Business

This week on Business Beat: an active tech industry in Columbia is seeing a talent deficiency in some areas. Plus, a jump in home sales in Mid-Missouri.

The Columbia Board of Realtors Boone County home sales statistics for May show a turn in the housing market.

The Columbia based tech company Zapier is less than one year old but it’s already caught the attention of Silicon Valley.

The “density” of Columbia’s downtown areas was a key topic emerging from the fourth phase of the city’s public-input program known as “Columbia Imagined.” A slightly smaller crowd than usual gathered at Columbia city hall last night (Tuesday) to discuss the fourth phase of the planning program. Called “Where are we headed?” the discussion drew Columbia community development planners and a crowd of about 20 participants to discuss possible options for Columbia’s growth.

The Columbia City Council has agreed to rezone two lots on Walnut Street to make way for a new apartment building.  The decision came in a vote at Monday's city council meeting, where councilmembers voted 6-1 to rezone two lots on Walnut Street near College Avenue from residential to commercial, despite protests from neighbors. 

After an earlier rezoning request was denied by the Planning and Zoning Commission, Jon and Nathan Odle, owners of the property, added two amendments to the request, including contributions to a new city bus system known as FastCAT Express.