The Jenks City Council has given the green light to one of the city’s largest public infrastructure projects to date — a $55 million development at 106th & Elm. The plan, which passed unanimously, will transform the area with a mix of housing, retail, and recreation. Two years in the making, the project initially faced pushback from some residents, but the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a petition effort this summer, clearing the way for construction.

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The development calls for a 270-unit condo complex, an interactive sports facility, retail space, and new softball and baseball fields. City leaders say the project won’t raise taxes. Instead, it will be funded through a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district — a system that channels future increases in property tax revenue from the development back into local infrastructure. Vice Mayor John Brown explained that this approach spares residents the burden of covering costly stormwater and lift station upgrades upfront. “By doing this through TIF, it’s basically allowing the development and future tax dollars to help fund it for the citizens,” Brown said.

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Jenks Public Schools are also set to benefit, with 25% of the TIF revenue earmarked for the district. While there’s no official construction start date yet, the city sees the project as a major step forward in shaping Jenks’ growth. Meanwhile, another big initiative looms on the horizon: the Low Water Dam project, now projected to cost $115 million. A public design workshop will be held next month to chart the next phase of that effort.