City expects construction on Reasor’s in south Broken Arrow to start next month

By John Dobberstein, Editor

The long-delayed construction of a new Reasor’s grocery in south Broken Arrow should begin next month after some additional details with the developer were worked out this week, the city said.

The 65,000-square-foot grocery is the anchor of the Aspen Ridge Development near the Creek Turnpike and Aspen Avenue. Construction is slated to begin in September and finish in June 2024.

Earlier this week the Broken Arrow Economic Development Authority (BAEDA) approved an amendment to an economic development agreement to give developer Steve Easley of OakTrust Development more time to complete the project. The contract has been amended three times since 2021.

Shortly after the agreement was signed on the project, Reasor’s sold its chain of stores to Tyler, Texas-based Brookshire Grocery Co. Brookshire decided to increase the store’s size to 65,000 square feet with additional amenities.

The development agreement contained specific timelines that required the Reasor's store to open by a specific date, which is now June of next year.

In May, the city learned there was a delay due to a cell tower easement issue that prevented the developer from providing an accurate estimate of when the work required could be accomplished. City Manager Michael Spurgeon says those issues have been addressed.

Another issue was modifications to a stormwater detention facility to ensure no adverse effects would occur for downstream owners. Assistant City Manager Norm Stephens said the city found the initial design for the onsite stormwater detention area “would significantly reduce the developer's ability to build 200,000 square feet of additional retail on the property in question.”

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The detention area’s size was reduced by one-third to allow for additional retail and restaurant space. Another factor in the delay, Stephens said, was the administration was waiting for the developer to make a $1 million payment to BAEDA that was required as a part of the agreement, Stephens said. That was done on June 30.

Under the original agreement signed in 2021, the developer committed to building the grocery store, a 168-unit multi-family apartment complex and more than 200,000 square feet of new retail and commercial space.

The apartment complex must now be completed by April 30, 2025, and the retail and commercial buildout must happen by Dec. 31, 2024. BAEDA committed to paying up to $5.5 million for site improvements, with specific cost caps for each project.