It’s not a done deal, but the potential for an extension of the Kansas City Streetcar line that would stretch from Union Station to 51st Street has developers seeking property along Main Street.
Construction has already started on a new apartment project at 39th Street and Main Street.
Exact Architects, a development firm, recently purchased the Netherlands building and will be redeveloping the property into studio and one bedroom apartments.
Ilan Salzberg with Exact Architects says their firm specializes in historic buildings that need work, and this one fits the bill.
The Netherlands building has been vacant for more than a decade and has fallen into disrepair.
Inside, piles of bricks line the walls. Salzberg says they were stripped off the facade of the back side of the building.
The project will not be an easy or swift task. Salzberg says they are hopeful it will be completed by early 2019 or late 2020.
“That building was deeply neglected for a very long time,” said Salzberg.
He's hopeful the work will be worth it.
Salzberg says one of the big draws to the property was its proximity to the potential streetcar extension.
“It’s fundamental to the success of the project,” he said.
If the extension happens, it will be years before the line is actually up and running. But Salzberg says the firm wanted to secure a good location early on.
Diane Burnette, Executive Director of Maincor, the Main Street Development Corporation, says even the possibility that the streetcar will extend through the corridor has really sparked a lot of interest in the area.
“It’s attracting new owners to look at properties along the corridor," said Burnette. "It’s also getting some other property owners to sell or think of other opportunities where they could better redevelop their properties with or for something else."
Salzberg and his partner Caleb Buland also bought the Monarch building and the adjoining vacant lot to the north of the Netherlands.
The long term plan is to redevelop the Monarch building into residential and office space and to put a grocery store and boutique hotel on the vacant lot.
"We just applied for a potential project to do a grocery on the 20,000 feet of land with a hotel above,” said Salzberg.
Exact Architects is not the only development firm to notice the potential along Main Street.
Burnette says a local grocery store is planned at 40th and Main Street.
Ragazza, a restaurant currently in Westport, is moving into 43rd and Main Street.
Another apartment building is also planned for the vacant lot across from Car Wash 103.
Burnette says she credits all of the activity to the streetcar.
"Booming massive things and major investment doesn't happen unless another major investment occurs,” she said.
Voters who live along the proposed route still have to decide on whether or not to approve a 1% sales tax to help fund the streetcar extension. Ballot requests are due April 3rd and the county will mail the ballots out on May 1st.
