Historic Northeast Kansas City Building Turning Into Housing Project?!?

This idea sounds nice . . . And also horrible and like some place that local might want to avoid.

Here's the background and then a peek at future plans . . . 

"Originally built in 1919, the tall building on the corner and the surrounding property has been utilized as National Cloak and Suit, then later National Bellas Hess Co. During and after WWII, the Hardesty complex was used as a quartermaster’s depot and included a unit that processed personal effects of military personnel killed in action. In 1948, the Army established the Kansas City Records Center in the building, consolidating five record centers located in other cities into the Hardesty location. The federal government operated the site through the early 1980s until it was purchased by Megaspace Inc., a self storage and warehousing company. In 2011 the site was purchased by Asian Americans for Equality out of New York City and the entire site was prepared for redevelopment as a mixed use facility that included residential space combined with small business incubator services and urban agricultural spaces, which never materialized. It is currently Hardesty Self-Storage and a U-Haul operator."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Developer presents 500-unit affordable housing project to community

Abby HooverManaging Editor Developers shared their vision for a 500-unit mixed-income apartment complex at Independence Avenue and Hardesty Avenue with neighbors on March 27. Arnold Development Group plans to renovate the 12-story Hardesty Self Storage building and the lower buildings around it into housing, while addressing high carbon emissions and low quality construction, meeting the needs of families with children in an urban environment, and lowering transportation costs for residents.