Nearby workers of Indian Springs Mall site hopeful something gets built on patches of grass and gravel
KANSAS CITY, Ks. (KCTV) - A developer has plans to transform the old Indian Springs Mall site into residential space, a grocery store, a gym, and more as people working nearby continue looking at the vacant 49 acres of land.
Eastside Innovation leadership is presenting their proposal to build upon the land to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
According to the proposal packet, the new development would include:
- Low Rise Residential (1,475 apartment units)
- Service Retail (280,910 square feet)
- Food/Beverage
- Fitness Center
- Grocery Store (18,085 square feet)
- Daycare Operations
- Innovation Center (31,800 square feet)
- Convention Center Hotel (168 rooms)
- 2,900 parking structured spaces
- 250 street parking
- 63 homes
- 150 townhomes
Hank Chamberlain works on State Avenue, about a mile away from the site, and is hopeful something will happen soon.
“I’m 79 years old. My goals are all short-term,” he said.
It‘s been eight years since the mall was demolished leaving behind patches of brush, grass, and gravel on the side of I-70.
Chamberlain believes the development in the western part of the county is a sign that lofty goals can lead to high rewards for them in the Midtown area of Kansas City, Kansas.
The proposal said they would change the name from “Indian Springs Mall” to “Midtown Station.”
“Everyone said the development in West County wouldn’t work that all these grandiose ideas won’t work, that the star bond projects out there wouldn’t work. And today, they form a lot of the tax base that s the rest of the county,” he said. “You’ll find that a significant development here will have a significant impact.”
UG County David Johnston said the initial proposal from Eastside Innovation focused primarily on industrial development with some housing options. They did not want that, instead wanted a focus on what he called “catalytic development” that would emphasize the importance of extra development in the surrounding half-mile radius.
“You have an area that is the core of economic activity and then hopefully that will bring in other economic interests and housing opportunities that will feed off of that,” said Johnston.
They allowed Eastside Innovation to try again with their notes and they were amazed with their new proposal.
“The RFP Review Committee said right he’s done what he’s supposed to do. We’re going now to the next stage which is – he’s got this concept, we now negotiate a development agreement," said Johnston.
READ MORE: Indian Springs Mall to receive major facelift
Preston Green is the Chief Estimator at Heartland Traffic Services across the street from the site and he is also hopeful something is constructed sooner rather than later.
“There’s development going on all over the city, and I think that it’s inevitable that good space like this, convenient on the highway, and is an area that is a desert for some places and could use investment,” said Green.
Like other plans for the redevelopment, they are at the early stages with discussions between developers and county leaders. So, for now, the gravel remains.
“It’s tough seeing the big hole that’s been here for several years, but it could just take the right plan and the right person to make it something really special that the community loves,” said Green.
Chamberlain said, “There are things that unavoidably happen. I hope that doesn’t happen this time and I hope that we don’t have an avoidable delay.”
“Midtown Station is built to empower and inspire—a place where residents, businesses, and visitors thrive together in an ecosystem that s connection, growth, and a greener future. We are here to create a vibrant, inclusive community that honors the spirit of the city while setting the stage for a forward-thinking, sustainable tomorrow,” said Eastside Innovation Developer, Erik Murray. “As someone who grew up in KCK and re the heyday of this mall in the 1980′s, and has witnessed the decline and disinvestment over the last few decades, it brings me great pride to be in position to deliver on a landmark project that will make our entire community Dotte Proud!”
“Midtown Station embodies all the work we’ve done over the past twenty-plus years to bring sustainable, walkable, urban living into the mainstream consciousness of developers and communities,” said Co-Developer Jonathon Arnold. “People simply want vibrant places to live, work, and play within a 15 minute walk of home, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering here.
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