By Sara Wiercinski
At the September 13 meeting of the Waldo Tower Neighborhood Association, Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) asked community members for direction in anticipation of the sale of the former Bingham Middle School campus.
KCPS owns the 7.57-acre site at 7618 Wyandotte Street, home to the former school which closed in 2001 and was demolished in 2016.
Jesse Lange, KCPS Manager of Planning and Real Estate, and consultant Shannon Jaax referenced ideas from a decade of conversations between the district and neighbors to develop a shared vision before the property is marketed to potential developers.
Bingham was considered a potential site for a south middle school. KCPS’ decision to convert former Southwest High School to the middle school rendered Bingham as surplus and resumed pre-sale talks with the community.
The district will issue an RFP for Bingham in November.
The September 13 presentation began with a summary of past suggestions for the site, including affordable teacher housing, residential – possibly townhomes, multifamily housing, 55+ housing or tiny homes, with a mixture of rentals and for sale – mixed-use with retail and offices and community space such as athletic fields, community center, pool or dog park.
One meeting attendee pointed out that there is no public community center within the 6th District.
Meeting participants discussed challenges for the Bingham site, which lacks traffic access to Wornall Road. Neighbors shared concerns over parking, building height, light pollution and late-night delivery noise.
A few participants stated a preference for retail that serves needs within the neighborhood.
“If I see another storage unit on Wornall, my head is going to explode,” said one speaker.
Many praised the Bingham site’s proximity to bus routes, the Trolley Trail and overall walkability.
Lange provided an update on a use case involving relocating the Waldo Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, which was discussed at a previous repurposing meeting in
November 2022. Lange explained that the library system is undergoing a strategic needs assessment, making the move unlikely given the timeline.
Proposals will be due to KCPS by January/February 2026, with presentations for public consideration in the spring and anticipated contract negotiations for the sale in summer/fall 2026.
One meeting attendee asked how the district can hold developers accountable to promises they make.
Jaax, who has been involved in Bingham and other school repurposing projects since 2011, mentioned two avenues: a Property Use Description Agreement, which outlines allowable uses by the community and is recorded with the deed upon sale, along with a Benefits Agreement between the developer, district and neighborhood outlining what the community will gain from the project.
In 2013, Walmart Neighborhood Market approached KCPS about purchasing the Bingham site. Neighbors objected to the plan, and KCPS turned down the proposal.
The district has an online survey to collect additional feedback on the Bingham site.
Learn more at www.kcpublicschools.org/repurposing.
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