Growing Pains
It’s too early to really tell, but this week’s page one story about the Vertical Ventures has all of the earmarks of becoming a troublesome situation.
Until I speak with Richard Kopp personally, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt regarding the specific situation reported on and will do so. Attempts to reach Mr. Kopp on Thursday were unsuccessful, but there was certainly more than enough to report.
We’ve been reporting on the future growth of the western edge of Parkville since our inception nearly three years ago. It’s an intriguing story because what we are witnessing is the birth of a city – and that doesn’t happen often.
Intriguing, yes…sexy, not so much. Stories about neighborhood improvement districts and sewer lines don’t really sell a lot of newspapers – particularly when the area most effected by such things boasts a population of about five people.
When Parkville annexed the 435 corridor, forward thinking city leaders envisioned a chance to have a direct hand in the future development of the area. Commercially speaking, a large portion of the Kansas City region is attracted to the western fringe thanks to magnet developments in Wyandotte County. Conventional wisdom states that The Legends development has had an impact on our local tourism economy and when gambling is available over there, you can bet (no pun) that a large portion of Platte County’s discretionary spending will be headed into the coffers of Kansas.
So Parkville has an opportunity to develop something of merit over there, but just what to build is a matter of debate.
The sentimental notion is to not develop the area at all. I know several Johnson Countians who travel to Parkville using I-435 just because it is so scenic over there. Next to the bluffs of Weston, the elevations there are the highest in the county and even the former site of the landfill has grown over nicely. And while it would be nice to see it left alone in its pristine, natural condition, it simply isn’t going to happen folks. That interstate – and the exits on and off it – present opportunities too great for this capitalist society and The Luminary is in support of commerce.
So the next best thing would be to develop the area responsibly and with a nod to the natural surroundings or, as some would like to see, engineer something majestic out there – a true reflection of the spirit of this city. So far, the folks from Vertical Ventures, a Waldron based company handled by Mr. Kopp, have been the ones stepping to the plate. We’ve reported that several of the residents and nearby developers over on that side of the city are less than enamored with the plans. Simply put – they’re just not turning anyone on. It’s not a shining city on a hill – it’s slushees at this point.
As long as this is a free society, the developers of that area are permitted to build whatever they like as long as it conforms to code. There are good developers – people like the Barths who built the PAC long before there was a YMCA in Parkville and work hard at making their communities special; people like Jim Allen at The National who supports an array of community efforts; folks like Gary Worden, who continues to rehab properties downtown with style and class.
It would be a big mistake for Mr. Kopp to think Parkville doesn’t care about the developments on the western side of town or that people aren’t watching – or reading. Stay tuned.