Martin City sees activity on vacant spaces

By Kathy Feist

A special guest at the Martin City Community Improvement District meeting on October 2nd was welcomed with much curiosity.

Danny Baker recently purchased the Martin City Sports Complex facility (formerly Robin Nigro Golf Academy) on Wornall and 135th Street. For the past few weeks, passersby have noticed renewed activity on the two-and-a-half-acre lot.

Baker is converting the building into a pre-owned, high-end auto dealership called Exotic Motors Midwest. Baker, a former F1 race car driver, currently owns a dealership under the same name in St. Louis and Johnson County.

At the Martin City location, Baker plans to have an office and a small collection of cars for sale inside the building. Visits are by appointment only.

“We’re not doing service. We’re not doing financing or warranties or anything like that,” explained Baker. “We’re just buying and selling collector cars.”

Baker plans to paint the cinder block building black, inside and out, with polished floors, expensive lighting and reclaimed wood elements. The parking lot will be reconstructed, adding a lot of greenery and landscaping. A fence with high security will surround the building. A shed on the property will be removed.

“Once it’s finished, I’m hoping that you’ll think it’s an asset to the community, because it should look very, very nice,” he said.

The Martin City Sports Complex closed about three years ago when developer Michael Knight purchased the 28-acre property from Nigro Family Partnership in 2022. Knight planned to develop the site into three parcels: one for a four-story apartment complex with around 250 units, the second for a retail space on the 2.5 acres along 135th Street and third for storage units or recreation on five acres on the west end of the property.

The second parcel was sold to Baker for his dealership.

Baker began working on the property in September.

He says the clean-up process will take time due to vandalism and widespread theft.

“There are no mechanicals. There’s no wiring. There’s no plumbing. It’s all gone,” he says. “So, it’s essentially a cinder block shell on a concrete pad, which, to rebuild in today’s world, is pretty expensive.”

Baker expects the renovation of the property to be completed by the end of the year.

Sutherland Update

Martin City residents have been questioning the unusual number of cars at the Sutherland Lumber property at 135th and Holmes. An update was provided by Martin City CID manager Vickie Wolverton at the meeting.

Cable-Dahmer, which now owns the property, plans to use the building as a prep center for incoming new vehicles. Currently the building is being gutted and reconstructed.

Vehicles that would have been stored inside the 32,000 square foot building have joined others parked outdoors, adding to the visibly high number of automobiles.

Kingdom City & FlexCaves

Two projects in Martin City have been held in committee for future consideration.

Kingdom City’s request to change the zoning allowance at State Line Station Shopping Center, 136th and Washington St., to include religious assembly, schools and sports and recreation has been recommended for approval with conditions by the City Plan Commission.

FlexCaves, the 51-unit storage facility that includes 11 retail spaces and 40 garage condos at 300 E 135 St (next to RC’s) received recommended approval by the City Plan Commission on its requests for rezoning.

Both projects will be considered by the Neighborhood Planning & Development Committee, and if approved will go before the City Council.