The Boulevard of Joplin Era (Late 1980s–Early 1990s)
By the late 1980s, the Newman Building stood as both a reminder of Joplin’s bustling past and a challenge for its future. Once the pride of Main Street commerce and later the headquarters of the Pentecostal Church of God, the seven-story structure now faced a question that had become familiar to many downtown landmarks: how to remain relevant in an era when shopping malls and suburban developments had drawn away much of the city’s foot traffic. Into this setting stepped Kenny Cox, a local entrepreneur with a plan bold enough to match the scale of the building itself.
Cox, working through his company Boulevard of Joplin Inc., acquired the property with the goal of transforming it into a vibrant center of entertainment, retail, and community life. His concept, unveiled in 1989, was to create “The Boulevard,” a multi-level complex designed to bring energy back to downtown. The plan called for a teen center, recreation areas, dining options, and small retail shops. Cox envisioned a safe and supervised gathering place for young people, while also offering attractions for families, shoppers, and tourists.
The projected cost of the venture was $600,000, a significant investment for a downtown struggling to regain its former vitality. To help fund the project, Cox sought $80,000 in Community Development Block Grant money from the City of Joplin. The grant was approved on the condition that the remainder of the funding be secured through private investment. City officials supported the proposal, seeing in it a chance to restore life to a section of Main Street that had once been the heart of the city’s retail district.
For a time, the promise of The Boulevard seemed to signal a turning point. The building’s central location, distinctive architecture, and large floor space provided a strong foundation for redevelopment. But as the project moved into the early 1990s, it encountered a series of obstacles that revealed the difficulties of maintaining and adapting a historic structure of this scale.
In 1992, trouble arose when bricks began chipping away from one of the building’s side walls. A tenant, Bernina of Joplin, needed access to make repairs but became embroiled in a dispute over the work. The matter was brought before the city, which issued an enforcement action. The dispute was eventually resolved, but the incident underscored how the building’s age could complicate even routine maintenance.
Later that same year, a severe storm struck Joplin and damaged portions of the building. Debris from the roof was reported to have been thrown down onto the street, and reports of intruders accessing the upper floors soon followed. The city ordered a cleanup, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety and security in a structure that was not yet fully renovated or occupied.
Although some elements of The Boulevard were put into place, the larger vision never reached its full potential. Financial constraints, the challenge of attracting sustained foot traffic to downtown, and the sheer expense of rehabilitating the building made it difficult to realize Cox’s ambitious plans. By the mid-1990s, the project had lost momentum, and the Newman Building once again found itself in transition, its fate tied to the shifting fortunes of the city around it.