Merriam has bought a couple of downtown properties nearby 5701 Merriam Drive — the site of the city’s now-demolished community center.
Actual plans to convert the site into a public gathering space are on hiatus, but city officials say that work is picking back up this year as they develop future of the prominent downtown property.
After reigniting a 5701 steering committee in early 2023, the city of Merriam is waiting to see what comes of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ study of Upper Turkey Creek through the downtown area.
This study aims to result in some form of flood mitigation for downtown Merriam, at the heart of which the site is located.
As the city presses pause on any work to figure out what is next for the site, it also approved two recent property purchases nearby to keep options open for downtown development.
Merriam purchased two downtown properties in November
The city council on Nov. 27 approved the purchase of 5015 Merriam Drive, which is north of 5701 near the Antioch Road and Merriam Drive intersection.
City Administrator Chris Engel told the city council at that time that 5015 Merriam Drive, formerly Marv’s Barbership, is an entrance to the city’s downtown.
Two weeks earlier, at its Nov. 13 meeting, the city council approved the purchase of 5713 Kessler Lane.
This property is closer to 5701 Merriam Drive, and Engel told the city council on Nov. 13 that that adjacency makes it of high value to the city.
“Staff is highly recommending that we acquire this purchase so that, again, we can make sure we can guide the future development downtown or this property,” Engel told the city council on Nov. 13.
5701 committee toured Kansas City gathering spaces
Anna Slocum, the parks and recreation director, told the Post the committee’s work in 2023 was very high-level.
The committee toured several gathering spaces across the metro area such as the North Kansas City Iron District, Lenexa City Center and downtown Lee’s Summit.
Slocum said nothing concrete came out of the meetings, but the committee agreed whatever goes into 5701 needs to attract people of all ages at all times of the day. The committee’s work also got each member — including residents and councilmembers — on the same page.
“The goal is that when it’s time to pick it back up — everyone has committed to staying involved — and that info, that base knowledge we’ve laid down, that will propel the conversation forward,” Slocum said. “We definitely think it was good work that they all did.”
All work is on pause until after the new year
The city had hoped that the committee’s work and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study would wrap up simultaneously around the end of 2023.
After a delay in the study, the city now anticipates receiving word from the Corps after the new year, Slocum said.
Slocum said the plan is to update the 5701 committee as new information becomes available.
Additionally, the city plans to morph the 5701 committee into a downtown committee to plan for the holistic future of this part of Merriam.
“The goal is that we aren’t looking at individual parcels, we’re looking at what we want downtown to become depending on what … the result of the Corps project is going to allow us to do,” Slocum said.
Next steps
- Slocum said she recommends residents stay up to date on the future of 5701 by signing up for the city’s e-Merriam newsletter.
- When work and public meetings pick back up on this topic, Slocum said the email newsletter will include information for residents.
Go deeper: Merriam reignites plan for old community center site
