A West Bottoms redevelopment could look like Los Angeles
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Looking down Eighth Street, most of the buildings to the right are vacant. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
A developer pursuing a multibuilding project in the West Bottoms has tackled a strikingly similar landscape before — in LA's industrial belt.
Why it matters: The Borman Group's work out West offers a look at the potential for the project in Kansas City as Port KC considers public financing and property tax incentives for it.
Zoom in: Eight mostly vacant buildings near Eighth and Madison would become offices, bars, restaurants and an event space — with parking and pedestrian improvements.
- It's dubbed the Starchworks project, named for the Faultless starch company, which has long inhabited the area.
- The project comes as other transformative redevelopment efforts are underway, including the finished Rock Island Bridge project.
Zoom out: The West Bottoms shares similarities with LA's Boyle Heights — both aging warehouse districts near railroads and rivers.
- The Borman Group's properties there have reused railroad spurs and have converted buildings into creative studios, office space, housing and a restaurant.
Follow the money: Port KC is considering up to $20 million in bonds to help with the project.
- The agency is also weighing property tax exemptions — 90% for the first 10 years, 70% for the next 10 years.
- The properties would produce roughly $1.67 million in new property taxes over 20 years, an average of $83,500 yearly, compared with the current $16,000 yearly.
Behind the scenes: Historic West Bottoms Association president Ian Davis, who also owns Blip Coffee Roasters, tells Axios he's also working with the developers on a regional grant to better connect the neighborhood with the nearby rivers and trails, including the Riverfront Heritage Trail and the proposed Greenline.
- "We are heavily engaged with these developers, and we work together really well," Davis says.
Context: The Borman Group recently finished an office building redevelopment in the River Market at 14 W. Third St.
- Those renovations are "what we would hope of historic buildings," Port KC president and CEO Jon Stephens said at a meeting last week.
- "It's not done in a short-term investment way. It's done in a 'How do we preserve and utilize a building for the next century'" way.
The Borman Group did not respond to Axios' questions.
What's next: If the full Port KC board approves the financing plan this month, construction on the buildings could start this year and wrap up in 2028.