Leeds district potential

Jackson/Cass Suburbs, including South KC
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7393
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Leeds district potential

Post by shinatoo »

aknowledgeableperson wrote: GRID:
I would agree on most of your points.  Why not take over the old Leeds auto plant and build a Legoland there?
Why would you close a successful industrial area, that if closed would require billions in EPA cleanup money?
aknowledgeableperson
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 12625
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:31 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

The Leeds auto plant has been closed for many, many years.  I think close to 20.  Clean up?  Why not.  You turn a non-productive tract(s) of land into something productive.  Drive up the cost?  Well, that is what happens when previously empty downtown buildings are rehabbed.
I may be right.  I may be wrong.  But there is a lot of gray area in-between.
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7393
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by shinatoo »

aknowledgeableperson wrote: The Leeds auto plant has been closed for many, many years.  I think close to 20.  Clean up?  Why not.  You turn a non-productive tract(s) of land into something productive.  Drive up the cost?  Well, that is what happens when previously empty downtown buildings are rehabbed.
The Leeds plant had been divided up into individual industrial spaces for starting companies since about 1992. It's basically was incubator for new manufacturing businesses.

It currently houses Weld Wheel (purchased in 2004), an very successful custom wheel business. There payroll is around 9 million as of 2004. They also make the Sean John/P Diddy/Puff Daddy line of custom wheels.

To get even more off topic, the Leeds plant was opened in April of 1912 by Henry Ford and was the first automotive plant outside of Kansas City.
User avatar
Highlander
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 10169
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 1:40 pm
Location: Houston

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by Highlander »

shinatoo wrote: The Leeds plant had been divided up into individual industrial spaces for starting companies since about 1992. It's basically was incubator for new manufacturing businesses.

It currently houses Weld Wheel (purchased in 2004), an very successful custom wheel business. There payroll is around 9 million as of 2004. They also make the Sean John/P Diddy/Puff Daddy line of custom wheels.

To get even more off topic, the Leeds plant was opened in April of 1912 by Henry Ford and was the first automotive plant outside of Kansas City.
Do you mean outside of Detroit?

I remember when they announced their intention to Leeds into individual industrial space so its good to here that something positive has come out of it.  I am curious about how many other companies have taken up shop there...any other success stories?
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7393
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by shinatoo »

Highlander wrote: Do you mean outside of Detroit?

I remember when they announced their intention to Leeds into individual industrial space so its good to here that something positive has come out of it.  I am curious about how many other companies have taken up shop there...any other success stories?
Yes I meant outside of Detroit. My bad.

The owner that was using it for leased space sold amidst being sued by the EPA for illegal removal and disposal of hazardous (asbestos) materials. It is wholly owned by Weld now, but I think there are a few other businesses sub-letting.

The whole east side parking area was filled with modular buildings at one time. Not occupied, more like stored and ready to ship.

Can a mod spin this Leeds talk off to another thread?
User avatar
kard
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5627
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:37 pm
Location: Kingdom of Waldo

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by kard »

Is Weld Wheel out of bankruptcy?
Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator
User avatar
staubio
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 6958
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2003 11:17 am
Location: River Market
Contact:

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by staubio »

A giant chunk of this land is being used for the city's tow lot.  I'm sure it would be a riot to try to move that.
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7393
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by shinatoo »

Kard wrote: Is Weld Wheel out of bankruptcy?
I am assuming so. They just had some new product announcements.

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_pr ... ?rID=23463
KCTigerFan
Valencia Place
Valencia Place
Posts: 1843
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:41 am
Location: Brookside (KCMO)

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by KCTigerFan »

Weld was purchased.  They are operating as a division of American Racing.
aknowledgeableperson
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 12625
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:31 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

shinatoo wrote:

To get even more off topic, the Leeds plant was opened in April of 1912 by Henry Ford and was the first automotive plant outside of Kansas City.

Leeds was always a Chevy plant, I believe.  Ford did have a plant closer to Truman Road in the Blue Valley Industrial Area before it opened the Claycomo plant.
I may be right.  I may be wrong.  But there is a lot of gray area in-between.
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7393
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by shinatoo »

aknowledgeableperson wrote: Leeds was always a Chevy plant, I believe.  Ford did have a plant closer to Truman Road in the Blue Valley Industrial Area before it opened the Claycomo plant.
Looks like you are right, http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... .htmstates states that First plant outside Detroit was in KC. I assumed it was Leeds.
shaffe
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2420
Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:51 pm
Contact:

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by shaffe »

what exactly encompasses the leeds district that we're talking about?  harvesters is right down there, but on the other side of the river from most of the industrial stuff.  i'm assuming that the area being discussed, though, is mostly between the two railroad lines on the east bank of the river.

having worked down there seasonally for the past 2 years, i'd definitely be all for a shot in the arm for the area.  tif, here we come!
aknowledgeableperson
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 12625
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:31 pm

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by aknowledgeableperson »

Don't know the exact boundries but Leeds would be considered part of the Blue Valley Industrial Area (or whatever the name is for the industrial area along Blue River north of 350 Highway to just north of 12th Street or before you go into the East Bottoms. To me Leeds would be at the south end of this area from TSC, to 40 Highway and to where 40 Highway meets I-70.
I may be right.  I may be wrong.  But there is a lot of gray area in-between.
User avatar
voltopt
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:56 pm
Location: Manheim Park
Contact:

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by voltopt »

shinatoo wrote: Looks like you are right, http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... .htmstates states that First plant outside Detroit was in KC. I assumed it was Leeds.
The Leeds plant was a GM plant.
The Ford Plant that was built in 1912 was a lot closer to the still unsprawled city.  It still stands at 12th and Winchester, just east of the beautiful Sheffield Park..

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 6&t=h&om=1
"I never quarrel, sir; but I do fight, sir; and when I fight, sir, a funeral follows, sir."   -senator thomas hart benton
KC0KEK
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 4855
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 6:23 pm
Location: Neither here nor there

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by KC0KEK »

Photos?
User avatar
voltopt
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2812
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:56 pm
Location: Manheim Park
Contact:

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by voltopt »

http://www.umkc.edu/labor-ed/history11.htm

This is a story about the Ford Motor Plant at 12th and Winchester in the Blue Valley area.
"I never quarrel, sir; but I do fight, sir; and when I fight, sir, a funeral follows, sir."   -senator thomas hart benton
User avatar
Highlander
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 10169
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 1:40 pm
Location: Houston

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by Highlander »

voltopt wrote: http://www.umkc.edu/labor-ed/history11.htm

This is a story about the Ford Motor Plant at 12th and Winchester in the Blue Valley area.
I've been by this place a thousand times and never knew it was an old Ford Plant.  My father and grandfather once owned restaurants in that area (from the 30's all the way into the early 60's) that served a mostly industrial clientele.  My father sold out when the neighborhood and industrial center began to decline. 
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

GM Leeds Plant redevelopment

Post by FangKC »

The Business Journal reports on the redevelopment of the former GM Leeds site after the recent fire there.

Georgia firm seeks bonds to salvage KC industrial complex ravaged by fire
...
Stonemont now eyes a $67.2 million redevelopment of the industrial building's footprint on the park's northern 50 acres. Initially, the firm looks to start demolishing the structure in July, after which it will remove an underlying concrete slab and remediate soil. A project timeline then calls for new construction to begin in early 2023 and wrap up that year.

The project team could opt for either a 799,000-square-foot single-tenant building or two smaller buildings — 470,000 and 290,000 square feet — Patrick Heffernan, Stonemont's vice president of asset management, told the Port Authority of Kansas City's development committee Monday.

The park's southern 35 acres will remain undeveloped for the foreseeable future because of their location within a floodplain. In the property's southwest portion, Stonemont and Port KC have discussed setting aside and preserving green space along the Blue River, allowing for future connectivity in the broader 4,600-acre Blue River Ecodustrial Corridor.
...
Port KC's development committee recommended approving an expression of intent to issue as much as $90 million in bonds to support Stonemont's project, which the authority's full commission could approve on Feb. 28.
...
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... 2022-02-16
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20042
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by DaveKCMO »

This is one of the key development nodes along the Rock Island that KCATA is studying.
kboish
Hotel President
Hotel President
Posts: 3258
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:25 am
Location: West Plaza

Re: Leeds district potential

Post by kboish »

In the property's southwest portion, Stonemont and Port KC have discussed setting aside and preserving green space along the Blue River, allowing for future connectivity in the broader 4,600-acre Blue River Ecodustrial Corridor.
This is a really critical area. If we could develop the Blue Valley area into a manufacturing/industrial center again, it would be the biggest EcoDevo win for the east side compared to any of the other efforts under way.
Post Reply