Most of you have probably heard about QuikTrip’s plan to significantly increase its presence — i.e., new store — east of Roanoke Parkway on Westport Road. A Wednesday Kansas City Star story said the plan had “hit a roadblock” when the city Plan Commission voted 4-1 against it Tuesday.
The writer, City Hall reporter Lynn Horsley, made it clear, however, that the plan is by no means dead. The Plan Commission is merely an advisory body; the final decision will be made by the City Council. And that’s a whole other deal.
But a few facts first…QuikTrip wants to expand from about four fuel pumps to seven and build a new store of 5,773 square feet, compared with the existing 3,200-square-foot building. The most ambitious part of the plan, however, is that the grounds and building would “jump” over Mercier Street, which borders QuikTrip on the east and expand into the former Berbiglia store on the other side of Mercier. That would mean closing Mercier south of Westport Road.
The West Plaza Neighborhood Association adamantly opposes the plan, saying it might be fine in the suburbs but not in an urban neighborhood. And, indeed, Horsley’s story said the four commissioners who voted against the plan “agreed with many neighbors who said the expansion didn’t fit with their mixed-use residential neighborhood and could create many traffic and safety headaches.”
But from here on out, this will be a political decision. And that’s where the neighborhood — and perhaps logic — will “hit a roadblock.”
The plan’s first stop at the City Council level will be the council’s Planning, Zoning & Economic Development Committee. The committee consists of Scott Taylor, chairman, and Katheryn Shields, Heather Hall, Lee Barnes Jr. and Quinton Lucas.
Councilman Scott Taylor
I have no idea how any of them will vote on the QuikTrip plan, but Shields is the only one of the five who lives in Council District 4, where the QuikTrip is located. Also, Taylor, the committee chairman, who lives in south Kansas City, has a reputation as being pro-development. Last night, I checked out his campaign finance reports for the last three years, and he’s taken in tens of thousands of dollars from development lawyers and law firms, contractors, engineering companies, as well as labor and building-trades organizations.
Of particular note, since January 2014, the development law firm White Goss has contributed $6,775 to Taylor’s campaign committee…And White Goss is representing QuikTrip.
QuikTrip, for the record, has contributed $750 to Taylor. That’s not much, relative to White Goss’s contributions, but enough to get Taylor’s attention.
I covered City Hall from 1985 to 1995, and I saw up close how this works. Just like Donald Trump has said, if he makes a large contribution to someone, he expects something in return. At the city level, Scott Taylor has been “good for business,” and business has been good to him and expects him to continue to deliver.
…On the QuikTrip deal, here’s what I foresee: The company makes a couple of very modest concessions, perhaps reducing the footprint slightly or going down one fuel pump, and the P&Z Committee recommends approval of the deal. (QuikTrip will never compromise on jumping Mercier, though.)
When it goes to the full council, the vote could be close, but my guess is the plan ultimately gets at least the seven votes it needs to go forward.
Many years ago, a friend, now deceased, used to quote his uncle as saying, “You can’t beat the Yankees.” At City Hall, it’s almost impossible to beat the development crowd.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I can’t believe I got a breaking news alert about this from the Star. It’s one gas station. There’s been some real small town stuff coming from its mobile alerts lately.
If The Star was targeting Westport and Plaza area residents with that alert, it would be great, but it’s not appropriate, or wise, to send throughout the metro area…Where do you live?
Out of state. And they couldn’t send a targeted alert, because I’ve never registered with the site. Between this, a story about high school football players quitting and an earlier alert about mushroom foraging, it makes me feel like I’m back in small-town Kansas.
This is a very tough call. As someone who often stops there to get a drink or fill up my car whenever I am on my way home from Downtown or Midtown, I don’t like the idea of closing off Mercier. It provides a quick way to get back through the Plaza and onto Ward Parkway. And I can’t imagine anyone who lives in those apartments on Mercier liking it. (Totally trivial matter but convicted murderer Scott Roeder was living in one of those apartments at the time he drove to Wichita and gunned down Dr. Tiller)
With that said, the alternative to this expanded Quik Trip will likely be a boarded up building or a much less attractive store that comes in after a QT leaves – the one at 75th and Holmes comes to mind.
Also, Quik Trip keeps their properties very well maintained. Manicured lawns. Well lit. Clean bathrooms. Clerks who look respectable and not like they just got out of jail or drug rehab. And when do you ever hear about a QT getting robbed? They are an excellent business model. I don’t know how being near a QT can diminish property values.
The Quik Trip near 103rd and Wornall Road, which is close to my house, recently did one of these expansions. I’m not crazy about the layout as I like having all the soda fountains near the tea containers. But parking is much easier and there is almost always a gas pump available.
I too as a former KC Star reporter who covered city government covered many convenience store construction and expansion controversies. And your assessment about how the approval process will likely go down is spot on accurate. I remember development lawyer James Bowers once asking me when I interviewed him “Who does NOT need a convenience store?” He’s right. And since that’s the case, I will certainly take a Quik Trip over a Fast Stop.
There’s a lot of good information and reflection here, Mike.
First, I had no idea Scott Roeder was living in the Westport area when he killed Dr. Tiller, although I do recall he was living in Kansas City.
And you’re very right about what happens to corners that QuikTrip vacates. Beautiful example you cite at 75th and Holmes. That Fast Stop just looks like a place to be avoided. Another site I believe QuikTrip abandoned was Eastwood Trafficway, by I-435. (Tell me if I’m wrong.) That convenience store is another one that looks pretty creepy.
Basically, QuikTrip has left the east side of town. That’s too bad in a way, but I can also see their reasoning from a business sense. A QuikTrip in Westport, on Wornall or State Line Road is going to do more business and be subjected to a lot less potential trouble than one on Troost or Prospect.
Unfortunately, this situation just exacerbates the disparity between east and west. I wish QT would commit to building a big store somewhere on the east side — maybe near Bruce Watkins Drive — and work like hell to make it top notch.
The QT at 103rd & Wornall was a remodel, not an expansion. That was already a massive lot situated on a road three times the size of the current Westport lot and right off the highway. The 103rd remodel was welcome.
The proposed expansion in Westport/West Plaza is ridiculous. On either side of that QT are two tricky intersections. The last thing we need is more traffic in that area drawn by a shiny new QuikTrip. And closing a street will just make the traffic worse. Talk about a major rush hour headache. I hate the current QT, but making it bigger will only help me fill up my tank easier, but it will make everything else worse. We would LOVE a remodeled QT, but not a massive suburban sprawl that isn’t a good fit for our neighborhood.
We got a smaller QT in Southmoreland at 44th and Main. But it took 16 months to get there. And that was in 2000 – 2001 so it involved a different mayor and city council. Kate
https://43rdplace.wordpress.com/2014/11/23/the-quiktrip-at-44th-and-main/
Yes, that Fast Stop at Eastwood Tfwy and 435 was once a QT.
I hate politics! I hate this system! It really sucks that money rules! This decision should be based on merit, usefulness, need, community feedback, etc., not who gave who money!
This sounds like the city council is saying that the people (who live in the vicinity of this QT) don’t matter! What matters is who gave who money. Why isn’t this against the law? It seems close to bribery to me. I can’t believe it is so transparent and then allowed!
Looking at previous comments, it seems unlikely that QT would abandon this location as it is quite profitable for them…they said it was making them a lot of money, or something like that.
It’s not a done deal…By raising hell and filling the City Council chamber for hearings, opponents can bring tremendous pressure and offset, to some extent, the power of money. The best way to offset the inherent advantages that the development crowd holds is with a show of sheer numbers — bringing in the equivalent of busloads of people. Then, the policy makers listen — many of them, anyway…Just as on Election Day, turnout is vital.
Back in the 70s, when the traffic patterns were different (read: much less), Mercier was indeed a quick shortcut to/from the Plaza. However since the city allowed QT to locate there, it’s just been a dangerous adjunct to QT itself, as well as a major traffic snarl; I have a hard time believing the apartment dwellers wouldn’t be happier without all the extraneous traffic tearing up and down Mercier…
Speaking of the east side, I’ve a relative that still resides near Blue Ridge and 87th Street. QT killed their original site just east of
Benjamin StablesBannister Mallthe new Cerner site on 87th to relocate just off the I-435 exchange to the west ofBenjamin StablesBannister Mallthe new Cerner site…So, they do, or will, have at least one east of Troost in Kansas City.
Yep – it’s been up and running a couple months, I think.
In fact, and this is just my impression as I zipped into the first westward round-about, I think they built right atop where that fun filled Denny’s used to lurk…
Roundabout?! ARRGGHH!!!
That is one of the few QTs within close proximity to a predominantly black residential area. No way they are building that new store but for Cerner
Agreed, Mike; the super-size QT there is overbuilt for the neighborhood. But it will certainly accommodate the Cerner folks when they top-off and grab coffee/stuff on their way in and out of work.
Does anyone know how many cars actually use the Mercier Street in one day? Just a thought.
That’s a good question…I can’t recall ever taking it from QT back south to Roanoke Pkwy. But a friend who opposes the plan told me it’s a great way, if you’re going south, to track back to the parkway without having to pull out onto Westport Road, against traffic, and then go west to Roanoke.
The same friend told me there will be a turnaround at the new north end of Mercier. I can see where the residents on Mercier might eventually see considerably less traffic, but I would think people would be pulling in there for a long time planning to cut through to Westport Road.
Like you, Vernon, I’d like to know more about the Mercier element of the plan.
I was talking to my dad today about this Quik Trip issue, Fitz. And he noted that Quik Trip closed down its store at St. John and Belmont in the northeast but still has its location at Truman Road and Bennington. That is probably about as close to the inner city that Quik Trip is at. But he thinks that QT will keep that location because of its proximity to a KC fire station, the Bishop Sullivan Center and the Blue Valley Industrial District. He too remembers how they worked with the people in the Southmoreland area on the Main Street location.
Good to get these updates, and glad to see QuikTrip hasn’t totally abandoned the more problematic areas.