Welcome to the Loma Vista Neighborhood Association

 

Nestled in the heart of South Kansas City, Missouri, the Loma Vista Neighborhood Association (LVNA) stands as the official guardian of our resilient community. What originated as a dedicated passion project has matured into a structured organization committed to promoting personal responsibility, community pride, and sustainable growth. We represent the enduring values of Loma Vista—a neighborhood of sturdy mid-century homes, strong families, and traditional roots. Despite facing significant challenges from misguided policies and economic shifts, our area has persevered. Today, as the official association, we partner with residents, local businesses, city leaders, and private enterprises to restore prosperity through practical, market-driven solutions that avoid the pitfalls of overregulation and dependency.

 

Our History: A Legacy of Pioneer Spirit and Perseverance

 

Loma Vista's heritage is deeply rooted in America's westward expansion, reflecting the hardworking ethos that built this nation. In the early 1800s, French fur traders arrived along the Missouri River, establishing rough outposts and trading with Native American tribes like the Shawnee, Kansa, and Osage. By 1821, the Santa Fe Trail—a vital commercial lifeline pioneered by William Becknell—crisscrossed the region, connecting Missouri to the Southwest and facilitating trade in goods, furs, and ideas. This 800-mile route, active until the railroads arrived in the 1880s, passed right thru our neighborhood, with visible remnants like wagon swales—deep ruts carved by thousands of wagons—still evident today in our parks.

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Key historical sites underscore our area's pioneering past:

Schumacher Park: Located at 6601 E. 93rd St., this trail preserve, donated by the Schumacher family in 1990 and opened in 1996 through a partnership between the National Park Service and Kansas City Parks and Recreation, protects segments of the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails. Here, visitors can walk in the footsteps of 19th-century travelers, viewing authentic wagon swales that symbolize the grit and determination of early settlers, walk a paved portion and read about history in our neighborhoood.

 

Wagon Swales: These natural depressions, formed by relentless wagon traffic from the 1820s to the 1870s, are preserved in sites like Minor Park (just south of Loma Vista) and Schumacher Park. They serve as tangible reminders of the Santa Fe Trail's role in opening the West, where entrepreneurs like Alexander Majors operated massive freighting operations in the 1850s, hauling supplies across the plains and even launching the Pony Express in 1860.

 

Majors Farms (Alexander Majors' Operations): In the mid-1800s, Alexander Majors' farm and headquarters at what is now 8201 State Line Rd. served as a hub for his freighting empire, employing hundreds and outfitting wagons for the trails. This site highlights the private enterprise that drove economic growth before government interventions complicated progress.

 

Twelve Mile Encampment: Early trailblazers often camped at sites like the Twelve Mile Camp, in the heart of Loma Vista off of Old Santa Fe Rd and E 93rd St, providing rest for weary travelers en route to Santa Fe. Our focus remains on honoring the original pioneer camps that fostered self-reliance. From the 1860s onward, the arrival of railroads shifted commerce, but the area's agricultural roots endured. Post-Civil War, farms and mills dotted the landscape, supporting growing communities. By the early 1900s, Kansas City expanded southward, incorporating lands once used for municipal farms and prisons, where inmates tended gardens—a pragmatic approach to self-sufficiency that contrasted with later policy failures.

 

Loma Vista itself emerged as a post-World War II suburb in the 1940s and 1950s, offering affordable homes to returning veterans and working families amid America's economic boom. Solid brick ranches and bungalows sprang up, fostering a sense of stability and community. However, starting in the late 1950s, well-intentioned but flawed government policies contributed to cycles of disinvestment and rising crime unchecked by lenient enforcement, this hollowed out neighborhoods like ours.

 

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The Loma Vista Redevelopment Project (LVRP): Private Initiative Driving Revival

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In 2023, the Loma Vista Redevelopment Project (LVRP) launched as BlackWhale REI Group's flagship effort, building on the firm's foundation established in 2020. Led by Kansas City native Emmanuel "E" Vazquez, BlackWhale—a trusted real estate investment firm—has exemplified how private enterprise succeeds where government efforts falter. Focusing on ethical practices, in-house expertise, and market-driven solutions, BlackWhale has acquired undervalued properties, restored homes, and fostered economic growth without relying on heavy subsidies or mandates.

 

How It Started: BlackWhale began in 2020 by identifying opportunities in overlooked neighborhoods like Loma Vista. By 2023, LVRP formalized these efforts, emphasizing property rehabilitation, infill development, and community partnerships to counteract decades of policy-induced neglect.

 

Achievements and Impact: BlackWhale has closed on more than 750 homes across Kansas City, generating over $10 million in wealth creation, with significant benefits to the growing Hispanic community through owner-financing and accessible homeownership pathways. In Loma Vista, they've restored dozens of distressed properties, built new infill homes on vacant lots, and collaborated with local contractors to keep jobs and dollars circulating locally. These initiatives have boosted property values, enhanced safety, and restored pride, proving that free-market approaches deliver results without the inefficiencies of bureaucratic overreach.

 

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New Developments: Practical Progress Amid Challenges

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Building on LVRP's momentum, we're advancing targeted improvements that prioritize resident needs. Recent efforts include:

Infrastructure Upgrades: Advocating through the Public Improvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) for essential fixes like better street lighting and sidewalks, addressing neglect from past underfunding.

 

Community Enhancements: Developing modest green spaces and pocket parks, inspired by proven local models, to promote family-friendly environments.

 

Housing and Economic Growth: BlackWhale's ongoing infill projects aim for completion in 2025-2026, offering efficient, affordable homes that blend with our neighborhood's character.

 

Safety and Sustainability: Aligning with city goals like Vision Zero for traffic safety, while emphasizing personal accountability in crime prevention and environmental stewardship.

These steps counter the failures of past policies, focusing on what works: private investment and community-driven action.

 

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Our Goals: Upholding Traditional Values for a Strong Future

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LVNA is dedicated to a safe, prosperous Loma Vista grounded in ideals of self-reliance, fiscal responsibility, and local control. Our priorities include:

Promoting Homeownership and Wealth Building: Supporting pathways to ownership that empower families to build equity.

 

Enhancing Safety Through Accountability: Advocating for strong enforcement and resident involvement to deter crime.

 

Preserving Neighborhood Character: Protecting our historic roots from overdevelopment or policies that displace long-time residents.

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Encouraging Economic Self-Sufficiency: Partnering with businesses to create jobs and opportunities, steering clear of dependency-creating programs.

 

Amplifying Resident Voices: Ensuring our input shapes city decisions, countering top-down mandates that have historically failed us.

 

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Get Involved: Strengthen Our Community

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Loma Vista thrives when residents take ownership. Join our meetings, volunteer for cleanups, or contribute ideas to build a stronger neighborhood. Contact us at LVRPKC@gmail.com or 816-785-4061 for ways to participate, from infrastructure advocacy to homeownership opportunities.

Together, through private initiative and shared values, we're reclaiming Loma Vista motto - "Where History and Innovation Meet"