The city of Mission wants a “winning project” for the long-troubled Mission Gateway site.
During a work session last week, the Mission City Council discussed — the first of many discussions, according to city staff — what it wants to see become of the site off Johnson Drive and Roe Avenue.
The city council agreed that a neighborhood-oriented mixed-use development is ideal for Mission Gateway, with specific ideas ranging from boutique hotels to a place to watch local sporting events.
City staff also reviewed the site’s long history, starting with the original mall built in 1956 all the way through the recently failed redevelopment project.
Both city staff and elected officials also reminded the small crowd last Wednesday that the city has never owned the Mission Gateway site. (Read more frequently asked questions answered by the city online here.)
‘Looking for a winning project’
- Toward the end of the meeting, Mayor Sollie Flora said the city views Mission Gateway “as a generational type opportunity” for what is the largest undeveloped tract of land in Mission.
- Flora said that while the site, which the city has never owned, is “tied up in litigation,” some developers have approached the city about interest in Mission Gateway.
- The city hears from developers “about what can’t be done” at Mission Gateway, but the city wants to hear about the possibilities for the site, she said.
- Flora said the city council’s discussion last week should be “required viewing” for any developer who wants to meet with the city about the site.
- “We’re not going to be so frustrated with the condition of the site and Gateway’s history so as to accept a bad project,” Flora said. “We’re looking for a winning project for the site.”
The land is the city’s only mixed-use zoning site
- Deputy City Administrator Brian Scott told the city council on Wednesday that Mission Gateway is the city’s only mixed-use parcel in the entire city.
- Scott said that generally, mixed-use projects feature various types of development in one spot including residential, office, commercial and public spaces.
- The success of mixed-use developments are usually driven by dense residential pieces, such as apartments, he said.
- City Administrator Laura Smith walked the city council through various mixed-use projects around the Kansas City metro area, such as Galleria in Overland Park and Merriam Grand Station in Merriam, to get immediate reactions to each project.
- Out of the several examples, both local and national, the city council generally favored Leawood’s Park Place development off 119th Street and Nall Avenue.
Council wants a project connected to neighborhoods
- Councilmember Lea Loudon said she wants to see spaces where the public can gather at Mission Gateway, and shared more specific ideas like a boutique hotel and a place to watch local sporting events.
- Councilmember Ben Chociej said he thinks that in order for a mixed-use development to be successful at Mission Gateway, people need to be able to access the project by foot.
- Councilmember Debbie Kring said the city needs to incorporate the culture of Mission neighborhoods at this site.
- Councilmember Cheryl Carpenter-Davis said she thinks something needs to “pop” at Mission Gateway that offers entertainment to nearby residents.
- Flora said whatever development comes to Mission Gateway needs to fit well with the surrounding neighborhoods, but also the recent progress nearby like the multi-family projects and the potential for a reinvestment at the Mission Mart shopping center.
City staff to work on violations at existing site
- Smith told the city council last week that before the end of 2024, the city issued a notice of violation for issues with the parking structure, graffiti and more.
- The developer has yet to resolve those issues, Smith said, but the city “will be proceeding with next steps.” She noted that the city council will hear more about what those next steps will look like at a later time.
- The city is unable to acquire the site through eminent domain because the city would still need to pay for the site based on the value at which it’s appraised, according to the city’s frequently asked questions about Mission Gateway. The six parcels that make up the site are appraised at more than $12 million in 2024, according to county property records.
- Any site obtained through eminent domain, which Smith told the Post is the same as condemning the property, needs to be used for a public purpose. Smith told the city council this means the city would not be able to sell the property to a private developer.
- “While I think that’s sometimes an easy fallback position for people to ask, there are certainly challenges that don’t align with what I think helps the overall health and vitality and long-term value of our community,” Smith told the city council.
Go deeper: Watch the city council’s entire work session in the video embedded below.
