KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new proposal to convert an old Arvest Bank into a gas station at 9300 Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, has some neighbors concerned.
"The only developments that are proposed in this area are gas stations or liquor-selling establishments," said Angela Clardy, who lives in the area.
That’s why a small group of neighbors met at the location on Wednesday, each who live around the Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills neighborhoods. The group says there’s enough gas stations.
VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Megan Abundis
“If you look at the gas stations in our community and you look at a crime map, you’ll see a huge overlap,” said Brandon Wright, co-chair of Hickman Mills United Neighborhoods.
According to the city’s mapping, there are already 12 liquor stores and gas stations in the area.
“We have no restaurants. The grocery store closed and moved down the street, and we have another vacant grocery store over there; do I need another gas station?” Wright said. “Is that the development we need in our area? I don’t think so. We would settle for a small grocery store, a community center, or any sort of small retail.”
The people who live around Wright say they’ve already fought off four gas stations this year.
"We need things that are going to improve the safety and the livability," Clardy said.
KSHB 41's Megan Abundis spoke with the developer, Bassam Derbas, on Wednesday morning. He says he lives three minutes away from the proposed site and has for the last 31 years.
Over the phone, Derbas said he too sees the crime, the lack of development, access to food, and things to do.
He says with his $3 million project, he wants to change that.
Derbas said he has plans to add two food spots inside — a soul food restaurant and a burrito-style shop. He also plans to add a stand-alone donut shop too, with no liquor sales.
Wright said after hearing those plans, he's open to finding some common ground.
“For example, I did not know he was planning on building a donut shop on site — that could be a good addition to the community," he said. “Could it balance out the convenience store? I don’t know. We really need to talk with the owner. If he’s looking at a $3 million project, maybe we can talk to him and find some agreement on some common ground."
But the proposed gas station has concerns from other business owners in the area.
“Most of the gas station people just sit up there and hang out,” said Alvin Spotwood, who has owned Chop shop Barber Shop for the last three years.
Wright said he wants to Derbas follow through on his promises.
“If he’s going to build a donut shop or some other restaurant, I want to see that on the plans; I want to know that’s actually going to happen and it’s not another pie in the sky deal or donut in the sky deal,” Wright said.
For this group, it comes down to involvement.
“Regardless of the economic status of the area, reach out to the neighbors. They care about what’s going on in their neighborhood," Wright said. "We would like to see him do more community engagement and actually come out to the community meetings."
Derbas says he held a community meeting on Oct. 5 at the nearby public library, but no one showed up.
KCMO Councilman Darrell Curls says he wants to facilitate a community engagement meeting between the developer and the community.
On Dec. 4, the proposal is slated to be presented to a KCMO planning commission.
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