KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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Plans could finally be in motion to revitalize the once-booming Westbrooke Village Shopping Center in Shawnee, a development that residents say has been a long time coming.
This was a story that came from KSHB 41's Let's Talk series in Shawnee.
The Shawnee City Council voted on a new agreement for the site's redevelopment project, called Westbrooke Green, in 2024.
This also put a new developer in place, while keeping much of the original agreement standing.
Those requirements include a grocery store in the main retail space, renovations of all the property's current buildings, and some restrictions on the kinds of businesses in the shopping center.
The city first approved these plans in 2017.
The current developer, Paul Guastello Jr, told KSHB 41 news reporter Elyse Schoenig that his plans for the site would be around an $18 million project, and that the grocery store will be owned by the same group as the World Fresh Market on 103rd street.
He also said there are some "other tentative tenants," and that the timeline for this project is this year, with plans to complete the outside by end of October 2025.
Adam Jones, who lives right next door to the shopping center, said local businesses are vital to the community.
"Kansas City feels like one of those places where local business is such a critical element to just so many other areas, and I feel like this little block here is kind of lacking in that," Jones said.
Melissa Sabin, another nearby resident, sees great potential in the space, located at 75th Street and Quivira Road.
"It's been kind of an eyesore, so I'm just very excited that they're finally doing some construction, upgrading it, and putting some things in there," Sabin said.
Sabin mentioned that the development could influence her housing decisions, with her apartment lease expiring in 2026.
"We have been looking around, but I think if this gets finished sometime soon, we will be renewing," Sabin said.
Jenny Ast, who also lives next door, is excited about how this revitalization could shape Shawnee's future.
"I think it would bring a lot more money into this community as well, and a lot more traffic. I think that would help enrich Shawnee as a whole and bring more people into this area," Ast said.
Jones hopes the years-long wait will be worth it.
"I'd rather just see zero abandoned buildings. That's the kind of goal in my head," Jones said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
