Called the North Kansas City Health and Community Activity Center, the structure is in the heart of North Kansas City, on one of its busiest thoroughfares. North Kansas City sits just across the Missouri River from Downtown Kansas City and is located in Clay County. It is an industrial city, with more than 1,000 businesses and a daytime workforce of more than 25,000.The community center, at 801 Armour Rd., has more than 96,000-sf of space. Included in the building is a 6,500-sf aquatic center, a 25-ft. climbing wall, three sports courts, suspended jogging track and three 20 by 35 ft. meeting rooms.

The center has been divided into three zones. Zone one is comprised largely of meeting and multi-purpose rooms, game rooms, children's room and senior area. Zone two is the pool area and zone three is the 3,500-sf cardiovascular area, plus the track.<p.Business is a benefactor of the new community center, according to Jeff Samborski, North Kansas City's economic coordinator. "Not only has the tight labor market made employees harder to attract and retain, it has become highly specialized, so losing associates even temporarily, from poor health for example, can cause business disruptions.

"The economic development race today is being won by communities that can offer a high quality of life and safe environment conducive for attracting skilled, productive associates," he says.