Shocker! KC Developer Builds Building, Pays Taxes!

In a sign of the times, Rob Roberts at The Kansas City Business Journal found it newsworthy that a developer seeking  to build a mixed use high rise in Westport is not asking for taxpayer subsidies.

In response to a question from Councilman Quinton Lucas, Cole added that the developers would not seek any incentives for West Port Terrace at Manor Square. They expect to begin work on the project by early next year and complete construction within about 18 months.

I can’t speak to the merits of the project, but I am pleased that Pulse Development LLC, the developer of record, is willing to pay taxes. Happily, this appears to be a trend. A proposed 13-story, 257-unit apartment building just west of Country Club Plaza and an entertainment development at Ward Parkway Mall that are likewise eschewing taxpayer subsidies. Maybe someday businesses paying taxes in Kansas City will be so common that it won’t show up in news reports.