Plan to Attend LSEDC's July 12 Developers' Showcase

Kudos for City Staff

"....of all the suburban downtowns, I think Lee’s Summit has done the best job of analyzing their downtown, assessing the needs, developing the vision and then begin implementation as well as anyone in the metropolitan area. We work in a lot of suburban cities, and Lee’s Summit is used as a reference. Staff deserves a pat on the back for leading this effort...."

 "....we have been tremendously helped by many of the staff, particularly in Planning and in Public Works. They have always been available when needed and have given us excellent guidance and support of the many details and nuances in the development process. True professionals...."

 Plusses: 

• Online access to the UDO, D&C manual, permit reports and development handbook.
• Staff willingness to meet and review projects very early in the planning process.
• Continued development of the geographical information systems.

"As someone who works in many Missouri cities, the planning and development process used by Lee's Summit is a top notch example for others to follow….Lee's Summit appears to have captured the correct formula."

"They should be commended for upholding the standards and regulations of the city with respect to construction projects.. I like the fact they don't   'bend the rules..' They are very transparent in how they manage, and I appreciate that."

We want to thank all the city staff for their efforts. They are what help make the city a special place which is attractive to new and expanding industry.

LSEDC investor companies have recently been well represented in four prestigious award competitions.

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce  named LSEDC investor company Hoefer Wysocki as its Small Business of Year. To view the Chamber's article about Hoefer Wysocki, click here and go to the italicized text that reads "Greater Kansas City Business, June 2006." Among the top 10 finalists were Lee’s Summit’s own  First Community Bank and Bennett Packaging, as well as investor company McCown Gordon.

The Kansas City Business Journal  recognized excellence among our members with its Capstone Awards honoring area development projects. The Longview Elementary School, designed by The Hollis and Miller Group, won in its category. Other winners included: Gale Communities, Inc., for New Longview in the master-planned community category and McCown Gordon for its company headquarters building.

Associated General Contractors  honored several projects managed by LSEDC investors Turner Construction, Co.; JE Dunn Construction; Walton Construction; A.L. Huber General Contractors,  Fogel Anderson Construction Co and Haren Laughlin Construction.

Locally, The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year  award went to LSEDC’s incoming Vice Chair Jon Ellis’ company Paradise Park! LSEDC investor Bank of Lee’s Summit was one of the five finalists.

Welcome New Officers

Everywhere you turn Lee’s Summit is growing and changing. $800,000,000 in commercial projects are in various stages of design, engineering or construction throughout the city. Below is a quick list of some of the projects. Click here to view a 1-page detailed map summarizing all the projects in the pipeline. Click here for a link to a Power Point presentation reviewing all the major projects in the pipeline.

Commercial Projects 

• City Walk. This $319 million, 900,000 sf of Lifestyle Center will transform several hundred acres at Lee’s Summit’s entry to downtown on Hwy 50 and 291 South.
• Hartley’s Block. Kurt Pycior and his partners propose an $8 million project to renovate and add on to this downtown landmark. Eighteen new residential condos, 19,000 sf of retail/restaurant and 4500 sf of office are planned on 1.3 acres.
• Civic Plaza. The Meyer Brothers and their partners propose a $60 million , 250,000 square foot office/retail project is planned on 27 acres at the Southwest corner of Tudor and Douglas
• Lee’s Summit East. RED Development’s plans west of Summit Woods call for a $147 million, 550,000 Upscale Retail/Dining Lifestyle Center.
• Chapel Ridge. Mike Atcheson continues the transformation of our northwestern edge. Adding to the existing 600,000 sf of retail and office will be another 435,000 sf of office, 99,558 sf of retail and 334 multi family units, as well as a hotel. This phase, including improvements dedicated to the Strother Road interchange, will cost about $194 million.
•  I-470 Business & Technology Center. 975,000 sf of office/warehouse and 125,000 sf of retail are planned on 125 acres south of Strother Rd and west of I-470 for this $71 million dollar project planned by Wilgate Development’s Jay Burchfield and Bob LeMone.
• Summit Technology Campus. Nearly 80% leased, with more in the pipeline, the 1,000,000 sf office complex boasts the potential for another 1.6 million square feet on about 175 acres of mixed use development in its master plan. Count on Summit Tech Campus to continue to attract site seekers and decision makers to explore Lee’s Summit’s entire inventory.
• Hwy 150 in south Lee’s Summit has so many commercial projects completed or in the pipeline it is hard to keep track of them. Suffice it to say residential development in Cass County, Greenwood and Lee’s Summit will make this location Main and Main for our southern gateway.

Public Projects 

• Lee’s Summit Senior Center. A voter approved continuation of the parks tax will finance the $3,000,000 new senior center at the southwest corner of Independence and Second Street.
• R-7 School District. At long last the district’s administrative offices will move from the former school building on Mill Street to a new 30,000 square foot facility on the Lee’s Summit North High School Campus.
• Strother Road. A $30 million project to widen I-470, add frontage roads and construct an interchange is scheduled to start in 2008.
• I-470/Pryor Road/Blue Parkway. This $40 million project is in the final stages of engineering. Plans call for a new exit off I-470 at Pryor and a later elevated ramp east to Blue Parkway. The project will greatly improve traffic flow around Summit Technology Campus and other nearby projects.
• Highway 50/ MO 291 South. Part of the City Walk project, if approved by the State, will fund major upgrades to the highway lanes and bridges to greatly improve this intersection. Completion is expected in the fall of 2008 to coincide with the projected opening of City Walk.

With construction of the new City Hall, the Mayor and City Council will be considering staff-drafted RFPs on what to do with three of its older downtown structures from which city staff is relocating. They are:

• Old City Hall: Built in 1939, the building has about 6,400 square feet of useable space. It was the historic former post office and sits directly across from the historic railroad depot.
• New City Hall: This is the west side of City Hall that faces Market street. It was built in the 1980s and has about 8,331 square feet of useable space.
• Arnold Hall: 123 and 125 SE Third Street. 37,522 square foot site with a 6,000 square foot building formerly used for City Council meetings.

For more information about the properties and the RFP process contact Ron Cox at City Hall, 816-969-6828.

After 53 years, Hartley’s Furniture will soon close its doors and end an important chapter in the history of Downtown Lee’s Summit. 

Dale Hartley has been a key player in the creation of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street and all the great things that have taken place in our town center. Hartley’s commitment to downtown is a testament to the high quality, dedicated business people who work day-in and day-out to make Lee’s Summit one of the best communities in the metro as well as the nation to live, work and do business. 

We have always said that Downtown is one of our city’s most important points of competitive difference. Dale Hartley, and his entire family, are one of the key reasons why we can make that claim. 

We are excited about Kurt Pycior’s plans for residential and commercial redevelopment of the property. We know it will begin a new chapter and continue a great legacy in our city. Good luck Dale and Kurt.

The updated Lee’s Summit Advantage compares us to other metros that are nationally recognized for their high quality of life. A few statistics to whet your appetite include:

Please note that at the beginning of this fiscal year, with our July 12 meeting, we are raising lunch costs from $15 to $20. This is our first cost increase for several years and is necessary due to our vendors’ increased costs of doing business. Luncheons are strictly break-even for the LSEDC. Coming soon, we will also offer the option of paying by Visa or Master Card, and will let you know as soon as that option is available! To arrange for pre-payment, please contact Shannan Cunniffe by phone at 816-525-6617 or scunniffe@leessummit.org.

• There are more English speakers in China than the U.S.
• U.S. students rank 28^th and 22^nd respectively in global math and science skills among 40 industrialized nations.
• There are three times more information security doctoral and master’s level students in China than the U.S.

Lee’s Summit is part of the global economy. Our schools and businesses work closely together to prepare tomorrow’s workers. Click here to learn what needs to be done.

Each quarter we highlight an LSEDC Investor company in our E-Newsletter. If you would like to be featured, attend our Quarterly Investor Meeting and drop your business card in the box. If your card is drawn, you will be featured in an upcoming e-newsletter.

From our humble beginning in 1902, Turner has become the leading general builder in America delivering over $7 billion dollars in average annual construction through a network of 45 locally operated and managed offices. Henry C. Turner established our company on the core values of Teamwork, Integrity, and Commitment. These values have sustained our business for over 100 years, continuously operating under the Turner name and never failing to complete a project. Nationally, we are an industry leader in providing Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Sports Facilities, Animal Health, Commercial Office, Government, and Justice construction.

Turner opened the Kansas City office in 1988, where we serve the Heartland area of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Since then, we have completed some of the areas most noteworthy projects which include; the expansion of Marion Laboratories, Garmin International, Farmland Industries, Sheraton Hotel, Overland Park Convention Center, Kansas Speedway and the Bartle Hall expansion.

In Lee’s Summit, we were pleased to provide Construction Management services on the new Great Beginnings Early Education Center and other renovation and expansion projects for the Lee’s Summit School District. Turner takes pride in being a partner in education and we pledge our continued support of the Lee’s Summit School Foundation and other District initiatives that further enhance the educational opportunities for our students.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why did you invest in the LSEDC?

We have a long history of investing resources in the communities in which we live and work. Participating in organizations that promote and administer economic development initiatives, such as the LSEDC, provides a return on investment that can be measured through the creation of increased property, payroll, and business opportunities for all entities holding a vested interest in Lee’s Summit.  

2. What have you gained from your LSEDC involvement?

Since joining the LSEDC, we have enhanced our relationships with area business, the school district, local officials, and the development community. These relationships coupled with the rapid growth of Lee’s Summit, have created opportunities to expand our business.  

3. What projects have you (your company) worked on in Lee's Summit?

Turner has worked on the following projects associated with Lee’s Summit:

• Great Beginnings Early Education Center

• Meadow Lane Elementary

• Summit Lakes Middle School

• Pleasant Lea Middle School

• ViraCor Laboratories

• ReDiscover

4. Have you worked on projects for other LSEDC members?

Yes. All above projects are either directly or indirectly involved with the LSEDC.  

5. Are there other notable facts about your company that you would like to share?

Turner is also a national leader in "Green Building" practices and construction. With experience on over 100 LEED certified projects across the county, we are proud to be making a positive impact to the environment by building healthier, profitable, and environmentally responsible facilities for people to live, work and learn.

To find out more about Turner Construction visit their website at www.turnerconstruction.com. On behalf of the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council, we thank Rod Northway and Turner Construction for their commitment to our community and the LSEDC.