Looking into Excelsior Springs, Liberty, Pleasant Valley area.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

20,000 houses slated for new construction? I know for a fact that new housing starts have fallen off a cliff in nearly every metro in the country over the past couple of years due to the collapse of the housing market.
The Census Bureau shows a +23,000 gain for Clay County between 2000 and 2006. The 2010 Census should be a more accurate estimate in terms of a ten year population change.

What is your deal? This is what I do for a living, I know KC demographics and growth patterns.

Yes, we all know that new home construction is way down, but it will eventually bounce back.

Yes, that is how many homes have already been approved for the area. So if they are all built, you are looking at well over 50,000 residents. There is one development alone in that area that will be about the size of Gladstone.

The Northland really started to take off only in the past five years and every year it was increasing till the market crashed.

Finally, and I will say this again, even though the county might have only gained 23k in six years, this part of the county probably gained over 30k as southern parts of the county lost some people.

So my original points is still alive and well.

If you buy a home in the Shoal Creek Valley, don't think the area around you will stand un-developed for long.

That was my only point.

Excelsior Springs is a neat historic town. The Elms Hotel has always been a regional draw. I think the main reason it has not be very popular for new suburban growth is its location which is off the interstate. I'm sure suburban sprawl will eventually make it out there though, but I'm not sure that is a good thing.

[thunderhead]

dkk4f2 and northbound 74:

Thanks for the photos and links. Just what I was looking for. Picturesque area! Great sunrises, sunsets and fall color. And impressive garden!

This may be what we are looking for. We will be travelling down sometime this summer to check it out.

[Gibby3000]

thunderhead - sounds like you are looking for same kind of thing we are looking for - woods, hills, trails and not small lots with houses that all look the same. We are from MN. I was amazed at the lack of parkway/walking/running trail system in KC. I've always heard people say KC is a nice place and when I've been there in the past I thought it seemed much like Mpls/St. Paul. I certainly took for granted that the kind of things we have for parks/trails in MN would be available there but I really don't think they are. I think there is a pretty extensive trail system around the Smithville reservoir. We are also interested in something maybe 15-20 mins from Liberty - on at least an acre - with woods and privacy. So far haven't found a plethora of options.

We looked around at some of the larger lots in Kearny but pretty expensive and worst of all covenants that REQUIRE you to mow those big lots. We would want the freedom to do native plant restoration type landscape. There was a new development in that area that was into this kind of thing but I'm leary of new developments in the current economic climate. Plus I think older homes are a better value. I'm still kind of considering it though. Kind of considering Smithville area too. We haven't looked much at Excelsior Springs - it seems to far out to the east considering I don't know where I may end up working.

[Eric from ES]

I've grown up in Excelsior Springs, and really like it here (for purposes of transparency, I' kind of in the business of promoting ES, so you can use that information as a filter as you read more).

During the '80s, when I was a teenager, the downtown area was dead and the rest of the town was largely stagnant. In the last 15 years--especially in the last 10--it's really started to head the other direction, though. There are some "sprawl-type" developments, both commercial and residential, on the west side of town, but the downtown commercial district has been growing and thanks to an active group of downtown residents and business people I expect that will continue.

As far as the specific things you mention, there are a few opportunities for exercise--I think someone mentioned Anytime Fitness, and there's also a place downtown that offers some organized classes--and Rainbow, a private pool, does have a swim team. A system of walking trails exists, but they're not very well connected. However, it looks like a long-proposed community center, with a public pool/aquatic center, sports fields and other features, may finally come to pass. We're currently about halfway through the process of creating a comprehensive master plan, and RDG, the firm that's helping guide us through that process, is a big proponent of "active" living. That means they're pushing for a more comprehensive system of walking/biking trails and a better overall environment for active lifestyles.

With regard to the Elms Resort & Spa, a new owner is in the process of buying the hotel, and the new owner promises a more direct role in developing and promoting the historic property. Lodging is somewhat iffy--in addition to the Elms, we have a few B&Bs (plus at least one more coming), plus a motel that is fine for what it is, but doesn't offer much in the way of amenities. A new 62-room hotel is proposed for the west side, assuming they can get funding put together--that is connected to a new commercial development that also includes some retail and a six-screen movie theater.

Like everywhere, we have a lot of properties for sale right now, but my perception is that the prices are much more affordable than in some surrounding communities. We also have a wide range of housing options, from historic homes (both fixer-uppers and restored properties) to upscale gated neighborhoods to tract homes and everything in between.

There is a fairly strong job market here for those who want to work locally, but many do commute into the city. If the drive concerns you, don't let it--my wife commutes to her teaching job in Gladstone, and has a much quicker and more pleasant drive than many of her fellow teachers who live much closer but have city traffic to deal with.

Your perceptions from satellite maps are correct--there is a lot more green space here than in many towns our size. In some ways, that's a problem because it spreads out what would otherwise be a fairly compact community. But I personally like some nature to break up the civilization.

[thunderhead]

Eric,

What is the status of the World's Largest Water Bar? Are there other efforts to develop the natural springs? The old timey photos show some neat structures, but they appear to have been removed over the years.

Are the people friendly to move-ins, or is it more like multigenerational families in a more introverted culture like New England? We are from Alaska, where everyone is relatively new and welcome, and you kind of watch out for each other because not many have extended family.

Thanks for all the info.

[Tiggums]

Hello,

Sorry to dig up an old subject but I was browsing the web and ran across this...
I'm 22 and have lived in Excelsior Springs my whole life. I went through the school system there, and have researched a lot about the history and such. I wouldn't call me an expert, but if you are wanting some info I have some...

The Water Bar was closed awhile ago, but last I heard they are trying to work on rerouting spring networks into a building in order to use the water. The Hall of Waters has really gone down hill even since I've been alive, but if a lot of money were put into it, it could easily be the best building in the area, it had a large swimming pool (Olympic style or size or something like that), and is still an incredible building. The area is not perfect (as is any area), but it is a nice place to live. The school system is nice, but the larger areas (Liberty) have more money to devote to education. It is a beautiful place to live, lots of open land, and lots of smaller areas depending on what you want.

As for the nice to move-ins question: Yes, I've known many people that have moved there from all over the world and they feel welcome. It's small enough to know a lot of your neighborhood, but big enough to not feel out in the middle of nowhere...

Liberty is not far away at all (20-30 minute drive), and the KC area is not much further. The buildings that you speak of were probably the ones that surrounded the old springs... Sadly a lot were destroyed, but they are working on keeping a lot of the historic places alive and well. Any other questions let me know.

[Eric from ES]

The water bar is open again, and a newly-formed locally-based water bottling company is working to get more of the waters piped in and bottled. Unfortunately, I think the best future for the swimming pool at the Hall of Waters would be as an exhibit piece, not a working pool. Every engineer who has looked at it has said that virtually nothing about it meets current safety standards--to retrofit it would likely be more expensive than building a new aquatic center, and even then it would still be just an indoor pool, with nothing to distinguish it other than the history. And daily swimmers want swimming, not history.

I agree that people from all places/walks of life are welcome here. We are in an unusual situation where we are far enough from the city to enjoy small town life, but close enough to enjoy all the amenities of a large metropolitan area. Of course, we're not totally insulated from the "bad stuff," as anyone who watched the news early this month knows, but that kidnapping/murder was the first we'd had in nearly 20 years, and I believe it was an isolated incident.

[thunderhead]

Thanks Tiggums and ES. Since I last posted, my wife and I actually visited Excelsior Springs and Liberty. It was in August 2009, and we really enjoyed it. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and both towns unique in their own way. I scouted out some work opportunities (I am a child psychiatrist) and it looks like we could make a go of it there. We are looking at Excelsior Springs if we come to MO to retire, and Liberty if we come to work. It will be several years before we relocate, but I am keeping a pulse on the area, and am glad to see there are some major renovations in store in Excelsior Springs.

I noted there is only one public pool in Liberty, and none in Excelsior Springs. A lap pool is a must for me. Is the new High School in Liberty going to have one? Anything planned for Excelsior Springs?

[famusdarlin]

I grew up in Liberty and love it. We are considering moving back in a few years when my oldest is ready for middle school. You will find many options for homes like you are looking for to the North of Liberty, in an area near H highway. I had many friends growing up who lived in this area 20 years ago and the area is still relatively the same with large estate size lots and acarage. This runs from the Missouri River to the area South of E.S.

I also love E.S., the downtown is awesome and the Elms really makes it a unique place. The hills in E. S. remind me of Arkansas.

I'm not knowledgable on growing patterns ect. I don't have a green thumb at all. Liberty has one community pool. There used to be more, but they closed them and opened an outdoor and indoor pool at the community center.

I'm not familiar with a ton of hiking trails, but there are a few walking trails in Liberty. I think most people just walk their neighborhoods.