Mayor David Alvey, in a state of the government speech at noon Monday at Memorial Hall, pledged to add 1,000 new housing units east of I-635 in the next five years.
That was one of the highlights of Mayor Alvey’s speech, along with information about a record year with $1 billion in economic development projects.
The housing goal is part of the Unified Government’s Sustainable Housing Initiative, he said, which also includes the UG’s SOAR program.
The UG is taking an honest look at the community’s challenges and building a way forward, according to Mayor Alvey.
More than 4,000 properties sit vacant in the Land Bank, and thousands of others vacant properties are privately owned, he said. An emphasis will continue on new residential building, according to the mayor. The UG is streamlining processes to get these properties back into the hands of people who pay taxes.
The housing initiative will broaden the tax base, improve the quality of life, and add to the diversity and stability of neighborhoods, he said.
“2021 is the year to build the KCK of 2050 and beyond,” Mayor Alvey said.
“We have the momentum, we have the location, we have vibrant, resilient neighborhoods and we have available land,” Mayor Alvey said.
The mayor also cited progress in economic development. The city achieved $1 billion in new investments this year in 30 new projects, the most since 1984, he said.
The new investments outpace most other cities and will result in more job opportunities for residents in the future, according to Mayor Alvey.
The mayor mentioned the new Turner Logistics Center, The Merc grocery store, new retail at Menards at the Legends and also at Menards on I-35 at 18th, a new Aldi store at the Legends, new owners and a new business plan for the Monarchs baseball team, new housing with the Boulevard Lofts, senior housing at the former YMCA, and the new Urban Outfitters facility near the Kansas Speedway.
The projects will broaden the tax base, which will help shoulder the burden of taxation, Mayor Alvey said.
A theme running through the mayor’s speech was looking honestly at the community’s problems and then working on them to improve the future.
The COVID-19 crisis of 2020 and the death of George Floyd presented challenges for the community during 2020, he said. The community did not hide from the challenges, but instead met them head-on and worked toward solutions, he said. He discussed the UG’s leadership in public health fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the community’s formation of a task force to address issues, including a thorough review of law enforcement practices.
Mayor Alvey said a symbol of the community taking on challenges and then using them to improve the future was the Rock Island Bridge over the Kaw River, which formerly provided a way to get cattle to packing houses. It is currently being redeveloped into an entertainment site.
He said it could be a bridge from the past to the future, and a place for people to enjoy the river and entertainment.
“That is KCK at its best,” Mayor Alvey said. “We take a good look at who we are, take on the challenge and we move to a better future.”
The host of the speech was the downtown KCK Rotary Club. For more details, the mayor’s speech is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9U7OFAZn9w.
