Hunt Midwest and Principal Senior Living Group open ninth Benton House

Hunt Midwest, in partnership with Principal Senior Living Group, recently welcomed the first residents to Benton House of Olathe, its newest assisted living and memory care community located at 15700 W. 151st St. in Olathe, KS.

“Benton House of Olathe is situated amongst several established neighborhoods, providing area seniors needing assistance with daily activities the option to remain in the same community, close to friends and family,” said Ora Reynolds, president and CEO of Hunt Midwest.

“Excellent schools, city services and a full range of housing options have made Olathe a popular choice for families to call home, but market research indicated a gap between demand and the availability of high-quality senior housing. Our team is thrilled to offer Benton House of Olathe to meet the current and ongoing needs of seniors and their families for first-class assisted living and memory care.”

This is Hunt Midwest and Principal Senior Living Group’s ninth metro area Benton House community; more than double the number locations initially planned by the partnership when it entered the Kansas City senior housing market in 2011.

“The success of Benton House senior living communities has significantly outpaced our initial projections in terms of capital investment and number of locations," Reynolds said. "Our investment of $85M in senior housing development has subsequently resulted in the creation of more than 700 jobs to support the construction, management and operation of our Benton House locations.

Benton House of Olathe incorporates a variety of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces and 55 studio and one-bedroom apartment suites arranged in a figure eight around two landscaped courtyards. Also offered is the Beacon Neighborhood, an exclusive, secured area dedicated to residents in need of additional memory care services and support.

“Our award-winning team takes great pride in providing compassionate, individualized care to residents and their families,” said Kyle Diekmann, chairman of Principal Senior Living Group. “Benton House offers a variety of programs and events designed to promote an engaging, active lifestyle for our residents. We’re proud to have earned the reputation of being a wonderful place for area seniors to call home.”

Traditional architecture and interior design give Benton House of Olathe a classic, timeless look that complements the surrounding neighborhood. Elements include a neutral color palette and mix of stone, brick and stucco on the façade, lush landscaping, and signature white cupola atop a sweeping, covered front entry.

The single-story, 52,000-square-foot building is situated on 4.4-acres, allowing ample room on the site for future expansion of the Beacon Neighborhood with minimal impact to residents living at Benton House or nearby.

Hunt Midwest and Principal Senior Living Group currently own and operate a portfolio of six Benton House locations that include Benton House of Olathe, Benton House of Staley Hills, Benton House of Lenexa, Benton of Tiffany Springs, Benton House of Raymore and Benton House of Blue Springs. Previously owned locations include Benton House of Shoal Creek, Benton House of Lee’s Summit and Benton House of Prairie Village.

The company’s Benton House assisted living facilities serve seniors who don’t want or need a nursing home, but who are weary of home upkeep, in need of a little personal assistance or simply desire to have more interaction with others. The company currently owns/operates 25 Benton House assisted living and Alzheimer’s/memory care service centers.

GBA Celebrates 50 “Remarkable” Years

This month Lenexa-based GBA turns 50 and has much to celebrate including steady growth, embracing change and providing remarkable solutions in the architecture/engineering industry for half a century.

Founded by civil engineer George Butler in 1969, the firm George E. Butler & Associates, Inc. began with just ten employees in a small office on the sixth floor of a downtown Kansas City office. Today, GBA and its subsidiaries employ a staff of 275 in seven states.

“It’s something that I never dreamed I’d get to see but I’m really honored that the firm has done so well, and most of that’s happened since I left [laughs].……,” recalls the founder and CEO Butler in GBA’s commemorative 50th anniversary video.

The firm quickly made its mark on the KC metro community with one of their first projects, the Jackson County Sports Complex, later named the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex. The firm was responsible for the civil engineering design and all site work surrounding the stadiums, which included the design of parking lots, roadways and utilities. This was no small feat at the time, considering that this was the first, two-stadium sports complex in existence. 

In 1970, Butler’s lifelong friend George Saller joined as a principal of the firm, quickly broadening the firm’s services with his extensive mechanical and electrical engineering experience. Water environment, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services were added to the company in the 1970s.

Now in the midst of implementing a five-year strategic plan, the GBA team is focused on technology and innovation to meet the ever-changing needs in delivering transportation, environmental, building and development projects.

“During my career at GBA, change has been constant; we’ve embraced new technology and adapted our services to meet the needs of our clients and communities,” said GBA President/CEO Tim Ross. “As we continue to grow, one thing that won’t change is our commitment to creating remarkable solutions for our clients.”

GBA is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, in the Renner Ridge Corporate Center, where the firm provided planning, building design, site development and surveying. The firm has regional offices in Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas and Illinois. 

Sunflower Development: Preserving the past, creating a new future

MARCIA CHARNEY

Sunflower Development Group, founded 13 years ago, has established a niche in redeveloping historic properties. Principal Jason Swords shared with attendees at the Kansas City CCIM Chapter Breakfast on Friday, May 17, 2019, the details of some of its recently completed and current redevelopment projects. Swords showcased The Grand, a transformation by Sunflower Development Group and its project partner, Block Real Estate Services, of the Traders on Grand building, located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The property, purchased in April, 2016 from Van Trust Real Estate, now features 201 luxury apartment units with high end amenities.

The Grand also features 12,000 square feet of office and retail space. Sunflower Development Group recently relocated its offices to The Grand. Sunflower Development Group worked with the National Parks Service to designate the Traders on Grand building a historic building, making the project eligible for historic tax credits on both the state and federal levels.

Swords said that without the historic tax credits, the project would not work. With a total investment of $69 million, the quality of the amenities and The Grand’s prime location, Swords said he believes the building has another 40 to 50 years of life, “so we believe we’re positioned really, really well.”

Another recently completed historic renovation project is the Blenheim School Apartments, located at 2411 E. 70TH Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri.  Sunflower Development Group acquired the closed Blenheim School through the Kansas City Missouri Public Schools’ repurposing program and transformed the building into 52 affordable/restricted income apartments for seniors 55 years and older. 

After signing the purchase contract, Swords said it took Sunflower Development Group three years to get the federal and state historic tax credits, the federal and state affordable housing credits and other financing in place.   During those three years, the gymnasium filled up with four feet of water creating a mold issue, recounted Swords, “so the building got less expensive the longer we were under contract.” 

The completed project opened in December, 2018 and is approximately 75% leased.   Swords noted that most of the tenants are from the neighborhood.  This is the second  Kansas City, Missouri school building that Sunflower Development Group has repurposed.  It completed a 48 unit affordable senior living project in 2017, the Faxon School Apartments, which is fully leased.

Within the next two months, Sunflower Development Group plans to begin the transformation of the former Valentine Shopping Center, located across the street from the Uptown Theater, into the Uptown Lofts, a 226 apartment unit project.  The project also will contain a retail component.  In addition, Swords noted, Sunflower Development Group is working with Sky Real Estate to convert the historic American Electric Building located in downtown  St. Joseph, Missouri into the American Electric Lofts, which will contain 137 market rate apartments.

Swords wanted to dispel the myth that it’s cheaper to buy an older building and convert it than undertaking new construction.  “Renovating an older property, you’re going to spend more per foot than you would building a new construction,” he said.

United Excel relaunches as StructSure Projects

The national general contractor formerly known as United Excel Corporation has relaunched as StructSure Projects. The firm founded in 1994 will build on its strength in the healthcare market and grow its presence in office and other diverse spaces.

“Healthcare is our main lane, but there is a desire to diversify and pursue other markets such as higher education, Class A office, and laboratory and pharmaceutical space,” said StructSure President Dennis Burns, who is leading the local market launch. “Healthcare is our bread and butter and what we are known for, but we still are going to look to expand into other sectors.”

“Our team is ready to put its expertise and drive for excellence to work in their own backyard,” Owner Kevin Rogers added. “StructSure Projects is motivated to perform at the highest level by offering certainty in quality of work and schedule.”

The company will retain all the history, experience and talent in its project management team. Recent projects include a new Hybrid OR at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, now AdventHealth, and the firm is currently working on projects for Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and Menorah Medical Center.

"We have new energy and a new vision and it was the right time to rebrand and differentiate ourselves from the competition," Burns said. “We are still the same firm, just with a new look and feel."