Commercial

Platte County’s once soft non-residential real estate markets have taken dramatic turns for the better in recent months. Retail growth is especially dramatic. The area’s historically steady construction has accelerated in recent years to include some of the most dynamic development in the region. Leading the trend is the area’s continued surge of upscale shopping centers. Zona Rosa in 2005 started its second phase of development, planning to more than double its 450,000 s.f. of lifestyle retail and create additional residential development. The Tuileries development also started on another corridor, 64th Street west of I-29. Along with Parkville Commons and the Shops at Boardwalk, Platte County’s overall retail pull has increased significantly in the past 12 months. Smaller retail strips or mixed-use developments are also occurring in many Platte County locations, often near to residential or office development. Platte Valley Plaza in Platte City is one of the most recent combinations of retail and housing. Platte City is also likely to see another development, the Shoppes at North Gate, an upscale retail venture on seven acres directly adjacent to I-29. Extensive retail and service development is also occurring southwest of I-29 and Barry Road. South of Zona Rosa, this area increasingly features new, individual businesses. Even against this background, Platte County’s most dramatic picture may involve office and light industrial development. The 156-acre Congress Corporate Center with an eventual two million square feet, and the KCI Airport Technology Park with 890,000 square feet, are two of the most significant of several developments planned or in progress surrounding Kansas City International Airport. A total of nearly $300,000,000 in development is scheduled there. Other recent developments include Amerisource Bergen. This large international pharmaceutical services company selected Platte County for consolidation of its distribution operations through a $40 million investment. Asian Foods completed an 84,000 square foot, $6 million Platte County facility that brought a $4 million payroll. Even this could be overshadowed by development of several large tracks south of Highway 291 and I-435, where nearly 500 acres are planned for three developments.

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