During October of 2023 we celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the day that will forever cement the Kansas City Region as the premier supply chain and logistics hub for North America. A decade ago, Edgerton Community leaders along with State of Kansas officials and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) executives cut the ribbon on the most modern and advanced BNSF intermodal facility that had ever been built at the time. Fast forward to today and BNSF’s Intermodal facility and NorthPoint’s subsequent Logistics Park Kansas City (LPKC) development has exceeded almost every single expectation in a positive way.
15.5 million square feet (soon to be 16.5) of industrial development and $1.5 billion of private investment is the type of growth that most communities will never see in a lifetime. But it is what we have seen in just 10 short years in Edgerton, KS.
It is not just the development of LPKC that has been impactful to the City of Edgerton, it is all the ancillary development (and the benefits of that development) that comes with it. Two years ago, Edgerton celebrated the opening of the On to Go Travel Center, the first ever TA Express to be developed in Kansas. Shortly thereafter was the announcement of the Edgerton Crossing Commercial Development. This project which is under development currently calls for more fuel options, both quick service and casual dining options and a hotel and conference center. Both the On the Go and Edgerton Crossing developments are going to provide much needed services to Edgerton residents, LPKC employees and area visitors.
In addition to increased commercial development Edgerton has seen the first large scale residential project come to fruition in almost 20 years. The Dwyer Farms housing development is going to provide Edgerton with approximately 275 new single-family homes at an anticipated price point much lower and more affordable than what is currently available in Johnson County. These homes will range in size and style in order to meet a multitude of housing needs within the community, not only attracting new residents but allowing current residents who may have changing residential needs to stay in the community.
Community investment projects have also thrived since the beginning of LPKC. Because of the increase in overall development in Edgerton, community leaders have been able to prioritize much needed infrastructure repairs and improvements. While not always seen, Edgerton residents have benefitted from projects including a new wastewater treatment plant, improved water and sewer infrastructure new sidewalks and trails and complete street reconstruction projects. Public safety improvements have been made to railroad crossings within the city, as well as construction of the 207th Street Grade Separation which allows uninterrupted access to city residents and public safety workers.
Continued focus on investment into the Edgerton Community by City leaders have provided residents new park facilities built at Big Bull Creek Park and Manor Park while construction is getting ready to commence on the new Glendell Acres Park. We cannot forget about the new approximately $7.5 million Edgerton Greenspace Community Building that is currently under construction in downtown Edgerton, the first new brick building in the downtown core in over 100 years.
All these community investments projects have been paid for by revenues from development of LPKC. As the community continues to grow and tax revenues from industrial, commercial and sales tax continues to increase, the Edgerton City Tax Mill rate has consistently gone down, reducing the tax burden off the residents.
It would also be unwise to overlook and not acknowledge the benefits that LPKC has brought to both the Kansas City Region and the State of Kansas as a whole. According to the Wichita State Center for Economic Development and Business Research, the logistics and supply chain cluster supported directly by LPKC represents 1.6 percent of the entire Kansas economy and supports 3.4 percent of the state’s overall economic activity. In addition, LPKC has provided rewarding careers with quality salaries. The labor income associated with employees from Johnson, Miami, and Wyandotte Counties was estimated to be approximately $300 million. Those are dollars that are being invested back into Kansas City communities and supporting the local economy.
Also because of the growing logistics and supply chain cluster that is directly supported by LPKC the list of companies that have chosen to call the KC Region home continues to become more distinguished: Kubota Tractor, Hostess, Amazon, UPS, Walmart and Smart Warehousing just to name a few.
Lastly, community leaders have been able to hear success stories on how LPKC has positively affected people’s lives. Stories of KC area residents being able to buy their first home, past Edgerton residents sharing how they were able to move back to the community they grew up in because of job opportunities, people sharing stories about being able to eliminate debt, provide for their families and overall have a much better life now than they had previously.
So, as we turn the page on the last 10 years of growth and prosperity of Edgerton and the KC region, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next 10 years and beyond.
