Northland Redevelopment Partners

Maintaining older neighborhoods
while creating new opportunities,
the Northland Redevelopment
Partners impacts a diverse range
of areas and organizations.

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The Northland Redevelopment Partners (NRP) is a coalition of organizations dedicated to the revitalization of a large portion of southern Clay County. Members of the NRP include the Clay County Economic Development Council, North Kansas City School, Northland Betterment Committee, Northland Neighborhoods, Inc., Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and Northland Habitat for Humanity.

Although the Northland is overall a relatively new area, some neighborhoods are beginning to show their age. The Redevelopment Council is taking a proactive approach to the need for redevelopment. While other organizations focus on attracting new development, the Redevelopment Council is working with older neighborhoods and communities with an eye toward preserving, upgrading and revitalizing.

Several successes have already occurred. In Gladstone, the Neighborhood Preservation Task Force is a new organization focusing on maintaining the quality of existi9ng developments and studying ways to improve the city's older areas. Excelsior Springs has undertaken extensive redevelopment projects, especially near the Elms Hotel. Smithville is upgrading its downtown area. Kearney, one of the fastest growing communities in Clay County, recently approved a TIF for an office building. North Kansas City has undergone an extensive downtown beautification project and is proceeding with a massive plan to redevelop the residential area now occupied by garden apartments.

The NRP is doing even more, however. The well-known Habitat for Humanity recently became a logical partner with the NRP to effectively address substandard housing issues as part of the 21st Century Challenge Program. In conjunction with other programs, this Habitat for Humanity resource focuses on designated zones and establishes a specific time frame for eliminating substandard housing in each area.

The NRP has also worked to exempt southern Clay County's redevelopment area from Kansas City's new impact fees on real estate development. This decision is expected to greatly increase the effectiveness of redevelopment efforts in the area.

Another goal set by this sub-committee involves establishment of an employer assisted housing program that will help attract quality employees to southern Clay County. Through this program, an employer signs a letter of credit enabling an employee to make a down payment on a house. The employee then works with the employer to repay the debt over time.

The NRP has also partnered with Northland Neighborhoods, Inc. to see a grant to hire a full time planner to create a land use and redevelopment plan for Chouteau Trafficway from 210 Highway to North to I-35. Northland Neighborhoods, Inc. is a community development corporation working to revitalize the older neighborhoods in southern Clay County.

A final NRP effort involves another Clay EDC affiliate organization, the Industrial Development Authority of the County of Clay. The IDA is taking an active role in southern Clay County's redevelopment efforts. With the support of the Northland's Kansas City Council representatives, the IDA completed a bond issue for purchase and renovation of the Oak Creek Apartments. The IDA is earmarking revenues generated by redevelopment projects such as Oak Creek for reinvestment in other redevelopment projects.

By working with related organizations and combining "tools," the Northland Redevelopment Partners is maintaining and enhancing some of the Northland's older neighborhoods.

While much of the Northland includes relatively new residential and commercial construction, the areas targeted Northland Redevelopment Partners includes areas with 50-year-old neighborhoods. These areas include a unique blend of new development that makes improvement easier.

Some of Clay County's most exciting development is taking place in areas surrounded by older neighborhoods. The NRP is helping businesses to strengthen older areas and draw on their resources, from workforce skills to quality of life.