46 Penn Centre adds newest tenant Parris Communications

Parris Communications Inc., a leading public relations and strategic communications firm, will be relocating its KCMO office to 46 Penn Centre on the Country Club Plaza in fall 2021.

Parris, a 33-year-old firm with a roster of clients spanning coast to coast, will join existing tenants CrossFirst Bank, RSM Partners, UBS, Pulse Design, Triad, BRES, CROWN MedRealty Partners and Anthony Knipp Law.

The Kansas City-native corporate communications firm will occupy approximately 5,200 SF of “blank slate” space on the 9th floor of the 14-story building, developed by Block Real Estate Services, LLC (BRES). The space is being designed by KEM Studios and will be constructed by contractor, Nexus5. 

“After living on the west side of the Plaza for over three decades, we’re inspired by the opportunity to reside in the heart of the Country Club Plaza,” said Parris Communications founder and CEO, Roshann Parris.

Founded in 1988, Parris Communications is a full-service strategic communications agency, specializing in corporate communications, public relations, crisis and issues management, public affairs, community engagement and executive presentation coaching.  Among its many honors over the years, Parris has been named one of “Kansas City’s Best Places to Work” for 13 years, and is a “Small Business Philanthropist of the Year” recipient.

“We are excited to welcome the high-energy Parris team to 46 Penn Centre,” said Kenneth G. Block, managing principal of BRES. “Parris is known regionally and nationally for the impressive quality of their work with some of the region’s biggest and best companies.  BRES has been honored to work with them over the years, and we can’t wait to welcome them to 46 Penn Centre, their new home on the Plaza.”

Also opening in fall 2021 at 46 Penn Centre will be exciting restaurant concepts Ocean Prime and Prime Social, the latter of which will open on the building’s panoramic rooftop.

46 Penn Centre is the first office building to be built on the Country Club Plaza since the Plaza Vista building opened in 2013. Opportunities remain available to occupy the state-of-the-art building, including the 14th floor.  Please contact BRES at 816.756.1400 for all leasing inquiries.

Cloverleaf Office Park upgrades as employees return to offices

In Northeast Johnson County, owners of the 50-acre Cloverleaf Office Park have completed a number of timely upgrades to ease apprehension as employees return to company offices.

Cloverleaf’s renovations include virus-killing HVAC technology, enhanced outdoor work and event space, solar-panel powered amenities and elevated security. The office park, which spans ten buildings and 400,000 SF, is located at the southeast corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Metcalf.

“We have created a desirable, convenient and healthy work environment where office users will feel comfortable coming to work every day, and our tenants couldn’t be more excited,” said Ned O’Connor, founder of Waterford Property Company and leasing agent and asset manager of Cloverleaf. “In addition to improving air quality within the buildings, we’ve created a unique outdoor setting by leveraging our position as one of the few large office parks in Johnson County with significant greenspace.”

After planting 235 new trees, 2,250 plants and shrubs, and 3,000 tulips, the office park has nearly finished restoring the greenspace to its original appearance 19 years ago.

For many workers, rising vaccination rates and falling mask mandates have encouraged a slow return to office space, but safety concerns remain as the pandemic continues. Cloverleaf has addressed these viable concerns about health and safety by providing flexible workspace and amenities.

For companies seeking short-term collaboration or specific project work, flexible meeting spaces for non-tenants is also available to the community by reservation.

Tenants returning to work or moving into Cloverleaf will enjoy the following enhancements:

• HVAC ultraviolet lighting – Hospitals, data centers and other critical infrastructure have used UV light at air intakes for years to kill the viruses, bacteria and molds that commonly accumulate in HVAC equipment. UVC, the UV light spectrum Cloverleaf uses, provides the maximum germicidal effect across all buildings.

• Solar panel tables – Solar canopies convert sunlight to power and store it in benches at five outdoor workspaces, which are accessible to all tenants. Free wi-fi is available throughout Cloverleaf.

• Founder’s Park – Founder’s Park is a central plaza perfect for events and team building. It is outfitted with two gas grills, café-style tables and chairs, table tennis, a bag-toss game area, and a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs and an Ipe wood bench.

• Security – Cloverleaf has installed 24-hour, motion-activated, surveillance security cameras across the park and has upgraded building access systems.

• Socially distanced meeting space – The park now has two conference rooms available to all tenants at no cost. One has the capacity for 30 people, the other for 50.

O’Connor also noted that providing a clean, secure and amenity-rich work environment had become a critical differentiator in the office market as companies reassess or reorganize their space needs.

“The demands of the modern workforce are changing constantly,” he said, “and Cloverleaf will always be committed to staying ahead of those demands.”

Matt Condon, the founder and CEO of Bardavon Health Innovations and a Cloverleaf tenant for 15 years, says that the value of officing with Cloverleaf extends far beyond amenities.

“Cloverleaf has been a true partner to us as we’ve grown through the years and required more or different space; it hasn’t been your typical landlord-tenant negotiation,” Condon said. “It’s been ideal to not only have great space with a lot of amenities, but also a landlord that will partner with you to prioritize flexibility and optionality.

“Coming out of COVID, Cloverleaf has also been very forward-thinking about health and safety accommodations as we gear up to return to the office,” Condon added. “It’s very important to me as a CEO that I can communicate that with my team so they know their landlord is looking out for their health.”

To learn more Cloverleaf and its upgrades, to reserve a collaborative meeting space or to schedule a tour, you may call Ned O’Connor at (913)-789-9000 or visit cloverleafofficepark.com.