By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The calendar has flipped to 2025, and after successes in 2024, St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale is looking at all the things that could come in a new year.
Downtown St. Joseph saw some big changes last year, with the new Children’s Discovery Center, and several upgrades to the Civic Arena. Josendale says there’s even more coming in the new year.
“Coleman Hawkins Park is being redone and we’ve got a new stage going in there, we’re looking at putting a new city market downtown to where we have a gathering place,” Josendale tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.
Josendale calls the Children’s Discovery Center the core of all the developments downtown, and also says he’s always looking at what more can be done.
Another project that has been in the works for some time is renovations to the I-229 double decker bridge. Josendale says near the end of last year, he had discussions with MoDOT, and says the ball seems to be moving in the right direction on the project.
“Which we’ve heard for 10 years I know, but we’ve got the environmental covered, they’re now looking at putting together a design build project, so who will be involved in that,” Josendale explains.
Josendale says the concept of I-229 is there but with entering design and build, contractors and the city could have new ideas to add into the actual design of the project.
Josendale hopes what he considers successes of 2024 will carry into the new year as it begins.
Josendale says with an experienced city council, a new city manager, and a new school superintendent, St. Joseph has an incredible opportunity in 2025.
“We always talk about time and place, and I think we’ve got an opportunity in St. Joe and in the community to grow ourselves and be a better place, and attract more people to come here,” Josendale says.
Josendale says one big project that will continue to be worked on into the new year will be the new sports complex, which aims to be a destination to draw more families to live in St. Joseph.
