Significant development set to be a "game changer" for Historic Northeast

Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood is on the verge of a remarkable transformation, thanks to a $180 million redevelopment project covering 22 acres at Hardesty and Independence avenues. This ambitious plan promises to revitalize a historically underinvested area, creating affordable housing, supporting local businesses, and establishing a vibrant communal space for residents and visitors alike.

Photo by AfroRomanzo

Project Overview

At the heart of this redevelopment is a 12-story apartment building with 395 units, more than 80% of which are designated as affordable housing for families earning 30–80% of the area’s median income. The project also includes a 29,000-square-foot public market, roughly half the size of a football field, featuring 18 tenant spaces.

Beyond housing and retail, the plan incorporates a business incubator, coworking offices, and community amenities such as a gym, child care center, and a commissary kitchen for food wholesalers. The building is designed with sustainability in mind, featuring solar panels and geothermal wells to reduce its environmental footprint.

Developers from Nomad Develops and Arnold Development Group have spent years cleaning and preparing the site, which has largely sat dormant for the past decade. According to Carmen Chopp, chief executive of Nomad Develops, “Everybody’s like, is it happening? … [Yes], this is happening.”

Community-Centered Approach

One of the project’s distinguishing features is its commitment to community engagement. Developers actively sought input from neighborhood groups to ensure the redevelopment aligns with residents’ needs. By involving the community in the planning process, the project aims to stabilize the neighborhood without displacing existing residents, addressing concerns around gentrification.

Michael Bushnell, historian and owner of Northeast News, called the project a “game changer for the community.” He highlighted the area’s long history of disinvestment, including the impacts of white flight, declining public school quality, and discriminatory housing practices such as redlining. Bushnell noted that the project represents a critical step in reversing decades of neglect while creating opportunities for residents.

Photo by Leeloo The First

Economic and Social Impact

The Historic Northeast redevelopment is more than just a construction project—it’s a catalyst for economic growth and social revitalization. The addition of affordable housing will help retain and attract residents, while the public market and business incubator will provide spaces for small businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive.

By creating a communal hub for events, festivals, and everyday interactions, the project fosters social cohesion and encourages neighborhood engagement. This approach aligns with broader initiatives across Kansas City to stimulate investment in historically underserved areas.

Connecting to Broader KC Development

This project is part of a wider trend of strategic investment in Kansas City’s historically underfunded neighborhoods. For example:

• In 2025, the city approved $19 million in funding for 15 projects east of Troost, supporting mixed-income housing, historic preservation, and local business growth, including the restoration of Satchel Paige’s house, the Boone Theater, and the Workhouse Castle.
  
  
• Other major initiatives include the Margaritaville resort in KCK, the Bluhawk sports complex in Overland Park, and hundreds of new apartments near the KC Streetcar line.
  
  
• The city has also prioritized small business support through programs like the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program, which eliminated outdoor dining permit fees and awarded $300,000 in grants to 30 local restaurants to enhance pedestrian-friendly spaces.
  
  

Together, these projects represent a coordinated effort to revitalize neighborhoods, stimulate economic activity, and create inclusive spaces for all Kansans.

Looking Ahead

The Historic Northeast project is expected to open its public market in 2027, with developers actively seeking tenants interested in operating businesses in the space. Beyond immediate construction and commercial benefits, the project aims to redefine the neighborhood’s identity, transforming neglected lots into vibrant hubs of culture, business, and community life.

As Chopp emphasized, “You’re stabilizing a community is what it boils down to.” By combining affordable housing, entrepreneurial opportunities, and public spaces, this redevelopment stands as one of the largest private investments in Kansas City’s East Side in decades, offering hope and tangible progress to residents who have long awaited revitalization.

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