Mission Cliffs

Thousand of cars stream through the intersection of 39th and Rainbow every day, carrying people to their jobs at KU Medical Center and other area businesses. But just a few blocks west of this bustling thoroughfare, a tranquil community is being shaped that could help change the dynamic of the Rosedale neighborhood surrounding the Medical Center.

This new development, called Mission Cliffs, is transforming a part of Rosedale that was languishing. Now, however, there sits sparkling new townhomes and houses with white wrap-around porches and newly paved streets.

City Vision Ministries (CVM), a non-profit urban development organization, and the Rosedale Development Association (RDA), among many others, initiated the Mission Cliffs project with the goal of creating a modern housing community while preserving the rich heritage and culture of the Kansas City, Kan., neighborhood.

Joe Reardon, mayor of the Unified Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County, is a big supporter of the Mission Cliffs project.

"I think Mission Cliffs is a special kind of neighborhood and people can feel like they are in their own little part of Kansas City, Kansas," Reardon said. "I view KU as a partner with the Unified Government and with Rosedale on this project. We all worked together to make this a reality."

The Mission Cliffs development has been years in the making. John Harvey, executive director of CVM, said many for-profit developers had attempted to acquire the 18 acres of land, but it was difficult because the area was divided up into 70 parcels with about 50 different owners. After CVM took on the project, it took them almost four years to purchase all of the property.

Ground was broken for Mission Cliffs in the fall of 2006, and when it’s completed in 2011, it will consist of 115 townhouses and single-story homes. The units, constructed by L.I.T. Development, are attracting young families and new professionals into the neighborhood. Harvey said it’s also a location that retirees are exploring if they are considering downsizing.

"Some people who are looking at Mission Cliffs have gotten tired of condo living, but they still want to be close to downtown. This provides them with that prime location, plus a garage and plenty of green space," said Harvey.

While many of the townhomes and houses went on sale right before the housing market stalled, Harvey said they have been fortunate in selling or leasing many of the properties. The next step in the Mission Cliffs revitalization project is to start attracting more retail businesses to the area. The forces behind the effort think that will become much easier as the percentage of home ownership continues to climb.

Harvey said all the challenges and roadblocks with Mission Cliffs have been well worth it, because the area around KU Medical Center is potentially entering an exciting new era of growth and renewal.