Cities Finding New Uses for Golf Courses
As the popularity of the sport wanes, developers and municipal officials say new uses are possible.
KANSAS CITY, MO—Golf courses have become less popular, but many developers and planners have ideas on how these spaces can be remade. The Belton Planning Commission voted 8-1 in favor of NorthPoint Development’s $105 million plan to redevelop the former Southview Golf Course in Belton, a Kansas City suburb, into a 148-acre flex industrial campus. The Belton City Council will consider the redevelopment in June and if approved, NorthPoint will break a ground later this year.
At full buildout, the Southview Commerce Center will include five buildings totaling more than two million square feet of state-of-the-art light manufacturing, warehouse and distribution space and create an estimated 1,400 jobs with a potential annual wage impact of $58 million.
“NorthPoint Development is an industry leading developer of quality business parks, and the City is eager to partner with NorthPoint to bring new advanced manufacturing and logistics jobs to Belton,” says Alexa Barton, Belton’s city manager. “The former Southview Golf Course has been vacant for more than a decade, and this business park is a strategic economic development win for the city.”
Located just east of I-49 between 155th St. and 162nd St., the five buildings at Southview Commerce Center will range from 235,000 to 622,000 square feet.
“Southview Commerce Center’s strategic north/south location along I-49 in the heart of the country is a great play for a variety of users,” says Brent Miles, NorthPoint vice president of development. “Demand continues to be strong for light industrial and warehouse and distribution facilities in the Kansas City market. We are eager to move forward and appreciate the city’s support throughout the approval process.”