Independence, MO---

After months of standing vacant, the Trinity Woods Development at Interstate 70 and Little Blue Parkway is showing signs of development.

Construction crews have placed underground plumbing and insulation, have poured the slab and begun placing steel beams for the building that will become the Corner Cafe.

The restaurant, known for its down-home dishes, has locations in Liberty and Riverside. This site will be the first in Eastern Jackson County. The cafe is expected to take 90 to 110 days to finish and should open sometime from late September through mid-October.

The restaurant will be the first to open on the 90-acre site where it will be joined by a Children’s Mercy Hospital & Clinic and a Drury Inn & Suites, said Jim Harpool, president of Harpool Morgan Haney, a development company. An Arby’s will be built nearby on the west side of Little Blue, and construction on that project is expected to begin within 60 days, Harpool said.

Construction should begin soon on two other pad sites within Trinity Woods. Children’s Mercy Hospital is expected to open a facility to the east of the Corner Cafe’ site. Called Children’s Mercy East, the facility will offer outpatient clinics and an urgent care center, said Children’s Mercy Public Information Officer Tom McCormally. Construction is expected to begin within the next year, he said. The $5 million center will be similar to the Children’s Mercy Northland, located on Barry Road and Missouri 169, he said.

Another site, Drury Inn & Suites, has been purchased just north of the cafe and will include six stories and about 200 guest rooms. Their headquarters are in St. Louis.

“We understand they’re finishing plans,” he said.

Harpool said the Trinity Woods site still has 65 acres of property available for sale.

“Activity out of there’s been pretty steady,” he said, adding that retailers have been slow to commit to building new stores. “The market’s a little slow given the economic conditions throughout the country.”

However, the development company is actively pursuing clients.

“We’ve got lots of room for additional restaurants, retail and office space,” he said. “We’ll talk to anybody.”