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While much of metropolitan Kansas City is growing “from the inside out,” Platte County displays a significant exception to this trend. Because of Kansas City International Airport, Platte County has what could almost be termed two major growth areas. That trend is likely to increase as development accelerates around KCI because of national market forces and local efforts to maximize the airport as an economic development engine. After years of minimal attention to KCI, Kansas City last year unveiled an aggressive plan to maximize its development and utilize the airports undeveloped 8,000 acres as a regional economic sparkplug. Platte County also exhibits more traditional development trends with major growth along key transportation corridors. I-29, which connects downtown Kansas City with KCI, is the most significant. East-west Highways 9, 45, 152, 92 and I-435 are increasingly important. These thoroughfares have extensive development at their I-29 intersections and are increasingly becoming major corridors themselves. Highway 45 (64th Street) is a good example. Extensive residential development in Parkville and Kansas City, North made the 45/I 29 intersection a major retail market as early as 10 years ago. Now the development is extending westward almost without interruption to the luxury residential development, the National. Examples of this development include the still growing Parkville Commons at Highway 9 and the new Tuileries Plaza, a 267,000-square-foot project on 50 acres. Following the successful upscale footsteps of Zona Rosa, the Tuileries will feature fashion retailers, specialty shops and professional offices. More established is the Highway 152 corridor further north, which holds the Shops at Boardwalk east of I-29 and Zona Rosa to the west. The Shops began nearly a decade ago with Boardwalk Square, but with the additional 123,000 square feet of the Shops at Boardwalk, the area is now one of the most dynamic retail areas in Metro KC. Zona Rosa opened in 2004 as an upscale retail “village” and quickly became one of the most popular shopping destinations in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. Both continue expansion plans, including Zona Rosa’s Phase II, which will double the development’s size. |
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