The success of developments like the Kansas Speedway and The Legends at Village West has spurred growth and prosperity in western Wyandotte County, prompting county and city leaders to turn their attention to the development and revitalization of the county's eastern side.
CREW KC last week hosted panelists Greg Kindle, president, Wyandotte Economic Development Council; Megan Painter, director of neighborhood development, Community Housing of Wyandotte County, Inc.; and Mary Spangler, executive director, Kansas City Kansas Community College Foundation, who discussed the growth potential of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Chris Vaeth, senior vice president, McCownGordon Construction, moderated.
According to Painter, in recent years public dollars were spent on demolition, but that has changed.
“I think now that we’re done with destroying things with our money and we’re building, that makes a big difference,” she said.
Painter said Wyandotte County needs more housing.
“We have thousands of units of housing that we need in Wyandotte County. People say no one wants to live in Wyandotte County, and we are not finding that at all. There’s a big demand,” she said.
Kindle said that in order to bring development into the urban area, there needs to be more focus on raising the median household income.
“If we can get development where folks can afford a $70,000 a year annual salary, household income, we can bring retail. That then changes the dynamic where we can get fast food, get restaurants,” said Kindle.
Based on the most recent data provided by the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2017-2021), Kindle said Wyandotte County ranks second highest among the 105 counties in Kansas in wages paid, but it is only 62nd in terms of household income.
“We’re moving up incrementally, but with the kinds of investments we’ve been making into the community, the kinds of jobs that we have in Wyandotte County, we should not have the kind of poverty that we have. We know it’s not based on laziness because our participation rates in terms of labor is as high as anybody. We just export an awful lot of folks into low-wage jobs in other communities as opposed to those folks staying right here in Wyandotte County to take good-wage jobs. We’ve got to make that switch. We’ve got to figure out that platform at all levels and say look, don’t look any further than Wyandotte County to make a lifetime career,” Kindle said.
In an effort to develop a skilled workforce, end generational poverty, improve the quality of life and increase the socioeconomic mobility of residents living in and around downtown Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City Kansas Community College, together with its partners, CommunityAmerica Credit Union and Swope Health, is preparing to build the Kansas City Kansas Community Education, Health and Wellness Center to be located in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.
“It’s a $62 million project. It’s probably the largest economic investment in downtown KCK in decades,” Spangler said.
To date, 74 percent of the project’s fundraising goal has been met.
“It’s about workforce development and providing special training and services in commercial construction technology, automation engineering and biomanufacturing. A lot of job opportunities,” she said.
Demolition is scheduled to begin this summer with construction to be completed in June 2025. The partners also are collaborating with the Kansas City Kansas Public Schools to provide educational opportunities for 400 high school students to earn their diploma as well as a certification and/or an associate degree, said Spangler.
Spangler projects that 9,000 - 10,000 people will be served annually during the first three years of the Center’s opening. She also anticipates that the Center will create a catalyst for commercial development in the surrounding area.
“There are many projects around that site with people ready to go,” said Painter.
According to Painter, one of the biggest needs of Wyandotte County is amenities.
“The last few times the community has been surveyed they always say invest more in our parks. People want to live close to nice things, and we need nice things for people to live close to. So that’s afterschool programs, that’s arts for the kids to do, that’s sports... If we’re going to bring more people, that’s an investment that I think would really make a difference,” Painter said.
She noted that the Third Friday Artwalk held monthly brings some energy to downtown.
“I think it’s made a really big difference in how people view their own community, what amenities are available, but also we’re starting to see the nucleus of some new development, some people taking over some of the storefronts that have just been sitting there forever and starting some interesting little businesses as well,” said Painter.
The panelists agreed that one of the most pressing issues confronted by the county is the lack of quality childcare.
According to Kindle, Wyandotte County has enough childcare spots to meet less than 30 percent of the need.
“So if we don’t have kids getting educated and getting them ready for elementary school, then they’re not going to be ready for community college and we will be creating this cycle of poverty if we don’t get those kids in good spots, not to mention the number of women in particular who are staying home because they don’t have child care,” Kindle said.
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FEATURE IMAGE: Megan Painter, Greg Kindle and Mary Spangler. PHOTO CREDIT: MARCIA CHARNEY | MWM KC