now, Franciscan St. Francis is developing a new medical complex to serve residents of White River Township and beyond, Franciscan President and CEO Dr. James Callaghan said. The goal is to provide convenient access and expertise in the medical complex, which will include clinical and wellness-focused services and activities, Callaghan said. Planning is underway and further details will be released this fall.
The property owners are working on agreements for the property, their attorney Pete Cleveland said.
With the medical development planned, the focus is now on the other 32 acres available, said Jacque Haynes, senior vice president with Cushman & Wakefield who is marketing the property.
Exactly who could be coming to the property has not been decided, but possibilities include retail, restaurants or a shopping center, she said.
The property is in a growth corridor, with commercial development continuing along State Road 135 from Greenwood to Bargersville, she said. And housing development is also continuing throughout White River Township, she said.
The Center Grove area is also an attractive area for businesses because of the demographics, such as residents having some of the highest incomes in Johnson County, Haynes said.
“This is a highly viable commercial corridor,” Haynes said.