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Like metropolitan Kansas City and the nation as a whole, St. Joseph has experienced a mixed economy during the past several months. At one point, some observers might have thought that plant closings were the only news in this community of 75,000. But while headline writers may accurately tell of job losses, they often do not follow up when companies reopen and workers return. For St. Joseph, such rebirths are not new. From an aerial equipment company to a food processing plant, they are part of St. Joseph's efforts to maintain and grow its economy. This city has achieved several recent breakthroughs worth noting. Quarterly taxable sales were expected to increase nearly four percent from the same period one year earlier. Combined with other recent figures, St. Joseph continues to see its economy gaining momentum after the widespread slowdown. Likewise, the area's residential real estate maintained a steadily increasing rate. The city has grown in this category every year, from just over $10 million in July 1997 to more than $16 million in July 2002. The most dramatic aspect of St. Joseph's economy may involve its commercial and industrial growth. With projects such as the community's life science initiative or industrial park development, St. Joseph's future appears to hold increasing promise. The reasons for this rebirth are both complex and simple. Only 50 miles north of Downtown Kansas City, St. Joseph provides an attractive alternative for individuals and companies wishing to escape to a more suburban environment. Sitting astride I-29 and US 36, St. Joe also has rail, river and air transportation that some larger cities might envy. With immediate access to rural amenities and a hometown atmosphere that many prefer, this "little big city" is strategically located to serve parts of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. St. Joseph is home to surprising numbers of global corporations. Major companies with facilities here include Wire Rope, Mead School & Office, Johnson Controls, Snorkel, Altec Industries and Weyerhauser. In October 2002, the Canadian firm Progressive Molded Products, Inc., a manufacturer of parts for new automobiles, announced that it had selected for its new manufacturing facility a 60,000 s.f. shell building in the Mitchell Woods Business Park. The move represented a $10 million investment--and a significant victory for the park sponsors. Mitchell Woods is one of St. Joe's most visible successes. Developed through a public/private partnership consisting of the county, city and Chamber of Commerce, it has proven so successful that organizers are beginning to look for its successor. To date, Mitchell Woods has resulted in the creation of 1,726 new jobs and $252 million in development. Boding well for the future, these steps continue to receive considerable public support. In the November, 2002 election, St. Joseph voters supported a five-year extension of the city's capital improvements program which included more than $10 million in economic development projects, including the start on a replacement for rapidly filling Mitchell Woods Park. Another aspect of St. Joseph's economy becomes evident by examining its major employers. The two largest are not surprising: Heartland Health Services and the St. Joseph School District. The remainder include the expected representatives from manufacturing and agriculture. But a surprising number are service companies and high technology firms such as System & Services Technologies Financial Services, the number three company with 850 workers. Growing support for high technology is something that St. Joseph can legitimately claim. Due to a unique combination of factors, St. Joe boasts a surprisingly large number of cutting edge companies, including several research and manufacturing companies specializing in animal life sciences such as agricultural pharmaceuticals. With its emphasis on applied knowledge and results, Missouri Western State College is also a factor. Both the college and the medical center have actively supported such development throughout St. Joe. With the Life Sciences and 21st Century Jobs initiatives, St. Joseph is intent on expanding these strengths--and the city seems to have the tools to do it. In a recent study, St. Joseph was found to be ahead of many like-sized communities because of fiber optics network that reach throughout the city.
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