Wyandotte County has landed another big, new development project and developers say it's mostly due to the success of Village West.
The Wyandotte Plaza will be the site of the $28 million reconstruction of the shops at 78th and State Avenue—about four miles east of Kansas Speedway and Legends shops.
It is the first time in years a developer has poured that kind of money into old Kansas City, Kan., instead of Village West.
Up until the Speedway, 78th and State Avenue was the epicenter of Wyandotte County's sales tax base.
"If you live here, that's where you shop at," President of Wyandotte County Economic Development Greg Kindle said.
But the old shops gave way to the past and neglect. Developers' attention focused on the corn fields that quickly put Kansas City, Kan., on the fast track to success.
Village West is now home to Kansas' biggest tourist attraction. But today, residents see that success spilling over, for the first time, into their old KCK neighborhoods.
The grocery store at Wyandotte Plaza will be KCK's biggest.
Developers, with the help of major tax incentives, are bringing in $28 million and 230,000 square-feet of renovations, new shops, national chains, landscaping and a new future.
"I don't think it will be the last, I think there are a number of other things happening," Wes Grammer with Red Legacy said.
Kindle, believes success begets success.
"I think it'd be difficult to make the case that we'd have that investment but for the success we have seen at Village West. This is just the beginning," he said.
