Long-time residents of the Marlborough neighborhood in south Kansas City remember what the area around the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Hickman Mills Road used to be like.  Prior to the nearby construction of US. Hwy 71, this area was a thriving industrial area and a center of commerce for local residents.  Today, despite the presence of valued community facilities, public spaces, and several major employers, this area is struggling with decades of disinvestment and vacancy that are degrading quality of life and limiting the future potential of the neighborhood.
 
Hoxie Collective was an integral part of a team that united residents, businesses, non-profits, and other stakeholders to change that trajectory.  The South Prospect and Hickman Mills Vision Plan translates community aspirations into specific actions to re-use vacant buildings, infill vacant lots, reconnect the neighborhood, and transform the corridor into a safer and more comfortable place to be.  Conceptual designs integrate new safety features, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, green infrastructure opportunities, placemaking features, and parking for businesses. 
 
Recommendations for this project were shaped by the unique stakeholders whose interests converged in a better South Prospect Corridor.  Industrial employers and union representatives from a major corridor business provided transformative insight into how the corridor can and should function for workers and business operations.  Blind and low-sight employees at Alphapointe shared the particular dangers they face when interfacing with the street and transportation options.  The Heartland Conservation Alliance brought focus to the connectivity and mutual support between the South Prospect / Hickman Mills area and surrounding trails and natural assets.  The success of this project builds on many years of planning and capacity building in the Marlborough neighborhood to set the stage for local advocates and community members to identify the partners and resources to move this project forward. Hoxie Collective team members have been trusted community planning partners to Marlborough Community Coalition since 2010. See related projects.
 
With the completion of the planning process in Spring 2026, city staff are working with the neighborhood on an infrastructure funding application to construct the first phase of streetscape improvements identified in the plan.