Vacant Lots Convert to Home Construction Projects

Dorri Partain
Managing Editor

Over a century ago, this area now known as Historic Northeast was awash with construction as new homes were built to provide housing for a growing Kansas City population. A dozen decades later, vacant lots — where homes were lost to fires and neglect — are now providing sites for new construction of family homes.

In the Lykins neighborhood, on the 4100 block of E. Seventh street, construction began in August 2025 to build eight single-family homes with the assistance of Habitat For Humanity. Homes were constructed two at a time, so the first homes completed are now occupied by their owners as construction on nearby lots continues.

The process to construct new homes is lengthy. Discussions between Habitat For Humanity and representatives of the Lykins Neighborhood Association began several years ago and new homes on the 4100 block of E. Sixth street were completed and occupied in 2022.

Habitat for Humanity — a nation-wide program that both rehabilitates and constructs new housing — provides the funding and coordinates with volunteer builders, including prospective homeowners that invest hundreds of hours of labor, to provide low-income, affordable housing.

Following a groundbreaking ceremony last March, new construction began in the Indian Mound neighborhood on the 400 block of S. Drury. This side-by-side two-story duplex is funded by upStart, a division of reStart —- a service provider seeking to provide pathways to stable housing and leading the way to prevent and end homelessness in Kansas City, according to its website. Both organizations operate at 918 E. Ninth St.

Capital Builders is managing the on-site construction of this design by Trasko + Trasko. In addition to this duplex, upStart has permits and designs to build a single-family home on a lot at 5407 Smart and a back-to-back duplex on a lot at 413 Hardesty that will be ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant.

These new-builds have been designed to blend with surrounding housing that dates to the early 1900s.

Community Project Funding —- $750,000 from Cottage Communities allocated by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, District 5 House of Representatives — is expected to cover one-quarter to one-half the costs to construct these five units.