INDUSTRY
The Blue River Valley is home to a large industrial footprint with companies like Armco Steel, Bendix, Ford, and General Motors operating at the peak of innovation from a generation ago. With over 1,500 businesses located in the area, we seek to add value by providing tools that save time, money, and/or expand revenue and capacity. We also want to make progress on brownfield, transportation connectivity, and position underutilized sites as an attractive home for emerging industries.
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WHERE ECOLOGY MEETS INDUSTRY
The planning team often uses the term “ecodustrial”, a deliberate choice communicating the desire to foster a business district that creates strong industrial jobs that benefit the environment and create new opportunities for recreation, environmental restoration and green amenities throughout the area.
LAYERS OF INCENTIVES
The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC) and the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) are making the redevelopment of this area a priority through funding of various predevelopment initiatives, including: land banking, infrastructure investments, ‘stackable’ incentives, plus cleaning, greening, capacity-building, and marketing. As a top priority opportunity zone, with 25-year tax abatements, this area has great economics for companies and investors.
Within the Blue River Ecodustrial Corridor, more than $1B of public and private investment has been completed.
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$300 million Blue River Valley flood control project
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$250,000 U.S. Economic Development Administration grant to repair and improve water infrastructure
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$100,000 U.S. Economic Development Administration planning grant to develop an economic strategy for the Blue River Valley Industrial Corridor
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Established Advisory Committee, retained a consultant and completed comprehensive economic strategy for the Blue Valley Ecodustrial Corridor (consultant team led by HR&A Advisors).
BLUE RIVER CORRIDOR INDUSTRY
BY THE NUMBERS
INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
420 acres rail right-of-way
High-Capacity utility service
LOCATION & ACCESS
15 minutes from downtown KCMO
2 major interstate interchanges
MANUFACTURING FOCUS
~50% building area in manufacturing use
~460 acres planned for food manufacturing and ag facilities near Blue Valley
RECENT INVESTMENT
& ASSETS
$290 Million floodway improvements completed
$1.33 Billion recent public and private investment in industrial riverfront area
NATURAL AMENITIES
134 acres existing trails and parks
2.5 miles of Missouri River frontage
WHAT LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS ARE SAYING
CHRIS ROSS,
CUSTOM TRUCK ONE SOURCE
I feel good about helping build something and leaving something behind.
RENO MAY,
MAY TECHNOLOGY &
MANUFACTURING
We're centrally located to every part of the city and the airport is only 35 minutes away.
SHAWN LAUBY,
KC TERMINAL RAILROAD
It's hard to find areas across the country with so much potential for rail connection. The tracks are already there, it's just a matter of utilizing them.