By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
February 10, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The wrecking ball has been spared once at the corner of Independence Boulevard and Prospect Avenue. But, if Speedy Cash wants to avoid demolition once again and stay in the Northeast, they’ll have to plead their case.

Late last week, city officials revoked the certificate of legal non-conforming use [CLNU] held by Speedy Cash that allowed them to do business at 2600 Independence Boulevard. The building has spared the wrecking ball since the fatal Oct. 12, 2015, fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters who grew up in Northeast, Larry Leggio and John Mesh.

The city released their decision upholding the original demolition order, as well as the revocation of Speedy Cash’s CLNU. Jessica Ray, Pendleton Heights’s President was pleased with the city’s decision, but feared the ordeal wasn’t over.

“We don’t believe, given the profit motive for Speedy Cash, that we’re done with the process,” Ray said.

Speedy Cash has fifteen days to appeal the city’s decision. Speedy Cash attorneys have not, since the beginning of the process, issued a comment on the matter.

Speedy Cash attorneys appealed the city’s original revocation of the CLNU, as well as the demolition order that stated the building was over 50 percent destroyed. Peter Hoffman, an attorney with Legal Aid of Western Missouri retained by the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association, stated the city’s demolition order should stand and that Speedy Cash was something the neighborhood association didn’t want in the community.

“The neighborhood feels that the city made the right decision based on the weight of such clear evidence,” Hoffman said. “I can also tell you that the neighborhood hopes the owner makes the right decision and continues with the demolition process it started when they pulled the permit.”