Thanks to a $5 million investment approved by the Kansas City Council, the ambitious $100 million “Swope Health Village” is one step closer to reality.
Swope Health Village will be an innovative residential community in the central city that will promote healthy lifestyles. Swope Health plans to build the multi-phase, mixed-use development on 12 acres near 59th Street and Swope Parkway.
The project will transform the former Swope Ridge Geriatric Center site into a community that interweaves affordable housing with onsite medical clinics, health-centered amenities, and support services.
“We are extremely grateful for the city’s $5 million investment in Swope Health Village,” said Swope Health President and CEO Jeron Ravin. “In all that we do, we remain steadfastly committed to the cause of health equity and access for everyone.”
According to details released by Swope Health, the $100 million campus will include:
– 200 affordable apartments for seniors
– 75 residential units for those requiring mental health treatment and care
– 15 apartments for elderly residents receiving comprehensive care
– Expanded inpatient substance abuse recovery services
– Community gardens and outdoor recreation spaces
– Relocation of Kansas City Health Dept. offices to the site
– Office and retail spaces for businesses like grocery stores
The vast development represents one of the largest investments in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Kansas City in decades. Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, who represents the area and sponsored the ordinance, hailed the City Council’s unanimous approval of $5 million toward the project.
“Every Kansas Citian deserves access to resources, amenities and neighborhoods that prioritize health, wellness and an improved quality of life,” Parks-Shaw stated. “The City of Kansas City is eager to support this development.”
In addition to the city’s funding, Swope Health has received $7.5 million from the state of Missouri through the American Rescue Plan Act. However, tens of millions more will need to be raised through donor contributions and other funding sources to fully realize the sweeping health-focused campus.
The project is already underway, with demolition initiated at the site in January 2024. Swope Health aims to begin construction in early 2025 in partnership with architecture firms Perkins Eastman, HFG Architecture, Moody Nolan and contractor McCownGordon Construction.
The development is projected to create 80-90 new construction jobs and, when completed, add dozens of healthcare positions. Swope Health says it will prioritize hiring local residents and utilizing Black-owned businesses and tradespeople as much as possible.
For the nonprofit provider founded in 1969, the Swope Health Village concept of intermixing affordable housing, healthcare services, community amenities and social services in a single setting is groundbreaking for the Kansas City region. Organizers hope it can serve as a model for how thoughtful urban design can help address socioeconomic inequities and racial health disparities.