‘Long time coming:’ After 15 years, a building rises at Mission Gateway in JoCo
For the first time in 15 years, something new is rising from the dirt and weeds of the long-vacant site of the former Mission Mall in Johnson County.
After years of false starts, construction is well underway at the Mission Gateway development — a $225 million project that’s highly visible for commuters along Shawnee Mission Parkway, just west of Roe Avenue. It will include a massive entertainment complex, food hall, apartments, offices and shops.
“It’s been a long time coming, that’s for certain,” Mission Councilman Ken Davis said. “I am glad that we’ve persisted and we’ve kept our relationship with the developer on track. He has stuck with it, and we’re grateful for that. I think it’s going to be a real benefit for the city.”
The Mission Mall was demolished in 2005, but the 16-acre parcel sat empty ever since, earning unflattering nicknames online such as “Mission Mudhole.” Developer Tom Valenti, of New York-based Cameron Group, previously said he struggled to get work started due to financial issues, partly brought on by the Great Recession, and problems attracting tenants.
But patience — and the City Council’s willingness to extend deadlines laid out in a tax incentive package — are now paying off, officials said.
Crews are making progress on the 90,000-square-foot Cinergy Entertainment complex, with 10 movie screens, a 16-lane bowling alley, escape rooms, zip lines and game floor. The building is expected to open by this summer.
Work has also begun on a four-level parking garage, with 1,100 covered parking spaces.
“It is really a fantastic sight to see the walls of Cinergy rising above the ground that lay vacant for so long,” said Andy Ashwal, of GFI Development, which is building the project with Valenti. “This is the beginning of a great destination the community will enjoy for years. We are not projecting any delays as we continue to work through finalizing design, permitting process and construction.”
This summer, construction should begin on a two-story food hall on the north side of the project, off Johnson Drive. The 40,000-square-foot food hall, which will be curated by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, will include a sit-down restaurant and dining hall with 14 food stalls operated by local chefs.
Developers hope the center will expand upon the modern food hall concept, such as at Lenexa’s public market, Parlor in Kansas City’s Crossroads and the new Strang Hall in downtown Overland Park. The venue will include indoor, outdoor and rooftop spaces for events, as well as a rotating art installation.
“The (design) process has included a deep dive into the Kansas City food culture with plenty of visits to restaurants in and around Kansas City,” Ashwal said. “We have also been looking for the ‘best of’ around the country to create memorable experiences that can be different each visit.”
Other plans include a 200-room, seven-story Marriott hotel and a three-story office complex. Construction should also begin on three buildings, four stories each, with 169 apartments and retail space, at the northwest corner of the project.
Ashwal said the Cinergy Entertainment complex and parking structure should be completed this summer. The other phases of the project will follow, with new residents, employees and visitors occupying the site in late 2021.
The City Council in 2017 created a community improvement district, which will impose a 1-cent sales tax at Mission Gateway to help fund development costs. The district was supposed to take effect in January 2019, but last year, the council agreed to extend the start date to July 1, 2020. Among the other incentives is an agreement to issue up to $46 million in tax increment revenue bonds.
“This is not upfront money,” Davis said. “This is the kind of future planning that I think will benefit our city in the long run. I hope it’ll be a regional attraction for folks, both in Johnson County, Wyandotte County and Kansas City.”
Now that the development’s first structure has appeared on the site, commuters and neighbors have taken to social media to share their excitement, or relief, at the long-awaited progress.
