As Jack Bondon admits ruefully, "Nobody is proud of what's happening to Longview Farm." Least happy of all are those who bought not just the developer's false promises but also built and purchased high-end homes on the basis of those promises.
This proposed plan has spurred outrage not only in Lee's Summit, but also across the nation. A growing list of advocates believe that Longview Farm is an irreplaceable and treasured property - and one worth saving! For its own sake, or even for its potential as an historic tourism district. Such a district could yield tax benefits far in excess of the proposed apartment development. Typically, apartments create a substantial tax burden to communities.
The Save Longview Farm people enjoy widespread support among the area's preservation community. Alarmed by the development's "encroachment on the historical structures," the Board of Directors of the Historic Kansas City Foundation stand firmly opposed to the developer's intent.
Added support comes from beyond the metro limits. The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation have joined the fray as well. To wit, Longview Farm is rated Missouri's #1 Most Endan-gered Historic Place and as the 11th Most Endangered Historic Place in America. Ironically, Long's Kansas City home Corinthian Hall, known today as the Kansas City Museum, rates likewise as one of Missouri's Most Endangered Historic Places. Long was also chairman of the efforts to construct the Liberty Memorial and was its largest contributor. If Liberty Memorial has been saved, the fate of Longview Farm remains uncertain.
Still, this kind of support from the preservationist community almost assures favorable media if not in the specifics of the legal contest, certainly in the larger realm of the emotions. The media's take on this issue will surely sway public sentiment and that, in turn, will affect the political process. Current residents of Longview and of neighboring communities, many of whom have formed the Save Longview Farm alliance, are contemplating their next steps. Their concerns are legitimate and add real weight to the preservation faction that has watched the Longview developments with growing concern. This conflict could cause immense political problems for Lee's Summit's Mayor Messerli, its city council and the city of Lee's Summit. At some point, Messerli might have to choose between the pro-development faction in the city and those who resist developments like this.
The Save Longview coalition is now asking the city of Lee's Summit to deny a plan that many believe to be a betrayal of that which was promised by its developer. At a minimum, the city of Lee's Summit will have to seriously consider postponing the development of this project long enough to complete a master plan of the entire Longview Farm and adjacent communities. This master plan would allow the City of Lee's Summit to maximize the use of historic assets, allow for adequate green space, create ample park and recreation facilities, and shape a distinct image for the Longview area.
There is significant interest being expressed by local, county and state advocates in this project that will help to facilitate such a master plan. Katheryn Shields has already pledged interest and financial resources from Jackson County. Other governmental entities and developers have expressed interest in the same.
Whether the Save the Longview Farm coalition will succeed in its eponymous quest and defeat the proposed apartments at the May 10th city council meeting remains to be seen. What is beyond doubt, however, is that hundreds, if not thousands, of good citizens from Lee's Summit and throughout the nation feel betrayed. And these are exactly the kind of people that an ambitious developer - or an ambitious politician - can not afford to alienate.