Stretch of Buildings Revived in Historic Troost Business District

By Kevin Collison

Several buildings on a block in the historic Troost commercial district between 31st and Linwood have been renovated by Clemons Real Estate, with the latest tenant, Glory at Midtown, moving in last fall.

The family-owned development firm has redeveloped the formerly vacant buildings on the west side of the block, 3108-16 Troost and 3124-30 Troost, over the past couple years.

They now house tenants including Journey to New Life; a national costume design studio a counseling clinic, and Glory at Midtown, a church and event space with many of its members living nearby.

“Our Dad (Tim Clemons) inspired us to think outside of the box and not just renovate…but how to improve a neighborhood,” said Audrey Navarro. “We looked at that stretch of Troost as an opportunity to preserve those historic buildings.

The event space on the main level at Glory at Midtown can accommodate 300 people. (Image from Glory at Midtown website)

When Navarro and her brother, Aaron Clemons, started the project, they found buildings jammed with junk, including steel sofa-beds salvaged from the historic President Hotel, that had to be removed and a thicket of legal paperwork that had to be resolved.

They’ve sold the building at 3120 Troost to Journey to New Life and the one at 3142 to the costumer designer. A lease is pending for the counseling office at the former Helzberg jewelry building at 3130 Troost.

Glory at Midtown opened at 3124 Troost last October. Mondays through Saturdays the 5,500 square-foot first floor is used for event space. On Sundays, the congregation gathers to worship.

Greg McKinney, lead pastor, said the church began at the Linwood YMCA in 2020. The members raised $250,000 to build out the space at 3124 Troost. The basement has a church food pantry that operates Wednesday afternoons, serving 200- to 250 people.

Glory at Midtown is one of several buildings renovated by Clemons on the west side of Troost between 31st and Linwood.

The upstairs event space debuted with a fundraiser and fashion show for Travis Kelce of the Chiefs and his “87 and Running” nonprofit, which helps kids with their education. The majority of events have been weddings.

“Some brides ask their guests to bring non-perishable food items for the pantry,” McKinney said.

The upstairs space can accommodate 300 people, downstairs about 125. On Sundays the Glory’s 140 members worship with music from a portable sound system.

Navarro said all the renovation work has been completed on the buildings except for the storefront of the building at 3108 Troost. It’s expected to be completed in May and her firm, Legacy Crossing LLC, is looking for tenants.