KCRag Forum

Interesting article on large vacant space in Roeland Park. I don't really understand why the owners would leave this stuff vacant for so long. It sounds similar to the issues in the Mission Gateway project - owners seem content just leaving lots of inner ring commercial real estate empty.

What options do you think the city has to make this space useful? Buy it? Fine them? Tax them?

https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/02/0 ... nt-225359/

Maybe they have tried to rent the building and can't find a tenant who wants that much space. Maybe they can't afford to renovate the building right now into something tenants would want to rent.

This was a Katz drugstore, opened in the 1950s. Converted to Skaggs circa 1970. There is another midcentury Katz at 75th & Metcalf, still operational as CVS.

The Roeland Park location was on two levels, and if you needed a quick visit, you could park in nose-in spots along Roe. The lower level had groceries and sundries. The upper level had a larger parking area near the current Wal Mart, and that part of the store was generally accessed for a longer shopping excursion -- gifts, pharmacy, photo, etc. At least that is how I remember it 50 years later. LOL.

I imagine with that large apartment complex set to be built just up Roe from here (called “The Rocks”), this vacant pharmacy will eventually be torn down and replaced along with a few other sites in Roeland Park.

When the CVS closed at White and Independence Avenue, the next tenant was El Mercado Fresco grocery store.

https://www.elmercadofresco.com/

I think the whole West side of Roe from the CVS to Price Chopper could be prime for some mild infill. The lots as they are rarely full and are absolutely falling into disrepair and there is plenty of room to infill just empty parking lot to sustain that area better.

The infra in Roeland Park has got to be reaching EOL as I think it developed around the 50 or 60s and I'm wondering if there is a coming cliff if they don't start bringing in more revenue to cover it. Putting in small apartments/townhomes and adding more small retail spaces in the acres of empty surface parking would surely be a good way to go about it.

Chris Stritzel wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:59 am I imagine with that large apartment complex set to be built just up Roe from here (called “The Rocks”), this vacant pharmacy will eventually be torn down and replaced along with a few other sites in Roeland Park.

I certainly hope so!

Map of strategic development opportunities: https://www.roelandpark.net/DocumentCen ... ap---FINAL