Construction may go above ground soon at a pair of consumer projects in far west Emporia.
Brownstone 3 Chief Operating Officer Darrin Dodge says the One9 travel plaza, including a fuel station, has seen footings installed earlier this year. Formal groundbreaking was two months ago near the south roundabout connecting US Highway 50 to Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike. After a cold weekend, Dodge says the foundation should be laid this week and vertical construction can begin soon afterward.
The goal is to have the travel plaza finished and ready for customers by spring 2026. It is the first phase in a larger development discussed for almost six years. Plans are still in the works for a hotel, food court and sit-down restaurant. An upscale RV park is currently pending.
Separately, early construction process continue at QuikTrip just southwest of the Flint Hills Technical College main campus. Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson says crews are working on utilities and tank installation “so multiple phases of the project will be progressing in parallel.” Vertical construction will begin, weather permitting, once the on-site preparation is done and there is currently no timetable for above-ground work. The plan now is to open the convenience store and gas station by summer 2026.
Also, Walmart is into early stages of a small expansion at its Emporia store. Walmart gained a recommendation from the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission last month to vacate a pair of utility easements as part of an expansion on the south side of the store. Walmart has not said when it will expand and it has not confirmed how the expansion will be used, but it will have to rearrange its item pickup area as a result.
