Construction begins at massive Historic Northeast project
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The future apartment building at Independence and Hardesty avenues. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
Kansas City leaders gathered Tuesday to celebrate the start of construction on a 22-acre redevelopment plan to provide housing and communal amenities in the Historic Northeast.
Why it matters: The $180 million project, which Mayor Quinton Lucas during the gathering called "the most important thing that we're working on today," is considered a major investment in a part of town that has experienced decades of decline.
Zoom in: The main 12-story building will have 395 apartments, 83% of which will be earmarked for families making 30% to 80% of the area's median income.
- Other facilities include child care, a health clinic, a fitness center, and a public market.
What they're saying: "This is what a neighborhood looks like when you design it around what families actually need," developer Jonathan Arnold said.
Context: 4th District Councilmember Crispin Rea, who grew up near the area, called the site of the former Army depot blighted.
- "This is not a community that sees a lot of economic development, certainly not on this scale," he added.
Flashback: Most of the site has sat dormant for the past 10 years.
- The EPA spent $10 million decontaminating the land in preparation for redevelopment, local EPA director David Cozad said.
Fun fact: The planned solar array and battery will make the building energy independent — meaning residents won't have an electricity bill, Arnold says.
What's next: Developers are looking for vendors and plan to finish in 2027.