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KANSAS CITY, Mo. –Developers of the Ward Parkway shopping center near 89th will break ground Thursday on a new multi-million dollar restaurant district at the south end of the shopping center.

Dave Claflin with Legacy Developers says the public is invited to attend the groundbreaking between 11 a.m., and 12 p.m.

The center is adding five new restaurants, three of those will be new to the metro. Four of the five restaurants to move in are Charleston’s, The Garage, Midici and Ted’s Escondido Cafe.

The $ 16 million project will also include a pedestrian walkway connecting the old center with the new district.

The center has been a part of the neighborhood for more than five decades and was one of the first cinema multiplexes with two movie screens.

Claflin said the shopping center has been very responsive to what the area needs are.

“Its an exciting project,” Clafin said. “It’s been a great project to work on and the south end is really going to add a lot to this part of Kansas City.”