BoxDevCo breaks ground on Blume Shawnee

Box Real Estate Development (BoxDevCo) and its partners have begun construction on Blume Shawnee, a European-inspired, vertical mixed-use townhome project located in downtown Shawnee, Kan.

Comprised of nano-sized commercial space with residential lofts and flats above, Blume Shawnee provides the notable, unique feature of living above a commercial storefront.

“Vertical mixed-use townhomes are rare in the United States despite being the quintessential building style throughout many parts of the world,” said BoxDevCo founder, Russell Pearson.

“A vertical mixed-use townhome means people can live and/or work within the same vertical unit. That subtle and/or distinction from a code perspective means Blume Shawnee appeals not only to those who want to work from home, but also small business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, and residents looking for a condo-quality living option,” Pearson said.

Blume Shawnee is comprised of twelve, three-story townhomes surrounding a European-inspired courtyard totaling 29 individual units.

The ‘A’ style building has two units with a +/- 600 SF main-floor commercial space and a two-story +/- 2,200 SF two-bedroom loft. The ‘B’ style building has three units including a +/- 800 SF main-floor commercial space and two +/- 1,550-1,590 SF two-bedroom flats.

Each residential unit is designed to feel like a custom home with attached garages, covered patios, walk-in closets, quartz countertops, dual vanities/showerheads and plenty of other upgrades.

Unlike a traditional mid-rise apartment project, each Blume Shawnee building is fully separated from the next with very few common internal spaces. The shared amenities instead are external – a private dog agility park, bike racks, nearby walking trails and a feature corner designed for rotating art exhibits.

Each unit features all-electric, high-efficiency, mini-split HVAC systems, generous balconies, and operable windows throughout - providing plenty of livable, open space and individual control.

“The medium-density nature of the project blends the economies of larger buildings with traditional single-family construction, allowing the exterior to utilize only durable and low-maintenance materials including Cordova stone, brick, fiber-cement panels and concrete roof tiles,” said Justin Larson, director of development services for BoxDevCo.

The entire project combines practical luxury with contemporary flare to provide long-term value to its residents, the surrounding area and the community at large. Design inspiration for the project came from studying Google Earth imagery of Shawnee’s European sister cities and current design trends.

Pearson traveled to Erfurt, Germany in October 2019 and toured its historic downtown with local city planners, staff and parliament members.

“Experiencing parts of the world that have seen centuries of development and redevelopment changes your perspective on sustainability,” said Pearson.

“We designed Blume Shawnee to stand the test of time so that 100-200 years from now people will decide the buildings are worth saving and can identify what time period the architecture was from once today’s contemporary style is given a name.”

Blume Shawnee is located along the Nieman Now corridor improvement project that included $40+ million in roadway, streetlight, utility, bike, amenity and walking trail improvements.

The downtown Shawnee area is located near Shawnee City Hall and features a diverse mix of restaurants, breweries, coffee shops and other regional and neighborhood amenities.

Founded in 2016, Box Real Estate Development is headquartered in Kansas City and seeks to identify real estate investment opportunities that yield above market returns relative to risks. BoxDevCo focuses on real estate acquisition and development in the central US and provides a full spectrum of services including fund creation and administration, asset and construction management. For more information on BoxDevCo, please visit www.boxdevco.com.

Read previous, related MWM article here: July 2020: New live-work transformation approved for downtown Shawnee

Click here to watch "Behind the Concept - Blume Shawnee" video.

Belton approves residential development trifecta

This week the  Belton (Mo.) Planning Commission voted to recommend approval to Belton City Council rezoning, redevelopment and new additions of three projects totaling over 500 units to serve young professionals, families and seniors.

Recommendations included rezoning from C-2 to R-3A and a preliminary development plan for Center 301 Apartments, at the southeast corner of Towne Center Drive and East Markey Parkway.

In the same session, the commission approved 137 lots for single-family and 10 lots for single-family attached homes in the Autumn Ridge subdivision as well as the addition of 53 senior living units to the Traditions subdivision.

“Growth in the development of single-family homes as we’ve seen today with the Autumn Ridge plan continues at a remarkable pace for the city of Belton,” said Dave Clements, director of planning and building.

“Combined with the 53 new Traditions units, which will help relieve the pressing demand our citizens have for quality senior living options, and the Center 301 multi-family units, we are adding capacity for what could be 1,000 or more Belton citizens depending on how many occupy each residence, Clements said.

The preliminary plan for the developer, Case & Associates, includes the $34 million Center 301 Apartments. The multifamily housing complex will house 306 Class-A units with a mix of one-bedroom / one bath, or two-bedrooms / two baths; many with first-floor garages. All residents will have access to a dog exercise area, walking trail, swimming pool and cabana as well as a clubhouse that features a fitness facility, business center and outdoor kitchen. The developer expects rates to range from $965 to $1,420, depending on market conditions.

In the third phase of the single-family development Autumn Ridge, located on the west side of South Mullen Road, includes 137 single-family and 10 lots for single-family attached homes with a neighborhood playground and trail.

Traditions Villas, a 55 year+ restricted community on the northeast corner of Mullen Road and Sycamore Drive, proposed an addition of 53 garden-level, 868 SF one-story villas with two bedrooms across a total of 10 buildings. Each will feature a front porch and back patio and laundry and has access to a community building which will have onsite management and maintenance offices and provide space for resident gatherings.

Partners on the Case & Associates developments include Architects Collective, Tanner Consulting, Schlagle & Associates and Quist Engineering.

The city council will make final determination on the rezoning for the Center 301 project from C-2 General Commercial District to a R-3A Planned Unit Development, and on its Preliminary Development Plan, at its October 13, 2020 meeting.

$60 million 'The Residences at Galleria' to open in 2022

The Residences at Galleria, a $60 million multifamily complex located adjacent to the former Sprint World Headquarters in the Galleria 115 development in Overland Park, Kan., is set to begin construction this summer and slated to open in 2022.

The four-story, luxury apartment complex is included in the first phase of the 5-plus acre development by Block Real Estate Services, LLC (BRES). The $350 million Galleria mixed-use development master plan includes two apartment buildings, office space, retail and entertainment.

JLL Capital Markets (JLL) arranged $21 million in joint venture equity partnership with Hartford Investment Management Company (“HIMCO”) on behalf of BRES for the development of the 322-unit, Class-A, podium multi-housing community.

"We are excited to partner with HIMCO on this project, and, from the beginning of discussions with them, it was clear that we had a shared vision for the quality of this project and its high-demographics location within Overland Park” said Ken Block, BRES managing principal.

The Residences include 322 one-, two- and three-bedroom units and will average 927 SF. Features include high ceilings, large walk-in closets with custom shelving, high-end appliances and finishes, European-style cabinetry, outdoor terraces, in-unit laundry rooms with full-size washers and dryers, double-paned windows and more.

A hallmark of the new community, designed by Hoefer Wysocki, is the walkable lifestyle. Adjacent to the site is a thriving commercial corridor, multiple entertainment districts, theaters, and endless restaurant choices. Outdoor patios are linked to The Residences by walking trails that encircle greenspace, sitting areas, a rolling rock waterfall and dog park.

"We are very excited to work with Block Real Estate Services on the Galleria. This community will raise the bar on luxury living in the area,” said Hoefer Wysocki vice president and director of multifamily design, Chris Armer, AIA, NCARB.

The project will feature the best community amenities offered in the submarket and include a large resort-style swimming pool with shallow ledge features; pool deck with cabanas, hot tub, sports courts and water features; fitness center with Peloton bikes, massage therapy and virtual training; outdoor group fitness areas; clubhouse with fireplace, game room and social media room; executive business center; dog park and pet spa; and covered and surface parking.

“Galleria will be BRES’ most exciting project to date, building on our successful experiences with this high-end podium product, which allows for a large, outdoor amenity deck and other amenities that are unique in this market,” Block said. 

The JLL capital markets debt placement team representing the borrower was led by executive managing director Jody Thornton, senior director Mark Erland, director Matt Benson and analyst Kellan Liem.

Other partners on the development team include Titan, Polsinelli and McClure.