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Kansas City - Number One Abandoned City

By Adam Blue

Real Estate Agent with Adam Blue Productions

November 11, 2009 04:44 AM

most abandoned city - kansas city Kansas City was voted America's number one abandoned city by Forbes Magazine in 2009. This was declared when rental vacancy rates rose to 15 percent from 11.9 percent, and homeowner vacancy nearly doubled up from 2.1 percent to 3.8 percent in one year's time.

There is no doubt that the overall economic disaster is the main cause for this title, but here are a few things that I would like to point out from a local Kansas City resident's point of view:

The Kansas City Power and Light District

In 2007, Kansas City brought in The Cordish Group to build an entertainment district in the nearly abandoned downtown Kansas City. The Cordish Group defines themselves as "a multi-billion dollar global conglomerate of businesses defined by two major areas of expertise: one of the leading real estate development companies and most successful entertainment operating businesses in the world." Cordish began building what is now known as The Kansas City Power and Light District and real estate agencies and building contractors started to "speculate" and began buying up large plots of land and (already) abandoned buildings around the new district believing that it would be a major hotspot for real estate opportunity. Then, just as the P&L district was completed...the market crashed.

I want to back up for a minute and note that most of the abandoned real estate in Kansas City is rental property and most notably, condos. I've lived in Kansas City my entire life, and I know for a fact that it is NOT a condo kind of town. Kansas City is deeply rooted in the Midwest lifestyle of eating, (thus all of the great Kansas City restaurants), going to the movies, having babies, and buying / renting cheap houses in the immediate suburbs. Most of the single folk in KC live in the abundance of apartment buildings that also lie in the suburbs. Thus, our condos are empty.

Kansas City may top the list of the most abandoned cities in the USA but it is not because the citizens are moving away, it's just that the real estate market has built too many useless properties, mainly condos.

Adam Blue, CEO
Adam Blue Productions
Kansas City, Missouri
USA

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Joan Snodgrass

Midamerica Referral Network - Kimberling City, MO

That's really interesting, Adam. I had not heard anything about those stats. Seem to make sense. I get many clients from KC when they look for a lake or future retirement home down here on Table Rock Lake. We too are not a condo market. It is just not what midwesterners seem to want.

Nov 11, 2009 04:52 AM

Anonymous

Derek

Yes I saw the article on KC being #1 on the most abandoned. But I really disagree with you on the whole condo thing. I am looking for a place to live and I've been checking out the Downtown area and its practically full. Some of the best places haven't had openings for years from what they tell me. I've only been living here a couple years and one thing I do notice is all the bad housing here. The homes are run down and no one repairs or keeps them looking nice. Seems most here don't take any pride in how their homes look. So people like myself refuse to live in these ghetto homes which are everywhere in KC. And many of the older apartments are in the same boat. If you don't believe me, just check out the apartment reviews website. Its GOOD that they are starting to fix downtown. It needs a lot of help yet to meet many of our standards. I lived in Chicago a year before I moved here and they have a much better grasp on fixing downtown. IT'S BEAUTIFUL! So with that said, KC has many places that are not rent-able or unsellable.

Another factor is the economy. I have also been looking for a roommate on craigslist, because I'm just not sure I want to call this place home. I hear the same story from the owners of many of these homes. They lost their job or business and need roommates to help pay their mortgage. So some of these homes are housing more than the mortgage lets on to. If I can't find a real career here, I might have to add to those abandon statistics. lol

Jan 06, 2010 08:29 PM

Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate

Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL

Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Hi, Adam

We invite you back to ActiveRain. Log in, leave some comments, write a blog post!

Nov 26, 2017 04:41 PM

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