KCRag Forum

New Jackson County jail location potentially finalized.

Completion of the facility is expected in 2024. When JCDC Partners was hired, architects said the estimated cost was about $270 million. The Star reports that Tarwater put the cost at $180 million to $200 million. KCUR reports that the cost is at least $266 million.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politic ... 32085.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... ction.html

7000 E. U.S. 40 - Current site of Heart Mobile Home Park
https://g.page/HeartMobileVillage?share

City open to paying for use, but not willing to fund construction per article.

Looks like that would be the end of a couple of hundred affordble housing units.

missingkc wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:23 pm Looks like that would be the end of a couple of hundred affordble housing units.

Yeah, they even have a smattering of pretty new tiny houses.

not a bad location, as it does check off the boxes. However it would be a shame to displace people like that. I know in he 50's & 60's that happened as the Interstate system was being built, but those type moves are rarer now I believe. What is the proposal for the residents? Also is there not plenty of other abandoned industrial/commercial sites in and around the old Leeds district to the south of that location, down Manchester, that could be razed to fit the bill? Is cost higher because of environmental remediation that most likely would be required? Seems like there would be a lot of spots in the general location that may work before displacing people from their homes

I was thinking of the I-70 Drive-in parcel. It's also along 40 Highway. There is a bus stop nearby. It displaces no existing housing.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0554121 ... !1e3?hl=en

That trailer park is like 90% vacant lots. This will be an improvement to the area. Seems like a good use for the space.

The bigger question is what happens to the existing jail? Will they still use it for a city jail or something? Can it be converted to another use? I would hate to see yet another large structure come down on the east side of downtown even if it's a jail. The east side of downtown is looking pretty sad density wise.

I'm not sure I buy in to the idea of Mobile Home parks being "Affordable Housing" exactly. At least, not a good kind.

The homes themselves are cheaply built, won't last and people often finance them out the ass beyond the date that the unit will be serviceable. They may be called "mobile," but in actuality, it is costly and not easy to actually relocate a mobile unit. Finally, they're dangerous in tornados.

So much vacant land in that area. Skip has assembled a large parcel, the old 70 drive in as mentioned by Fang and the old municipal farm south of the stadiums. Shame to have to evict people when they are many more options.

My only guess as to why they aren't using the old county farm land off Raytown Road is because there is not bus service there.

FangKC wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 1:54 pm My only guess as to why they aren't using the old county farm land off Raytown Road is because there is not bus service there.

Given where most prisons are, public transit access is far from the main consideration for location.

There's a TV trope that has the cop making sure someone is imprisoned close to family as a way to get cooperation

flyingember wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 3:00 pm

FangKC wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 1:54 pm My only guess as to why they aren't using the old county farm land off Raytown Road is because there is not bus service there.

Given where most prisons are, public transit access is far from the main consideration for location.

There's a TV trope that has the cop making sure someone is imprisoned close to family as a way to get cooperation

County official mentioned the bus route on H40 as a reason for selecting this site.

GRID wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:29 pm That trailer park is like 90% vacant lots. This will be an improvement to the area. Seems like a good use for the space.

The bigger question is what happens to the existing jail? Will they still use it for a city jail or something? Can it be converted to another use? I would hate to see yet another large structure come down on the east side of downtown even if it's a jail. The east side of downtown is looking pretty sad density wise.

I can't imagine flipping the current jail into anything else would be very affordable. Almost every single window would not only need replaced, but enlarged. I guess the city could sell it to a developer for pennies. I'm also not sure how many people want to work or live in a building that used to be a jail. Tough situation.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:23 pm

GRID wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:29 pm That trailer park is like 90% vacant lots. This will be an improvement to the area. Seems like a good use for the space.

The bigger question is what happens to the existing jail? Will they still use it for a city jail or something? Can it be converted to another use? I would hate to see yet another large structure come down on the east side of downtown even if it's a jail. The east side of downtown is looking pretty sad density wise.

I can't imagine flipping the current jail into anything else would be very affordable. Almost every single window would not only need replaced, but enlarged. I guess the city could sell it to a developer for pennies. I'm also not sure how many people want to work or live in a building that used to be a jail. Tough situation.

I doubt people would have much problem living in the building, as long as they redid the interior in a decent manner, and the rent wasn’t outrageous

Perfect for conversion to affordable housing. Maybe some sort of transitional housing for people coming out of incarceration or homeless.

moderne wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:34 am Perfect for conversion to affordable housing. Maybe some sort of transitional housing for people coming out of incarceration or homeless.

Would go a long way to helping the stock in town for sure.

The most likely conversion would be to a server farm. I bet it gets demolished though.

DColeKC wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:23 pm

GRID wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:29 pm That trailer park is like 90% vacant lots. This will be an improvement to the area. Seems like a good use for the space.

The bigger question is what happens to the existing jail? Will they still use it for a city jail or something? Can it be converted to another use? I would hate to see yet another large structure come down on the east side of downtown even if it's a jail. The east side of downtown is looking pretty sad density wise.

I can't imagine flipping the current jail into anything else would be very affordable. Almost every single window would not only need replaced, but enlarged. I guess the city could sell it to a developer for pennies. I'm also not sure how many people want to work or live in a building that used to be a jail. Tough situation.

I don't think people would care that it was a jail. Jails and other industrial type buildings like silos have been converted to residential before. Like you said though, can it be done economically? I don't know. It's probably a concrete fortress. Turn it into a storage place. Those things are everywhere and it would keep the overall locations down if there was a big one like that.

I just hate to see it come down. East of Grand looks so bad already inside the loop. I guess the one advantage is that the county could sell the land cheap to a developer and maybe something will get built in its place sooner than the rest of the east side of downtown. But then again, it will probably cost millions just to tear it down.

I know Dallas has a similar situation and has struggled to repurpose their vacant high rise jail. So it won't be easy.

FangKC wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:35 pm The most likely conversion would be to a server farm. I bet it gets demolished though.

Secure server farm or secure storage. Could be a good site with long lines and federal offices next door.

normalthings wrote: ↑Tue Apr 06, 2021 2:36 pm

FangKC wrote: ↑Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:35 pm The most likely conversion would be to a server farm. I bet it gets demolished though.

Secure server farm or secure storage. Could be a good site with long lines and federal offices next door.

Could the county lease it and make back some money?

alejandro46 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:49 pm New Jackson County jail location potentially finalized.

Completion of the facility is expected in 2024. When JCDC Partners was hired, architects said the estimated cost was about $270 million. The Star reports that Tarwater put the cost at $180 million to $200 million. KCUR reports that the cost is at least $266 million.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politic ... 32085.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... ction.html

7000 E. U.S. 40 - Current site of Heart Mobile Home Park
https://g.page/HeartMobileVillage?share

City open to paying for use, but not willing to fund construction per article.

Formerly Heart Airport was here. You can see one of the hangars is still intact. The mobile home co-existed with the airport for years. In fact, almost every plot was full when the airport was still in use.