Barbecue giant Ollie Gates of Gates Bar-B -Q is beginning phase-three of his plans to bring economic development to the east side of Kansas City, Mo. Gates is building a new 30,000 square foot shopping center on the southeast corner of 47th and Troost.
“What it really means to me is that progress is being made in the area where I had something to do with it,” Gates explained.
The new strip mall is the second strip shopping center built by Gates. The first one is a 15,000 square foot building that opened last fall. At least two businesses are now tenants there.
“Nothing has been rented out; we’re doing this speculating and hoping that the transformation of that area will bring some notable businesses across Troost,” Gates said.

And the River Market, suburb: doesn't work like Troost, Midtown.

Works? The suburbs don't look like Troost.

"Quality of life" has nothing to do with it, it's all about economic incentives. "The suburbs don't look like Troost," but the suburbs don't look like Paris either. Suburban development exists not because it necessarily "works" on its own merits but because every level of our government has incentivized it in myriad different ways.

If a mixed use urban environment were attractive, in terms of quality of life, some baller like Gates would've flipped the urban fabric on 31st & Troost.