The North
The talk of cultural change was meant in earnest. Pete Fullerton of the Platte County EDC spoke of the two main projects that were "transforming our community." The first and most obvious is Zona Rosa, a lifestyle center just west of I-29. Fullerton describes this $200 million project as "a place maker." In other words, people from beyond the county identify that place with the county. A place maker provides an answer to the question, "What are you known for?"
One of the advantages of Zona Rosa is that for the first time in recent Platte history, the county is now "an importer of sales taxes." More is paid in than the residents pay out. Historically, Platte had been among the worst in sales tax leakage.
The second project involves arguably the area's most significant place maker, Kansas City Inter-national Airport. "The old lady is getting a new cover," said Fullerton affectionately of an area that, at 32, is younger than almost all of the participants at the table.
More than just cosmetic, however, is the change of culture at KCI. "They have a whole new way of doing business," said Fullerton. "The city manager has laid down the law. The airport will be a player in regional economic development." Greg Baker, representing Kansas City, Missouri's city manager's office, agreed. "We see KCI as an economic development engine," said Baker. "There are 10,000 acres around it that we are actively mar-keting its future."
The city of Riverside in Platte County is undergoing a transformation of its own, largely thanks to the tax stream provided by the Argosy Casino after its $110 million expansion two years ago. The two projects of most significance, according to Brent Miles of the City of Riverside, are a green fields project along the river and the redevelopment of downtown.
A new levee along the North bank, funded half by the Army Corps of Engineer and half by the Levee district, will replace a low agriculture levee. The new levee will be about six miles long and tall enough to withstand even the most severe floods. This massive improvement has allowed for the reclamation of more than a thousand acres, 600 of which the city owns. The city is pitching this site to large industrial users. What makes the site especially attractive is that it is only five minutes from the downtown airport and "less than ten minutes from KCI" presumably with the youthful Miles behind the wheel.
KCMO Assistant City Manager Greg Baker discusses progress occurring throughout the city and the growth potential of Platte and Clay counties. Edwardsville City Manager Doug Spangler looks on with interest.
The redevelopment of downtown includes a lot of basic infrastructure improvements like roads and storm sewers, but it also includes a new community center and a civic campus with greatly enhanced fire fighting capabilities.
On the eastern flank of the Northland, Clay County is doing swimmingly as well. "There is a lot going on in North Kansas City," said Jim Hampton of the Clay County EDC in something of an understatement. Jeff Samborski, representing the City of North Kansas City, filled in much of the detail.
Samborski jokingly described the renovation of the four square mile city as an "extreme city makeover, the unveiling of a new city." It is no longer the older industrial burg of memory.
Transforming projects include the "new urbanism" of Northgate Village, a $1 billion expansion to the Cerner campus, and a $237 million expansion at North Kansas City Hospital. Harrah's Casino, which has helped fuel the revival, is adding 206 hotel rooms. In addition, the city has invested $4 million in fiber optic infrastructure. "We have a single dimensional image no more," said Samborski. "We are recognized now as a great place to live and work."
Jim Hampton spoke of the development on the west side of 1-35 at and around Missouri Highway 152, which includes a series of ten neighborhoods that will bring 25,000 people into the area and change its make-up. Expansion at the Ford plant in Claycomo plays a critical role in Clay's future as does the expansion of the Clay County Regional Airport in Mosby and the improvements to the Highway 69 corridor out to Excelsior Springs.
The redevelopment of the 85-acre Liberty Triangle at I-35 and Missouri Highway 291 has the potential to redefine the 175 year-old city of Liberty. In fact, a new Lowe's Home Improvement center has just opened on that site. A second major breakthrough is the now fully funded South Liberty Parkway that will connect Missouri Highway 291 and I-35 south of the city and provide a second significant east-west passageway.
"How will that change us?" asks Liberty Mayor Steve Hawkins. The answer is elusive, but Hawkins is confident that the continued growth in and around Liberty will support the new parkway and the commercial development around it.