Plaza of the Northland: What’s Actually Coming to Pioneer Crossing

By Joe Nelson — Retired Air Force, Nelson Home Group Team Leader and Mortgage Loan Originator

The “Plaza of the Northland” is the nickname locals have given to Pioneer Crossing, a $2.3 billion mixed-use development planned on roughly 400 acres near I-435 and Highway 152 in Clay County. The land is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Land Reserve Inc., the church’s real estate development arm, is the developer. On May 21, 2026, the Kansas City Council approved the first piece of the project’s tax-increment financing (TIF) structure, clearing the path for construction to move forward.

Here is the real story behind the headline, what is actually getting built, and what the realistic timeline looks like.

What is the “Plaza of the Northland”?

“Plaza of the Northland” is not the official name of the project. The official name is Pioneer Crossing. The nickname came from Kansas City 1st District Councilman Kevin O’Neill, who has been the most vocal public champion of the development. O’Neill has compared his vision for the site to mixed-use hubs like Lenexa City Center and Leawood’s Town Center, telling local media the project could become “the Plaza of the Northland.”

The Country Club Plaza opened in 1923 and remains one of the most recognizable retail districts in the country. Pioneer Crossing will not look anything like the original Plaza. The architecture, the scale, the era — all different. But the nickname captures what locals want it to mean: a true mixed-use destination on the north side of the river that the Northland has not had before.

Free resource: We put together a KC Relocation Guide for buyers and residents tracking growth in the Kansas City metro. If you’re paying attention to what’s happening on the Northland side of the river, this is a useful primer.

Who is building Pioneer Crossing?

The developer is Land Reserve Inc., a Utah-based real estate development company owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The land has been owned by the church for years and sat unused while Land Reserve and Kansas City officials worked through the political and financing pieces. The church is not selling the land to a third-party developer. They are building it themselves through their real estate arm.

Land Reserve president Tyler Buswell told local media: “We believe that this is a fantastic site for growth. The Northland, we think, is underserved in a number of different areas, in particular for certain retail uses.”

Four hundred acres. Two-point-three billion dollars. One of the largest landowners in the country, putting real capital into the Northland. That is the headline most KC residents have not absorbed yet.

What’s actually being built — and where?

The site sits at the convergence of NE Shoal Creek Parkway, Interstate 435, and Highway 152, northeast of Gladstone and southwest of Liberty in Clay County. According to recent KCTV5 reporting, the overall plan envisions a mixed-use development that includes:

• Single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments
• Shopping and restaurants
• A hotel with possible conference space
• Office buildings
• Entertainment and sports facilities

Councilman O’Neill has floated the possibility of an arena and movie theaters. Land Reserve has described the residential side as more than 1,000 homes paired with over 1 million square feet of retail space. The retail piece is what Northland residents have been asking for the loudest. The area has long been considered underserved compared to the south side of the river when it comes to grocery, dining, and entertainment options.

Where the project stands as of May 2026

Things moved fast in April and May. On April 23, KCMO leaders advanced the 435 and Soccer Drive TIF Plan, giving the city manager authority to enter an agreement with the TIF Commission and Land Reserve. On May 7, the financing plan cleared the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee. On May 21, 2026, the City Council formally approved the first piece of the larger plan, known as “Redevelopment Project J,” and drew the official boundaries for the TIF district.

That last vote is what unlocks the financing mechanism that makes the rest of the project possible.

What the 23-year TIF timeline actually means

One number that’s been repeated in local coverage is the 23-year timeline. That is not how long construction will take. That is how long the TIF district stays active before the captured tax revenue fully retires the project’s public infrastructure costs.

Here’s how the financing works. As property values rise inside the TIF district, the increased property tax revenue is captured and rerouted back into the project to pay for public improvements like roads, water lines, and sewer lines. KSHB reported that 5% of that captured money still flows out annually to local taxing districts, including school districts, based on their share of the tax rate.

What this means for residents: the development itself will be built in phases over many years. None of the published reporting includes a phase-by-phase construction schedule. We do not yet know which residential, retail, or hotel piece breaks ground first, or when. That is a worthwhile question to ask your city council representative if you live in the Northland and want a clearer picture of what to expect at the site over the next 5 to 10 years.

Twenty-three years is the TIF payoff. It is not the construction timeline. Those are two different things, and most of the coverage has blurred them together.

What this signals for the Northland’s trajectory

As both Realtors and a licensed mortgage originator who track Northland inventory and value patterns, here is what we are watching. A $2.3 billion private development at one of the busiest interchanges on the north side of the metro is the kind of capital commitment that reshapes long-term value patterns. The communities closest to the site — Liberty, Gladstone, Pleasant Valley, and the broader North Kansas City corridor — are likely to see the strongest spillover over time.

None of that means buyers should panic or rush into anything. The 23-year horizon is real and the construction phasing has not been published. But for KC residents who pay attention to growth patterns, Pioneer Crossing is the kind of project that goes on the radar early and stays there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the “Plaza of the Northland”?

“Plaza of the Northland” is the nickname locals have given to Pioneer Crossing, a $2.3 billion mixed-use development planned on roughly 400 acres near I-435 and Highway 152 in Clay County. The phrase came from Kansas City 1st District Councilman Kevin O’Neill, who compared his vision for the site to mixed-use destinations like Lenexa City Center and Leawood’s Town Center.

Who is developing Pioneer Crossing?

The developer is Land Reserve Inc., a Utah-based real estate development company owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church has owned the land for years and is developing it through Land Reserve rather than selling it to a third-party developer.

Where is Pioneer Crossing located?

Pioneer Crossing sits at the convergence of NE Shoal Creek Parkway, Interstate 435, and Highway 152 in Clay County, northeast of Gladstone and southwest of Liberty.

What is being built at Pioneer Crossing?

The plan envisions a mixed-use development with single-family homes, townhomes, apartments, shopping, restaurants, a hotel with possible conference space, office buildings, and entertainment or sports facilities. Land Reserve has described the residential side as more than 1,000 homes paired with over 1 million square feet of retail space.

When will Pioneer Crossing be built?

No public phase-by-phase construction schedule has been released. The 23-year timeline referenced in local coverage is the payoff period for the project’s tax-increment financing (TIF) district, not the construction schedule. The first major financing approval was passed by Kansas City Council on May 21, 2026.

How is Pioneer Crossing being financed?

The project uses tax-increment financing (TIF). As property values rise inside the TIF district, the increased property tax revenue is captured and rerouted back into the project to pay for public infrastructure like roads, water lines, and sewer lines. 5% of that captured money still flows annually to local taxing districts, including school districts.

Ready to Talk?

If you live in the Northland, are thinking about moving there, or are just trying to keep tabs on what’s happening in Kansas City’s growth story, we are happy to be a resource.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Joe Nelson | NMLS# 2547018 | LeaderOne Financial Corporation NMLS# 12007