KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There was a flurry of activity Thursday at the old Brandsmart building in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, hours after the owner paid another fine.
The building has sat vacant for more than decade at the corner of West Gregory Boulevard and Wyandotte Street.
"This is the first time anyone has seen work around here in months," Waldo resident and business owner Mike Allmon said.
Allmon tried to rally concerned neighbors to the now-canceled hearing in housing court, which was set for next week.
"Whenever it starts coming to a head, there’s some movement around here and then that’s it until they have another court hearing or until there’s more vocal complaints from the area," Allmon said.
Two years ago, 41 Action News spoke to Abdiana Properties, which owns the building:
"We're doing this with our funds and it does go bit slower," Christina Abnos with Abdiana Properties said at the time.
That same year, Abdiana Properties paid a fine to the city for accumlation of trash on the property.
Another year brought another ticket, this one for a lack of windows.
Last month, codes enforcement cited Abdiana Properties for storing steel beam at the site. The company paid the fine Thursday, according to municipal court records.
But as of Thursday, Jackson County records show Abdiana Properties is delinquent on its 2017 and 2018 property taxes.
Abnos said Thursday that the company has been focused on finishing other projects and blamed the lack of progress this time on the brutal winter.
"As long as there’s some work going on and we have seen some signs of work in this building, it’s very difficult for us to do anything," KCMO Neighborhoods and Housing Services spokesman John Baccala said.
The city's Planning and Development Department said a permit was pulled at one point several years ago, but it was re-issued as progress was made on the property.
Neighbors aren't satisfied. Allmon doesn't care if the current owners finish the job or the property is sold to someone who can.
"Right now, sitting stagnant like that, it just depresses values for the businesses and home in the area," he said.
Meanwhile, Abdiana Properties is working with the Waldo Tower Neighborhood Association on a presentation and possibly a timeline for the project.
Kansas City officials will continue to monitor the property and issue citations when necessary.
As always, residents are encouraged to call 311 with civic issues.
