Colorado construction company returns to roots

Colorado-founded GE Johnson Construction Company is establishing a presence in the Kansas City metro and bringing it back to where it all began.

The relationship-focused construction company is currently building out their new office in Lenexa, Kan. and hopes to begin occupying the space by the end of September.

The Kansas City office is being led by Derek Cox. who recently joined GE Johnson with more than 17 years of industry experience and extensive knowledge of the local market.

“What is fascinating about GE Johnson, a Colorado firm, is that it has roots in Kansas, where founder Gil Johnson and his son, current president and CEO Jim Johnson, were born. The culture at GE Johnson is built on ingenuity and relationships; we truly care about our employees, clients, and community. GE Johnson is a perfect fit for the Kansas City region, and I am excited to lead our efforts here,” said Cox.

In addition to their Kansas roots, both Gil and Jim Johnson are K-State graduates.

The company, who focuses on advanced technology, higher education, mixed-use and government & civic projects, is jumping in with both feet on notable, local project Advent Health South. Located at 165th and Antioch in the Bluhawk development in Overland Park, Kan., the $150 million hospital expansion is slated for completion in late 2021.

The team also recently added Kathleen Ismert Allen as a business development manager. Since starting the Kansas City office in October 2019, the local group has grown to a staff of fifteen.

Other GE Johnson locations include their headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and offices in Denver and Vail, Colo., Jackson, Wyo. and Oklahoma City, Okla.

Metro North Crossing Apartments begins construction, sets fall 2021 opening

Vertical construction began this week on the $60 million Metro North Crossing Apartments at the intersection of Highway 169 and NW Barry Road in Kansas City, Mo.

The redevelopment of the former Metro North Mall site includes 249 luxury one and two-bedroom apartments nestled into a community of 36 two-story townhomes; and 30,000 SF of retail, office and restaurant space.

General contractor, MW Builders and architecture firm, Rosemann & Associates, have joined forces to bring an impressive array of amenities for the apartments, including a large resort-style swimming pool with multiple outdoor lanais, equipped with an outdoor grilling kitchen and comfortable seating.

The outdoor space also features a large clubhouse for private parties and events, pickleball courts and a walking trail. Other amenities include a designated off-leash area for pets, a private exercise facility and covered garage parking.

From the onset of the redevelopment, the development team envisioned a “Main Street Village” concept for this area of the project, with walkable shops, restaurants and outdoor gathering areas. The ground level retail and office aspect of the townhome building is the initial step in the realization of this vision, according to the developer.

The announcement comes on the heels of the anticipated September grand opening of T-Shotz, a three-story, next-generation golf and entertainment complex featuring 66 climate-controlled hitting bays with state-of-the-art technology.

“It’s exciting to see different phases of our project come to life. With T-Shotz opening soon and the apartments underway, we feel like we’ve got some great momentum going,” said Dan Horn, project manager for the Metro North Crossing redevelopment.

T-Shotz guests can enjoy playing beginner-level games in the bays and virtual replicas of world-famous golf courses. Other amenities include a sports bar, an upper level restaurant with an elevated menu and multiple event spaces for private and corporate events.

T-Shotz is on track for an early September grand opening. The retail space and apartments are anticipated to be ready for occupancy in the Fall of 2021.

Read related October 2019 MWM article: Construction underway at Metro North Crossings' T-Shots

Urban Outfitters brings jobs, economic stability to Kansas City heartland

The lure of centralized transportation, deep talent pool and strong partnerships proved lucrative to Urban Outfitters (UO) in their recent selection of Kansas City, Kan. as the new home for an 880,000-SF, omni-channel distribution center, which will be located on ancillary land at Kansas Speedway.

The partnership between the State of Kansas and Philadelphia-based URBN will create up to 2,000 new jobs and invest approximately $350 million in Kansas over the next several years.

The Department of Commerce worked closely with KC SmartPort, the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC), the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County in attracting UO to the KC region.

“This was a true collaboration to generate an economic development success story that will deliver benefits in Wyandotte County and beyond in our state,” said Governor Laura Kelly.

URBN cited Kansas’ central location, transportation infrastructure and skilled workforce as key factors in choosing Kansas for its distribution operation, acknowledging the location as critical to its distribution network.

“Our region is strategically positioned in America’s heartland as a major transportation hub, so this decision makes all the sense in the world. This partnership will bring thousands of jobs and much needed investments to our community, and in turn benefit our entire state. I look forward to working with Urban Outfitters to ensure it is a smooth transition,” said Kansas Representative Sharice Davids.

"We are impressed with their culture and desire to work with the community to address community issues like transit, childcare, a local hiring goal, good wages and using local, minority and women-owned companies in the construction of their facility.

The investment and number of jobs are impressive, but the long term opportunities for growth with a company like Urban Outfitters is even more impressive. (We are) appreciative to the State of Kansas, Unified Government, Kansas Speedway, BPU and Hillwood Properties to bring this to fruition,” said Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council.

About UO: Urban Outfitters is a lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding. Founded in 1970 in a small space across the street from the University of Pennsylvania, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe.