30-acre commercial retail center proposed for north of Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — More choices for shopping, eating and other services could be on the horizon in northern El Paso County.

According to our news partners at The Gazette, Phoenix-based real estate development firm Legacy Development Partners has proposed building The Legacy at Jackson Landing in Monument, a 30-acre commercial center at the northeast corner of the Interstate 25 and Baptist Road interchange.

Envisioned to be anchored by a 129,000-square-foot "Major A" retailer and with space for a 16,000-square-foot "Major B" retailer, The Legacy at Jackson Landing will be a "significant," multi-million-dollar investment in the community, said Chris Hake, founder and president of Legacy Development Partners.

"This will be a good mixture of uses, not just retail, and that's good for the community. We couldn't be more excited to be here," Hake told a group of about 15 community members at an informal project meeting Thursday evening.

This is his firm's first project in Monument, Hake said.

The site is bordered to the north by the Monument Marketplace, anchored by major retailers including Home Depot, Walmart and Kohl's; I-25 to the west; and to the east and south by Blevins Buckle Trail and vacant property.

The project will be developed in several phases, with the "Major A" retailer space built in the initial phase, Hake and consultants from Colorado Springs-based Kimley-Horn said.

If the town approves the proposal, developers expect construction could start in April 2026.

Residents at Thursday's informal meeting overall embraced the plan, suggesting minor changes for consideration and noting their concerns about traffic and view corridors, among others.

Traffic already builds up along Jackson Creek Parkway as people travel on and off I-25 and West Baptist Road, and it's dangerous to turn from Lyons Tail Road south to Jackson Creek Parkway with no timed signal, residents said.

A developer's traffic study agrees there are existing issues at Lyons Tail and Jackson Creek, Hake said.

There are no current plans for developers to install a timed signal at the intersection. Triview Metropolitan District, which provides traffic safety controls and other improvements for the area, is "keenly aware of the issue and (has) already started planning solutions for that intersection," Hake said.

Developers will improve public rights-of-way along Blevins Buckle Trail and will install a timed traffic signal at the road's connection with Jackson Creek Parkway to help ease backups.

"That signal will be timed in a way that actually alleviates some traffic windows to the south. ... But is it the final solution? No. There still needs to be a solution for that specific intersection," Hake told residents.

Among its uses, early plans for the site depict a possible four-story hotel on its southern portion. Craig Glass, who lives near the project site, said he's concerned a hotel could block mountain views and bring increased traffic, noise and light pollution to the area.

Residents suggested developers incorporate more accessible pathways and sidewalks, and reconfigure parking to provide safer pedestrian access to shops and other services.

Sara Petrie said the commercial center is needed to provide a variety of choice and services for Monument residents and businesses.

"Services need to keep up, and more and more people want to do business here in Monument," she said. "It feels like, in the past, (town) planning had been a little sporadic ... and I'm hopeful that the tide is changing."

The town should keep residents' feedback in mind when considering the new development, added Glass, who is Petrie's neighbor.

"Please pay attention to the things that can affect residents' quality of life," he said.

Residents will have opportunities in the future to attend public meetings and share their feedback on the proposed commercial center, project leaders said.

Some commercial development in the area has sparked lively debate in recent years.

For example, in January, the Monument Town Council unanimously approved construction of two large industrial distribution warehouses south of Baptist Road and west of I-25. The town approved the warehouses despite some residents' and councilmembers' concerns the development would increase longstanding traffic issues, including truck congestion on and near the interstate.

Part of the second stage of the Falcon Commerce Center project, the warehouses will join other existing commercial and industrial projects including a UPS distribution center and a QuikTrip gas station.

In the neighboring town of Palmer Lake, residents have been at impassioned odds with town leaders who have advanced a developer's request to annex about 30 acres of land into town limits. Developers have proposed building a Buc-ee's travel store, a Texas-based chain of supersized gas stations, on the land.

Opponents, including some Monument residents who say they will be affected by the development, have raised concerns about the travel station's possible impacts on water supply, traffic and wildlife.

Proponents have said the Buc-ee's will increase tax revenue and bring new jobs to the area.

The debate has sparked a lawsuit alleging wrongdoing in the public review process; the possible recall elections of three Palmer Lake Board of Trustees members over their support of the Buc-ee's annexation request; a restraining order over the recall petition drive; and former Palmer Lake Mayor Glant Havenar's recent resignation amid claims she sent controversial text messages that were included as evidence in the lawsuit.

The Gazette's Breeanna Jent contributed to this web story.

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