KCRag Forum

Stowers III plans mixed-use development in South Kansas City

A 350-acre bioscience park would be built north of 87th Street between U.S. Highway 71 and Interstate 435, according to plans presented to the Kansas City Council.

The proposed Oxford on the Blue Development will have a “village” setting and will be constructed to meet “green” standards, according to plans outlined to the council’s Finance and Audit Committee

“It’s very exciting,” Finance Committee Chairwoman Deb Hermann said Thursday. “I’m very, very impressed with it.”

Financing documents filed with the Kansas City Council indicate that the development will include recreational, educational and entertainment amenities, including parks, trails, a library and a movie theater. Rent-controlled housing also is being proposed for “lower-income staff of the development’s research facilities.”

According to the documents filed with the city, the city has committed $2 million in Public Improvement Program funding for the project.

The developers want the City Council to approve an application for $4.4 million in state tax credits for the project, which would be used to help relocate a Kansas City/Missouri Department of Transportation maintenance and salt-storage facility on the site. The facility would be relocated to 81st and Agnes streets.

The Kansas City Business Journal reported in July 2007 that Oxford Acquisition LLC had acquired land in the area of the proposed mixed-use development.

Stowers is the CEO of Oxford Acquisitions, a representative confirmed in September 2007.

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangl ... ily37.html

I think we can stop posting links about this now.  This is not even part of the Stowers II expansion.  Has nothing to do with the Stowers expansion.

There are so many threads about this now that I don't know where I just posted this.  I guess this could be THE thread for this project.

That's what I was thinking... I noticed that it was it was buried in several different threads.

GRID wrote: There are so many threads about this now that I don't know where I just posted this.  I guess this could be THE thread for this project.

I concurr...someone cleaned up some of the other threads (thank goodness!).  I'm pleased to see that there is a final, Official, thread.  So just to make this clear from here on out...

This IS a venture of Jim Stowers himself, NOT The Stowers Institute! 

Now, what do you guys think, think this'll take shape?

Really makes me wonder where the 100 acres  that Stowers has purchased for expansion is at.

im2kull wrote: I concurr...someone cleaned up some of the other threads (thank goodness!).  I'm pleased to see that there is a final, Official, thread.  So just to make this clear from here on out...

This IS a venture of Jim Stowers himself, NOT The Stowers Institute! 

Now, what do you guys think, think this'll take shape?

If it does, it won't be for a looooong time. It would be great for KC though, especially if it attracts groups from outside of the area.

Stowers group nears start on giant biotech park in south Kansas City

Land all assembled. Now the City Council must approve rezoning.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/p ... l?ana=e_ph





https://maps.google.com/maps?q=East+87t ... th+St&z=15

Too bad Cerner bailed on the Bannister site. Would have the making of a nice little biomedical complex, and a real shot in the arm for SKC. Will be interesting to see what happens. At least the money should not be a problem. Would this compete with the MU research park in Blue Springs?

I believe Cerner is still looking to build/add offices in the bannister area, long term. There is no end in sight to the growth potential for a med tech firm such as them.

I would have preferred to see Jim Stowers, and his partners, invest in creating a mixed use bioscience park some place like Paseo West/Jazz Hill, mixing the offices, research space, and housing there. It would completely change this neighborhood from light industrial to mixed use, and benefit downtown and the City overall. It would be closer to mass transit, and be more urban in nature, which would probably appeal more to younger bioscience professionals than a more suburban location.

Built out, they are talking about 4 million square feet, which is about building an equivalent in space of One Kansas City Place four times.

Done right, it could have mixed education into the project with Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and UMKC medical and dental schools on Hospital Hill. Such a large-scale private investment of $1.3 billion would probably resulted in a streetcar line spur partially down Independence Avenue in the future.

That sort of investment would have had a much bigger and longer-term effect on Kansas City than the near-Bannister location.

Other developers would probably start building housing nearby, and it would certainly jump-start the downtown new housing market because there would be a lot of people who could afford apartments in new buildings.

If a few years ago, Jim Stowers had gone to Neil Patterson and said: "I'd like to do this and I'd like Cerner to invest in the neighborhood as well. It's close to your present campus, and near where all our local interstates merge, so workers from all parts of the city can get here easily. Let's do it together and change this City for the better."

More on the Oxford on the Blue project.

Apparently, the Hillcrest Country Club was considered for purchase as part of this project.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 2012-08-17

Great idea, those scientists need to get outa the lab every once in a while and a nice walk in the woods while hitting a little white ball would be good for them.

FangKC wrote:That sort of investment would have had a much bigger and longer-term effect on Kansas City than the near-Bannister location.

That can be subject to debate. At this location it is by two highways that tie the area to the whole metro; can have an impact on what goes into the area directly south of 87th St; could help develop the old Bannister Mall site; plus spur development in the TIF area south of Bannister Road. Bring many jobs, especially good paying ones, to the area and that Hickman Mills area can rebound.

It has taken 3 1/2 years to get to this point. Dealing with trying to secure ownership of the many tracts in the area suggested would probably delay this project for another 3 to 5 years.

You are just wrong AKP.

From your point-of-view.

Just curious. Do you know how long it takes to secure property when you are dealing with a large number of owners? It took a number of years to acquire the properties to rechannel Blue River. It is not a simple process.

If KCMO was confined to the area it had BEFORE the many annexations that took place during and after the late '50's I would agree with you. But then it is likely KC would be in competition with an enlarged Raytown or Grandview or maybe an incorporated area named Hickman Mills. That proposal of yours would strickly benefit KCMO but now KCMO is more than that older urban area and it cannot ignore those annexed areas and only take care of that older area. The city has citizens in the area. It has infrastructure in place. It has recently put a few million dollars improving 87th St hoping to attract something like this. For the most part it will not take much to clear the area which creates a savings compared to your location. It is likely there is a savings with land acquisition at the 87th St location.

Yes, this may end up as an isolated development south of 87th St but it could also end up as an isolated development where you propose. Afterall, look at all of the development that occurred downtown along 12th St, including your mentioned One KC Place, a few decades ago. What did that do for the rest of downtown until the last few years?

I believe isolation is the intention. You couldn't find a more isolated parcel in KC. Bordered by; golf course, landfill, strip mine and city park.

I think both points have some validity. East of downtown would have the greatest impact, just for the sake of redeveloping a forgotten part of the city. 87th street has the potential to create a new rival to Corporate Woods. The downtown site would be easier to develop, but Stowers may still build in that vicinity(Hospital Hill/TMC). 87th street could possiblly link with the future Cerner venture at Bannister. That would help solidify SKC. Stowers could play a huge role in benefitting both areas of KC.

Today I noticed some construction activity in the area mentioned in the article linked in the first post regarding modot being relocated to 81st and Agnes. It was actually off of Indiana just north of the rail road tracks. I'll try to find out if it is in fact modot moving there.

The map with the red outline may need some tweaking to make it more accurate. Oxford Acquisition bought and demolished almost all the homes that were on Drury Ave, Drury Ct, and 86th St. I no longer deliver the mail in that area but there are a few people still living back there and one of them told me his parents bought the house when it was new and he inherited it from them(He has lived there his entire life). This last spring he put a fresh coat of paint on the outside. I'm guessing that's his way of saying he plans on staying there a while longer.

Also the red outline includes KSHB's broadcasting tower. Does Jim Stowers/ Oxford Acq. really own the land north of the tower? If so could they build around it and the guy wires? I really couldn't imagine KSHB moving their tower.

The red boundaries aren't completely accurate. I guessed based on the Business Journal's drawing.