Economic Development Strategy
PlanKCK: economic development strategic plan
As part of the PlanKCK comprehensive planning process, JS&A worked with Future IQ to invite stakeholders from across the city, county, and region to explore KCK’s economic development ecosystem and how it could evolve in the future. The 9-month visioning process began in February and ended in October 2023. A key focus of this Economic Development Strategic Plan was to incorporate the four lenses of the overarching Comprehensive Plan: Health, Equity, Access and Regeneration. This report outlines how the extensive accumulated data has informed the identification of a unified preferred future and key strategic action areas for future economic development in KCK.
Client
Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas
Service
Economic Development Strategy
Comprehensive Planning
Location
Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas
The context for economic planning in Kansas City, Kansas (KCK) is one of challenge and opportunity. There is a clear need to elevate and prioritize community prosperity. Today, significant portions of the city are dealing with the impacts of decades of economic stagnation that can be traced back to the historic redlining and policies that entrenched economic inequality. There is a strong desire to address these inequalities and build economic vibrancy and prosperity across the whole community. There is also opportunity. Wyandotte County and KCK have an outstanding array of economic, educational, industrial and place-based assets that can drive future economic development. These assets all have significant upside potential and can help deliver neighborhood development and future community prosperity.
Project Scope
Economic Conditions Assessment
Economic Assets Evaluation
Jobs and Workforce Analysis
Downtown Development Strategy
Targeted Neighborhood Strategy
Cultural Heritage Tourism Strategy
Industrial Revitalization Strategy
Healthcare Sector Strategy
Small Business Support Ecosystem Strategy
Implementation Roadmap
Key Performance Indicators
Stakeholder Engagement
Overall Comprehensive Plan Alignment
Working with Future IQ, JS&A lead the strategic development process including an evaluation of existing economic conditions, a market trends analysis, stakeholder interviews and surveys, focus group, a Vision Summit, business surveys, and a Community Prosperity Summit. This process led to an economic asset analysis, jobs and workforce development analysis, development and market forces analysis, and a strategic pillar framework focused on the development of key neighborhoods, industrial revitalization strategy, and strategies for leveraging and enhancing the KU Medical Center, the downtown core, and the small business support ecosystem.