Truman Road Redevelopment Stalled

We’ve been happy to invest in the neighborhood, although everyone assured us that Truman Road would be finished. Remember 6 years ago when developer, Jim Harpool of Dial Realty, stated that he had to demolish two homes on Truman Road so he could redevelop most of the block? The demolitions had to be approved by the City Council since the houses were considered historic. There were tours so people could see the conditions of the properties. A city staff member actually resigned over the matter. Remember? Harpool received approval because he promised to fill in all the empty lots (and those he created by demolition) with architecturally appropriate housing. Six years later, we are still waiting on three empty lots and a home that is incomplete. A block full of homes is like a smile. Empty lots are like missing teeth in that smile. Why is a developer who has been successful with complex commercial projects in the Little Blue Valley having trouble with basic residential work? One of the empty lots that we get to look at every day is 813 W. Truman and was the primary subject of the controversy with preservationists. There is landscaping on it now. Does that mean nothing is going to happen there? Why aren’t folks on the redevelopment board and at City Hall upset over this? What about Church officials who refused to offer individual properties for rehab because they wanted them done all at once? Are we satisfied because the block just looks better than it did? Or do we prefer that he not complete this project because we are unhappy with what he’s done? Would City Hall be okay with a developer in the Little Blue Valley who only got half-way through a project, then lost interest? It’s ironic that property only a stone’s throw from ground considered sacred and holy is associated with broken promises.