The Economic Development Incentive Committee on May 27 approved an amendment to the Grove Enclave development agreement that reduces the minimum required standalone commercial pads from two to one, allowing the property’s tax‑increment financing (TIF) period to begin sooner.

Jim Gilmore explained the project at the former Kmart site includes retail space, an affordable housing component and other uses. The developer over‑built the strip center—about 30,000 square feet rather than the originally required 20,000—and has leased or will soon lease part of the center. The agreed minimum improvements originally required two new pad buildings; the developer asked to change that requirement to a single standalone commercial building because it has not yet found a tenant for the second pad.

A representative of Enclave said the project is near completion and that a Starbucks pad site is scheduled to open soon; the developer cited COVID‑era retail vacancy and market absorption timing as a reason for slower lease‑up of the second pad. Gilmore said the change would allow the assessor to begin the TIF calculation and for the developer to receive TIF distributions earlier—the assessor would issue a TIF note and, if construction is complete as recommended, the first TIF distributions could be received in May 2026.

The committee moved and seconded the amendment and approved it by voice vote after a brief discussion. No roll call or vote tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.

Committee members who spoke praised the redevelopment and said the amendment reflects market realities while preserving the overall development scale and public benefits.