Aftermath: Midtown Kansas City Reject Costco Conversion

Last night we talked about local frustration . . . Today we roundup more reporting and notice social media reaction and the message is clear . . .

MIDTOWN KANSAS CITY HATES THE COSTCO BIZ CENTER CONVERSION PLAN!!!

Context that most local news isn't offering . . . 

Not a lot of locals know that this entire development was part of "The Glover Plan" for midtown and it's a heavily TIF'd and tax abated development . . . So there's room for city hall to lean on corporations. Also, a most skeptical faction of our blog community thinks that a lot of this discussion might be a bit of bad theater to extend more tax break support . . . 

Either way . . . 

What we learned this week is that locals rely on the store for grocery needs and a biz conversation confront overwhelming and deserved skepticism. 

Here's more reporting and quotes . . .  

"The meeting drew such a large crowd that it exceeded capacity at the Kansas City Public Library’s Westport Branch. Costco ultimately split attendees into two separate sessions.

"A conversation that first started in March has now continued with community opposition, with residents saying the project does not reflect the needs of the people who shop at the Midtown Costco every day.

"Now, the company needs approval from Kansas City officials to amend the original development plan that was approved when Costco first opened in Kansas City in 2001."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Neighbors pack public meeting over Midtown Costco's planned conversion to business center

The meeting, held at the Westport branch of the Kansas City Public Library, was required by city rules before Costco can take its rezoning request to the Kansas City Plan Commission.

'We deserve more:' Costco customers refuse plans for Linwood business center

Kansas City residents and those who frequent the Costco on Linwood Boulevard attended a public meeting to hear the companies plans to to convert its warehouse into a Costco Business Center.

Costco answers frustrated public on midtown store change. 'Alternative is, it's closed'

Costco officials staged a public neighborhood meeting about the proposal to convert its midtown warehouse into a business center.

Kansas City neighbors pack meeting Tuesday night as Midtown Costco set to become business center

Costco store leaders held a meeting Tuesday night at the Westport branch of the Kansas City Public Library to lay out plans to change the midtown Kansas City Costco into a business center location.