Deconstructing Mission

Demolition crews have finally started tearing down the Mission Center Mall, just a few blocks from my house.

The mall has sat vacant and closed for a few months, though it was mostly empty for a year and a half or so. Here are a few shots of the deconstruction.




I'll post more pics as the deconstruction becomes more dramatic. City officials say it will take about four months to completely remove the mall, leaving a gaping hole at the intersection of Johnson Drive, Shawnee Mission Parkway and Roe Boulevard.

In its place will be The Gateway, a mixed-use development with 1.3 million square feet of residential, retail, office, entertainment and hotel space. You can read more about The Gateway on the developer's flashy new website.

I previously posted several pics of the architectural renderings of the planned development. Even though it won't be done for a couple of years, and we probably will have moved on by then, this will be a great improvement to the Roeland Park/Mission/Fairway area.

Imagine, all this great redevelopment and no pothole epidemic. Are you taking notes KCMO?

tagged: Roeland Park, Kansas, Mission, mall, development, architecture, demolition