Welcome to the "Top" of Kansas City
The Kansas City Northland is something of an anomaly.
Clay and Platte counties remain the least developed of metropolitan Kansas City's five core counties. Yet between them, these two hold some of the fastest growing and highest potential ground in either state. Even the name "Northland" is unique.
The Missouri River and the area's history supply much of the answer. Partially isolated from the rest of the city by the area's great waterway, Clay and Platte for years grew slowly, almost afterthoughts to expansion elsewhere in the region. But during that time, the area learned from the mistakes of others and developed an identity.
That self-awareness is founded on an unusual blend of community and economic development and quality of life. Because the area developed slowly, the Northland has often avoided many growing pains that beset other regions. Nevertheless, the area's communities continued to set aside everything from road right-of-ways to green space, knowing their time would come. As a result, the Northland's current growth is often occurring in areas where plans have outlined infrastructure for years, even decades.
The common cause of identity also includes an unusual level of cross-county cooperation. Although Clay and Platte are not likely to consolidate, they do combine for a surprising level collaboration. The most important example may involve work with Kansas City and the state capital in Jefferson City. Both of these are increasingly important communications as the Northland seeks everything from road funding to enabling legislation.
Whether it involves politics or quality of life, this kind of branding is often invaluable. Now combined with significant economic momentum, it's an area in which the Northland has a head start.
There’s little argument that the Northland today is one of the most dynamic areas in metropolitan Kansas City.
Comprised of Clay and Platte counties and their northerly neighbors Buchanan and Clinton, the area is an unusual mixture of quiet farmland and some of the most rapidly growing real estate development in the region.
One reason frequently cited is that these counties retain large expanses of open land that are still close to downtown Kansas City. While this is true, other reasons for the growth range from visionary development to effective collaboration.
For example, within the past decade large stretches of the land facing downtown Kansas City were empty or underdeveloped. Today, those area include some of the metro area’s best residential and retail development. For example, Riverside is turning what was once a nondescript strip of gasoline stations, motels and liquor stores into what could become some of the hottest property in the area.
A similar success has occurred to the north, in Buchanan County’s St. Joseph, where the new Shoppes of Village North represent the largest retail effort in a sizable stretch of four states. The result of cooperation between the city, county and private developers, the Shoppes are well ahead of schedule in brining the area a new level of development.
Steady residential growth is another factor. Clay County over the past five years has averaged nearly 20 percent population expansion. Such population growth has not only brought considerable impetus to the area’s retail markets, but also fueled a significant economic boom in the construction industry.
Builders and retail shop owners are not the only markets on the upswing, however. The high-quality work ethic by area employees and the Northland’s excellent educational system are among the reasons why Northland workers frequently outperform those across the country.
