KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In honor of its 125th anniversary, the Kansas City, Kansas, Chamber of Commerce reflected on a long history of neighborhood improvement and unveiled plans to further revitalize Wyandotte County.
This milestone demonstrates the ongoing influence the chamber has on the community, which has been built on its dedication to promoting growth while continuing their mission of bringing new life to the area.
“It's something to be said for any organization that is even over 50 years or 100 years," said Daniel Silva, president and CEO of the chamber. "We're talking about 125 years of serving the community, serving businesses, being a partner to the metro region.”
The chamber has been instrumental in transforming Wyandotte County into a thriving center for residents and businesses over the years. The chamber has helped bring in new establishments and developments, like the bridge project happening in the Armourdale area, and also on Strawberry Hill and around KU Med.
David Melhaff, chairman of the board, said there is still work to be done.
"We'd like to see other areas and seeing some development with housing and make it better quality of life for all our residents,” said Melhaff.
A primary goal of the chamber's revitalization plan is to increase housing in Wyandotte County. Understanding the value of a vibrant, diverse community, the chamber is hoping to work with developers to provide solutions for housing. This initiative seeks not only to accommodate the growing population, but also to help the growing number of those unhoused in the community.
“Coalitions, right? The way that we can address all of the issues that we have — not just the housing piece, homelessness, health piece — we all have to work together,” said Silva.
Bringing more safety to the area has also been a key part in the redevelopment. The chamber seeks to make the community more inviting and safer by putting strategic plans into action and encouraging community involvement.
“What we do really well is convene. We bring people together on whatever topics may be," said Silva ."For networking or if it's an important issue, we have the conversations, we listen and we advocate on their behalf.”
With a renewed sense of purpose and a rich history to build upon, the KCK Chamber of Commerce is poised to continue its transformative journey, ensuring that Wyandotte County remains a beacon area in the Kansas City metro.
For many residents like Emily Blum, the future of the city she calls home feels optimistic.
"I think just knowing there's a lot of potential in the area, and knowing how much better it's going to be new and upcoming in this area and see what exciting things are going to happen,” said Emily Blum.
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