BY THE NUMBERS Permits issued to build single-family homes • Blue Springs – 38 in the first eight months of 2012, compared with 36 in the same period of 2011, a gain of 6 percent. • Lee’s Summit (including the Cass County portion of the city) – 170, compared with 102, an increase of 67 percent. • Independence – 48, compared with 98, a drop of 51 percent. • Eastern Jackson County – 317, compared wth 284, an increase of 11.6 percent. • Metro area (Jackson, Cass, Clay, Platte, Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson and Miami counties) – 2,026, compared with 1,502, up 35 percent. Source: Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City
Office space in Eastern Jackson County There are 683 office buildings in Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs and Independence, with a total of 7.87 million square feet, 14.3 percent of which is vacant as of July 20. The industry breaks down office space into three categories: Class A, the highest quality buildings in their market, usually newer and in better-looking buildings, generally with good locations and good access; Class B, generally a little older, but still well run and with good tenants; and Class C, older buildings (usually 20 years old or more), need extensive renovation and often technologically outdated. These have the lowest rental rates and take the longest to lease. • Independence – 3.1 million square feet overall, with nine Class A sites (340,901 square feet), 121 Class B sites (1.77 million square feet), 145 Class C sites (976,210 square feet) and an overall vacancy rate of 18 percent. • Blue Springs – 1.17 million square feet overall, with 52 Class B sites (650,784 million square feet), 89 Class C sites (504,782 square feet) and an overall vacancy rate of 9.1 percent. • Lee’s Summit – 3.5 million square feet overall, with four Class A sites (74,601 square feet), 184 Class B sites (3.13 million square feet), 71 Class C (343,515 square feet) and an overall vacancy rate of 12.8 percent. Source: Independence Economic Development
Commercial space in Eastern Jackson County • The region has one commercial space big enough to be defined as a regional center, the 1.12-millionsquare-foot Independence Center. • Four “power centers” (two in Independence, one each in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs), which generally are anchored by warehouse clubs and large stores that are dominant in their categories. • 35 neighborhood centers (17 in Lee’s Summit, 11
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2012 top 10 metro cities in issuance of single-family home building permits, through JULY: 0 | |
50 | |
100 | |
200 | |
300 | |
400 |
1. Kansas City – 350
Source: Independence Economic Development
Top 10 occupations
2. Olathe – 249 3. Overland Park – 196 4. Lee’s Summit – 145 5. unincorp. Platte Co. – 90 6. Shawnee – 81 7. Lenexa – 61 8. Independence – 43 9. Blue Springs – 38 10. Leawood– 38 Source: Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City
Area unemployment rates • Independence – 7.5 percent in July. (In June, it was 6.9 percent, the first time it’s been below 7 percent since November 2008.) July labor force: 58,904. Employed: 54,473. Unemployed: 4,431. • Blue Springs – 6.1 percent in July. (In June, it was 5.7 percent, the first time it’s been below 6 percent since December 2008.) July labor force: 29,196. Employed: 27,405. Unemployed: 1,791. • Lee’s Summit – 5.8 percent in July. Labor force: 48,816. Employed: 45,986. Unemployed: 2,830. • Jackson County – 8.3 percent in July. Labor force: 340,515. Employed: 312,345. Unemployed: 28,170. • Metro area – 6.8 percent in July. Labor force: 1.06 million. Employed: 981,546. Unemployed: 79,854. in Independence, seven in Blue Springs), which are generally anchored by a grocery store, such as the site with PriceChopper and several other stores on Noland Road near Interstate 70. • 20 community centers (14 in Independence, four in Blue Springs, two in Lee’s Summit), with discount department stores, home improvement and large speciality or discount apparel stores. An example would be Bolger Square in Independence. Standards set by the International Council of Shopping Centers. Source: Independence Economic Development
Eastern Jackson County Business Review
ing, 31 warehouse, 52 research and development and flex space, 4 other) with 7.25 million square feet of space, 6.3 percent of which (433,449 square feet) was available.
Business space in Eastern Jackson County • Blue Springs – 145 buildings (115 manufacturing, 17 warehouse, 12 research and development and flex space, 1 other) with 2.01 million square feet of space, 12.9 percent of which (258,008 square feet) was available as of July 20. • Independence – 213 buildings (149 manufacturing, 40 warehouse, 20 research and development and flex space, 4 other) with 15.89 million square feet of space, 7.3 percent of which (1.1 million square feet) was available. • Lee’s Summit – 318 buildings (231 manufactur-
by projected growth through 2018 in Jackson, Platte, Clay, Ray and Cass counties: 1. Medical scientists (except epidemiologists), 34.7 percent growth, 2008-18. 2. Environmental engineers, 31.9 percent. 3. Self-enrichment education teachers, 28.8 percent. 4. Environmental scientists and specialists, 28.2 percent 5. Veterinarians, 26.1 percent 6. Employment recruitment and placement specialists, 25.9 percent 7. Heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, 24.3 percent 8. Medical equipment repairers, 22.1 percent 9. Cost estimators, 22.1 percent 10. Private detectives and investigators, 21.2 percent. Source: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center
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