A New Twist for a Historically Ag-Based Economy Market Analysis for the Holden Business Park in Holden, Missouri Project Summary Community: Holden, Missouri Technical Assistance: Market Analysis Former Use: Industrial/Vacant Future Use: High-Value Agriculture, Various Holden, Missouri is a small rural community (population 2,194 in 2020) within the Kansas City metro region. Holden is experiencing slower population growth than its surrounding areas and a decrease in young people and young families, who are leaving the area in favor of bigger cities and their surrounding suburbs. The largest labor force groups in Holden include manufacturing, healthcare/social assistance, and construction, and average incomes are lower than in the broader region. The Community's Challenge Despite its environmental history as a former Superfund site, the Holden Business Park presents a unique opportunity to bring high value jobs to the community and neighboring areas and generate tax revenue to support other community programs. The site represents a key location on the peripheral of the city and thus the successful redevelopment could spur additional economic activity and revitalization for the City of Holden. Previous community visioning identified potential reuse options for the 24-acre Holden Business Park, including camp sites or RV hookups, a service station, an industrial storage site, and motel as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor recreational uses such as a community center, garden, or rodeo site. EPA's Land Revitalization Technical Assistance In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Land Revitalization Program provided contractor technical assistance to conduct a market study of Holden and provide recommendations to the city that would guide future redevelopment of the site. The study included an assessment of the local workforce demographics and retail market, as well as current site conditions. The report also provides an analysis matrix based on stakeholder input and the economic/market conditions of the surrounding area, as well as a case study of similar uses. Findings from this analysis indicate that the most feasible use for the initial phase of development of the Holden Business Park may be high value agriculture that taps into the city's historical agricultural labor force, generates both employment and tax revenue for the city and most importantly, has a local champion motivated to engage with the site. The site is located on the edge of the city, surrounded by mostly undeveloped, low- density residential, and some commercial uses, making the proposed use compatible with the surrounding fabric. Site Use Feasibility Matrix Site Use Employment Generation Revenue Generation Local Support Tax Revenue Required Space Campground and RV hookup Limited and potentially variable based on season Limited and variable Yes Limited and variable based on capacity Flexible (10 sites per acre) Convenience Store and Service area Yes Potentially significant, dependent on traffic patterns Yes, but lack of current operator interest Yes 1-5 acres Industrial Storage Limited Limited and dependent on local business storage needs Limited Yes, dependent on local business needs Flexible High-Value Agricultural Potentially significant Potentially significant Yes Potentially significant Initially, 5 acres, more as operations and possible spin- off activity develops For more information, contact David Doyle, EPA Region 7 Brownfields Program, at dovle.david@epa.gov. SEPA United States Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization Environmental Protection Agency 560-F-23-328 ------- |