Amidst fears that the first big development in the College and Metcalf corridor might wither without its help, the Overland Park City Council voted Monday to increase the sales tax on retail that eventually locates in the Galleria 115 project near 115th Street and Nall Avenue.

In doing so, they will increase the amount of tax revenue available to developers by about $13.5 million to turn the well-located but rocky piece of undeveloped land into a mixed-use multifamily housing, office and retail project.

The sales tax added for the area’s community improvement district will become 1.5 percent. That’s higher than the typical 1 percent the council has approved for most other projects. And it comes on the heels of a recent vote to allow a 2 percent sales tax add-on in the downtown Edison district – a move that council members warned would not become a precedent. “I was torn on this. I thought long and hard,” said Councilmember Chris Newlin. But Newlin said he was convinced College Boulevard needs something to draw people in. “This is a development that needs to get done.”

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)