Growth for Warrensburg's commercial and industrial real estate is not dramatic, but it offers a lot to recommend it--and several surprises.

As with nearly everything else, Warrensburg and Johnson County real estate is impacted by Central Missouri State University and Whiteman Air Force Base. In retail commerce alone, these two institutions affect tastes and buying power tremendously. Together, they attract more than 17,000 people to the area, the equivalent of a second Warrensburg. This brings urban, even sophisticated buying habits to an otherwise rural area.

Jerry W. Franklin, owner of a Warrensburg commercial real estate company, said the city is often assumed to be little more than a sleepy rural community with a college. He noted two of his retail clients recently discovered otherwise. The businesses each opened locations in Warrensburg and in other Midwestern locations. In both cases, the Warrensburg sites out-earned the companies' other outlets. One manager told Franklin his company should have focused solely on Warrensburg in the first place.

Vacancy rates are also positive because tenants tend to stay once they try the Warrensburg market. Retail vacancy rates currently average about 12 percent, although that is somewhat misleading because of recent construction such as a strip center in a newly developed area.

The Warrensburg office market sees a similar picture. One of the strongest segments involves health care industry because of powerful presence of Western Missouri Medical Center, a 92-bed hospital.

Warrensburg's industrial development is surprisingly strong, although city leaders are currently eyeing ways to revitalize this growth area. The Warrensburg Industrial Park on the community's east side was built in the late 1970s and is essentially filled. Discussion of new developments has included possible sites near the university's Max B. Swisher Skyhaven Airport.

Even without a new industrial park, the industrial market has done well. Only one major closing has occurred in the last three years. The Gilcrest Equipment Company located a facility here in 2001. Other manufacturing companies in Warrensburg include GE Transportation Systems, Carlyle Van Lines, Hawker Energy Products, Stahl Specialty Company, and Swisher Mower and Machine.

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