Port KC Purchases Former AK Steel Site
Port KC, based in Kansas City, Mo., announced that its board of commissioners approved the purchase of 415 acres from AK Steel Corporation at its board meeting on December 18.
The 415-acre site is located along the Missouri River east of I-435 in Jackson and Clay counties. AK Steel Corporation previously used the site as a landfill for its steel manufacturing and finished product transportation and distribution hub.
The land will require some environmental remediation, according to Marissa Cleaver Wamble, vice president-corporate communications. The port said that it is well versed in environmental cleanup and mitigation, having already successfully taken on similar projects at Berkley Riverfront and Richards-Gerbaur Commerce Park.
In a statement released February 28, the port said it plans to eventually develop the site for intermodal, light manufacturing and freight distribution. With close proximity to the Missouri River on the north, I-435 to the west and rail access from the Kansas City Terminal Railroad to the south, this land parcel has the potential to be a major multimodal freight transfer facility, according to Wamble.
The site has a 1,000-foot dock, which Wamble said needs significant rehabilitation of its deck and back land staging area. She added that the current configuration will allow barges to use the site for Ro/Ro applications and to lift cargo off or onto barges. For now, though, Wamble said that possible use of the river is being considered for vehicle distribution for high or heavy vehicles, project cargo from rail to barge, and container loading for empty relocation.
Wamble said that Kansas City is one of the fastest growing regions for the freight market. The AK Steel site is a prime location to further that growth through advanced manufacturing, warehousing, freight manipulation and distribution, she added.
Development of the land will be a long-term project as Port KC works to conclude any necessary environmental remediation, begin stakeholder and community engagement, and create a master plan for the site.
