Blue Ridge Crossing
A retail shopping center near Interstate 70 and Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, redeveloped on the site of the former Blue Ridge Mall.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Blue Ridge Crossing is a retail shopping center in the Kansas City metropolitan area, positioned near Interstate 70 and Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, with associated parcels extending toward neighboring Independence. The current center replaced the former Blue Ridge Mall, an important mid-century shopping destination whose site crossed the municipal boundary between Kansas City and Independence. The predecessor property opened on October 17, 1958, as an open-air regional shopping center. Its development was associated with William Reich, while Kansas City mayor H. Roe Bartle officiated at the opening ceremony. The original center included Harzfeld's and promoted amenities that were unusual for the period, including concierge services and childcare. Grand-opening programming continued for more than a year and featured public appearances by celebrities including Eva Gabor and Sandra Dee. During the 1960s, Blue Ridge Mall became one of the most popular shopping centers in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Its unusual location meant that the Kansas City–Independence boundary ran through the property, including through the northeast portion of The Jones Store Co. In 1971, JCPenney moved from the mall's south court into an expanded west-end anchor location. That change helped convert the previously open-air center into a fully enclosed mall and extended its period of commercial prominence. By the mid-1990s, the property faced increasing competition from newer enclosed malls and an oversupplied regional market. The aging mall went through multiple ownership changes and a redevelopment attempt was disrupted when Montgomery Ward entered bankruptcy and closed its stores nationwide at the end of 2000. JCPenney departed in 2001, followed by The Jones Store in 2003, leaving the property without its principal anchors. The former mall was subsequently demolished as part of a tax-increment-financed redevelopment supported by the City of Kansas City. Phase I demolition began in late 2005 and continued into early 2006. IAS Partners, a Kansas City real-estate development firm, led the redevelopment, with Patrick Hayes identified as president and David Horn as project manager. The replacement center opened in January 2007, and the first phase was completed in 2008. Walmart became the principal anchor, joined by a mix of restaurants, services, wireless retail, entertainment-oriented retail, and personal-care businesses. A proposed second phase west of Sterling Avenue was announced in 2012 for an 18-acre parcel. A third proposed phase involved approximately eight acres east of Blue Ridge Boulevard in Independence, on the former Blue Ridge Cinema East site. The referenced materials do not document construction of either phase and indicate that leasing materials continued to seek anchor and inline tenants for the second-phase parcel. Blue Ridge Crossing therefore represents a large-scale transition from a traditional enclosed regional mall to a more dispersed, open-air retail development centered on a major big-box anchor.
History
Blue Ridge Crossing occupies the site of the former Blue Ridge Mall, a shopping property whose history began in the postwar expansion of suburban retail in the Kansas City area. The original center opened on October 17, 1958, as an open-air regional shopping center. William Reich was associated with the vision for the project, and Kansas City mayor H. Roe Bartle formally opened it. Harzfeld's served as one of the early retailers. The center's opening program extended over more than a year and used celebrity appearances to attract shoppers, including appearances by Eva Gabor and Sandra Dee. The original property was notable for amenities that were not standard at the time. It offered concierge services and childcare in a lower-level area, presenting the shopping center as a destination for family convenience as well as merchandise. The site also had an unusual civic geography: the boundary between Kansas City and Independence crossed the mall, and the division ran through part of The Jones Store Co. property. Blue Ridge Mall reached its strongest position during the 1960s, when it was described as the most popular shopping center in the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 1971, JCPenney relocated from the south court to an expanded west-end anchor store. This move accompanied the enclosure of the property and helped sustain the mall through the following two decades. The enclosed format placed the mall within the dominant retail model of the period, with department-store anchors drawing customers to smaller inline tenants. The property weakened during the 1990s as Kansas City gained newer enclosed malls and the region developed more retail space than the market could easily support. Blue Ridge Mall aged physically and commercially, and several ownership changes were followed by an unsuccessful redevelopment effort. Montgomery Ward's bankruptcy and nationwide store closures at the end of 2000 further damaged the mall's anchor base. JCPenney closed in 2001, and The Jones Store followed in 2003. With no major anchors remaining, the old mall was no longer viable in its previous form. The redevelopment that followed was supported by tax-increment financing from Kansas City. Demolition for the first phase began in late 2005 and continued into early 2006. IAS Partners, Ltd., a Kansas City-based real-estate development firm, led the work. Patrick Hayes was identified as the firm's president and David Horn as project manager. Rather than reconstructing the enclosed mall, the project created a newer, more open retail format designed around a Walmart Supercenter and a broad tenant mix. Blue Ridge Crossing opened in January 2007, with Phase I completed in 2008. Initial tenants identified in the reference material included McDonald's, Applebee's, Starbucks, Johnny Carino's Italian, Verizon Wireless, Vintage Stock, and Foxy Nails, alongside Walmart. These tenants indicate a repositioning from department-store-led regional shopping toward value retail, food service, telecommunications, entertainment merchandise, and personal services. In late 2012, developers announced a second phase involving approximately 18 acres west of Sterling Avenue. A third concept covered approximately eight acres east of Blue Ridge Boulevard in Independence, on the former Blue Ridge Cinema East site. The supplied reference material does not document construction of either phase and states that leasing information continued to solicit anchor and inline tenants for the west parcel. The documented history therefore ends with Blue Ridge Crossing operating as a Walmart-anchored shopping center while additional expansion remained proposed or unconfirmed.
- 2012
Phase II and Phase III concepts are announced
[1]Proposals cover an 18-acre west parcel and an eight-acre parcel in Independence.
- 2008
Phase I is completed
[1]The first redevelopment phase is reported complete.
- 2007
Blue Ridge Crossing opens
[1]The new shopping center opens with Walmart as its principal anchor.
- 2005
Phase I demolition begins
[1]Tax-increment-financed demolition begins as part of the replacement project.
- 2003
The Jones Store closes
[1]The final principal anchor leaves the former mall.
- 2001
JCPenney closes
[1]The mall loses one of its major department-store anchors.
- 1971
JCPenney becomes an expanded anchor
[1]JCPenney moves from the south court to an expanded west-end store, accompanying the mall's conversion into a fully enclosed center.
- 1958
Blue Ridge Mall opens
[1]The predecessor shopping center opens on October 17 as an open-air regional retail destination.
Products and positioning
A highway-accessible, value-oriented shopping center serving residents of eastern Kansas City and nearby Independence through a Walmart-anchored mix of general merchandise, dining, services, and convenience retail.
General merchandise and grocery anchor · 2007
Walmart Supercenter
The principal anchor identified for Blue Ridge Crossing's first redevelopment phase. The Walmart Supercenter provides general merchandise, household goods, groceries, and everyday consumer services, giving the center a value-oriented traffic generator in place of the department-store anchors that characterized the former enclosed mall.
Dining and beverages · 2007
Restaurant and food-service tenants
The opening tenant mix included McDonald's, Applebee's, Starbucks, and Johnny Carino's Italian. These businesses complemented the anchor retailer by providing quick-service food, casual dining, coffee, and sit-down restaurant options.
Telecommunications, entertainment, and personal care · 2007
Specialty retail and services
The initial Blue Ridge Crossing tenant list also included Verizon Wireless, Vintage Stock, and Foxy Nails. Together, these businesses represent the center's service-oriented mix, spanning wireless retail, used media and entertainment merchandise, and nail-care services.
Brand decisions
2012
Announce additional development phasesStrategyBackground
The operating center was planned with additional parcels beyond the completed first phase.
Action taken
Plans were announced for an 18-acre west parcel and an eight-acre parcel east of Blue Ridge Boulevard in Independence.
Aftermath
The supplied reference material does not document construction of either phase and indicates that leasing efforts continued for the west parcel.
2005
Replace the enclosed mall with a new retail centerStrategyBackground
The former Blue Ridge Mall had lost its major anchors after years of competition from newer malls, regional retail oversupply, and failed redevelopment efforts.
Action taken
The ownership and redevelopment team pursued demolition and a new, more open retail format supported by Kansas City tax-increment financing.
Aftermath
Blue Ridge Crossing opened in 2007, with Phase I completed in 2008 and Walmart as the principal anchor.
Sources1 sources
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