“If you can dig a hole, you can do a deal.” This was the motto of R. (Rochester) Charles (Chuck) Gatson, the visionary who became the heart, soul and leader of Community Builders of Kansas City that the inspired Frank Ellis founded in 1991.

Gatson, who died in 2014 at the age of 64, was intentional that those holes and deals be transformative for the people and places in our urban community – improving education, health and housing; growing financial literacy, wealth and entrepreneurship; introducing new development and access to supportive services. 

In 2021, CBKC’s 30th anniversary year, the organization is the largest, most resourced minority-led community development corporation in the region and is one of the most successful, minority-initiated community development corporations in the U.S. Included in its results:

  • $250 million investment in urban renewal projects since 1991
  • $80 million in residential and commercial real estate assets under management 
    • 600 units of renovated and new construction apartments for families, seniors and those with special needs
    • 250,000 square feet – newly constructed office and retail space

Community Builders of Kansas City has grown to become a strong, stable and experienced community development corporation with the right combination of mission and business acumen to serve urban neighborhoods. In the last year alone, CBKC has:

  • Hosted nearly a dozen community events that included free COVID-19 testing, flu shots, food and diaper drives; food and staffing to support election board workers, voter registration and absentee ballot notarization for the November 3 election; provided space and other support for the 2020 census count; as well as community events – Movie Night at Starlight partnering with Kansas City Public Schools and a free outdoor Kansas City Symphony concert.
  • Announced The Rochester on Blue Parkway, an 81,400-square-foot, $12.6 project with 64 residential units across four stories – the first market-rate, multi-family development east of Prospect in generations.
  • Unveiled the $84.5 million mixed-use Offices at Overlook that on completion includes 160,000 square feet of office, 12,000 square feet of retail and the potential for a 140-unit apartment.
  • Acquired the Blue Parkway Sun Fresh grocery store and immediately embarked on improvements to product, pricing, customer service, physical appearance and the addition of allied services and conveniences.
  • Secured funding to initiate the $12.6 million renovation of The Cleveland – 80, three-bedroom, one and one-half bath mixed-income residences.

“Community Builders of Kansas City does what it says it is going to do,” said Emmet Pierson, Jr., president and CEO. “As just one example, CBKC was the first recipient of Central City Economic Develop (CCED) one-eighth-cent sales tax fund recipients to complete its promised project in 2018, a $628,000 renovation that preserved the 5008 Prospect building as a community asset – serving as a small business incubator for predominantly MBE/WBE businesses, providing offices for like-minded organizations and offering training and development for entrepreneurial and career-mind community members.

“Community Builders has a develop-and-hold model, which allows us to make a difference in our communities over the long term. We are carrying out Mr. Gatson’s original vision to reclaim urban neighborhoods that have experienced heavy disinvestment and abandonment over time, transforming them into vibrant, thriving, safe communities.”

It’s not easy. There is a circular rationale among banks, their boards, appraisers and the regulatory communities that leads to less favorable lending terms to the brown- and Black-owned business, -developer or -led organization. The resulting higher interest rates, equity requirements and other less favorable loan terms says to an organization like CBKC that we are not as dependable or trustworthy so we will have to prove with this project that we will be successful, again, as we have been previously. We hope this will change and, but in the meanwhile, we press on.

CBKC is the master developer for the Brush Creek Corridor from Elmwood Avenue west to Highway 71. The organization adheres to the “catalyst for redevelopment” standard where it successfully leverages public and private investment in projects, adding new initiatives – like The Rochester and the Offices at Overlook on Blue Parkway – to extend and protect the investment.

The merger in June 2018 with Blue Hills Community Services brought with it the 5008 Prospect building and CBKC’s promise to the neighborhood that it would continue operation of the incubator and add community services. The CCED-funded renovations helped CBKC fulfill that promise and it is leveraging this anchor asset for future investment along Prospect Avenue.

More recently, CBKC has entered into non-traditional lines of business such as participating as an equity partner with other minority developers. The organization also is actively pursuing the launch of additional, in-house services as well as an initiative to more directly address the wealth gap between minority and majority households.

Community Builders’ projects provide employment for hundreds; safe and quality homes for 2,000 at any one time; and the kind of retail, dining, grocery, banking, health and social services essential to a good quality of life. It’s a good landlord, maintaining and renovating properties as needed which delivers the 95 percent or better average occupancy of its multi-family residential rental units and the 100 percent occupancy of its 4001 Blue Parkway Office Building.

Increasingly, CBKC is sought for its thought leadership on the wide range of issues that impact Black and brown people. Pierson and other professional staff are regularly invited locally and nationally to speak, serve on a panel, comment on or chart a course to help dislodge entrenched obstacles and disadvantages faced daily in our urban communities.

“We’re a little less patient now,” said Pierson. “We are proud of all that has been accomplished in the last 30 years but we need to do all that and more, faster. Tomorrow. CBKC has proven itself. We do the difficult, dragging others in as we must to have the support we need to extend opportunity to communities and people left behind because of systemic racism and poverty. That is both our legacy and our future.”