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.

Waldo Ice House redevelopment helps freeze housing shortage

The history of the Waldo Ice House project dates back 100 years to when the site was home to the Kansas City Ice Company from the mid-1920s until the mid 1960s.

By 1970, Waldo Antiques operated the property until 2017. That’s when developers Diane Botwin of Botwin Real Estate and Andrew Ganahl of Linden Street Partners put plans in motion to redevelop the site with a mixed-use project. 

“My father-in-law, Jerry Raeder, has memories of going to the Kansas City Ice Company plant as a child in the mid-1940s before the family had an electric refrigerator,” said Ganahl. 

However, due to decades of neglect, redevelopment of the original historic ice house building did not pencil, and the building was demolished. Keeping in the spirit of the original structure’s use and objective, Ice House Partners LLC was formed, and the Waldo apartments became reality.

Botwin and Ganahl met as neighboring business owners in the KC Crossroads. Botwin as a 30-year local business and property owner, and Ganahl, as a regional urban infill developer, decided that multifamily housing deemed “missing middle” was needed as an alternative for people who want to live in Waldo but did not desire a single-family home. 

“We have leased 4,000 square feet of the first-floor commercial space to a local optometrist and have 800 square feet awaiting a new tenant,” said Botwin.

The project is the first new construction project Waldo has seen in many years, finally bringing housing options to the neighborhood’s constrained supply of housing,

Details of the multifamily portion include:

·      44 units, mix of studios (25%), one-bedrooms (55%) and two- bedrooms (20%); most with balconies

·      Rent starting around $1,000/month with average price of $1,250/month

·      Nationally-exhibited local artist is creating a site specific work to be installed in the apartment lobby

·      Walkable and transit—oriented; adjacent to CVS, Aldi's, Walgreen's, local restaurants and retail; plus close proximity to major transit stop at 75th and Wornall, including Main MAX bus line

The project team includes Slaggie Architects, Inc; general contractor, Haren Companies; engineers Leigh & O’Kane (structural), Smith & Boucher (MEP) and Taliaferro & Browne (civil).

A completion date is slated for summer 2021.

GBA acquires Texas firm Jay Engineering Company

George Butler Associates, Inc. (GBA) recently announced the acquisition of Texas-based firm Jay Engineering Company, Inc., now renamed as Jaeco, a division of GBA.

As a result of strategic planning efforts, GBA set out to acquire a firm in the water/wastewater or transportation markets. Texas was identified as a strong market with growing need for infrastructure.

“Jay’s municipal and development engineering expertise and long-standing presence in the Austin area will allow us to further strengthen our service offerings and resources in Texas,” said Tim Ross, GBA president/CEO.

Jay Engineering has served clients since 1980. Earlier this year, founder Fred Jay marked forty years in business and made the decision to retire.

“I am so glad this day has come. We have worked long and hard to develop a reputation of serving our clients with integrity and excellence in our field. With my retirement, it is good to know both employees and clients will be well served under this new arrangement. Putting the additional resources of GBA into play will allow serving needs that we could not before. The future is bright,” said Jay.

Since 2016, GBA has grown from 210 to 300 people. According to Heidi Thummel, director of business development and the firm’s M&A project manager,

"We couldn’t be more excited to welcome new teammates in Texas! GBA is adding a group of outstanding technical professionals who will expand our capabilities, and Jay Engineering is gaining the support of a firm that can help provide opportunities for growth and development,” Thummel said.

GBA/Jay closed the deal virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic on August 31, 2020. Terms of the acquisition will not be released.

Savoy Tea Co. joins The District at Lenexa City Center

Copaken Brooks has announced Savoy Tea Company will be joining the Shops at The District at Lenexa City Center.

This is the first Kansas City location for the company, which has locations throughout northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma City, Okla.

Founded in Rogers, Ark. in 2011, Savoy Tea Co. carries over 150 specialty and rare teas sourced from tea gardens and family farms spanning across the world. Each of the specialty flavored teas are crafted by Savoy Tea Company, formulated to perfection by their professional team of Tea Specialists at the Savoy Tea Laboratory in Fayetteville, Ark.

“Kansas City has such an incredible small business community, and we’re thrilled to join those ranks,” said Bill Beyer, a Certified Tea Specialist and Tea Blender who co-owns Savoy with his wife, Tina Beyer, an Internationally Certified Tea Sommelier.

Bill and Tina Beyer have been educated by the Specialty Tea Institute of America, an accredited institution that leads the nation in tea education curriculum.

Savoy Tea Co. plans to use its team of experts to teach a diverse arrangement of tea classes, specialty tastings, and communal workshops partnered with fellow local Kansas City businesses to educate the community on all thing’s tea.

“We’re excited to plant our roots in Lenexa, which we hope will be the first of many locations throughout the metropolitan area,”Beyer said.

Erin Johnston, vice president of retail brokerage at Copaken Brooks, represented both Savoy Tea and The District in the deal.

“We toured various spaces throughout the greater metro with Savoy, but it was clear that The District was the best fit for their expansion into the Kansas City market, Lenexa’s new downtown continues to be a top destination for small businesses, and we’re proud to have a unique specialty shop like Savoy at our property,” Johnston said.

When fully developed, Lenexa City Center will consist of more than 2 million SF, including civic components for the City of Lenexa, nearly 1 million SF of office and retail and 375 residential units. The District Shops will include a variety of unique stores, restaurants and cafes in the heart of Lenexa’s new downtown.

KC's iconic 'Flashcube' building now open

The iconic “Flashcube” building at 720 Main Street in Kansas City, Mo., which previously sat vacant for nearly fifteen years, is now open for business.

The newly renovated, modern mixed-use building opened on August 14, 2020.

Worcester Investments partnered with MW Builders as the general contractor and Clockwork Architecture + Design to renovate the 220,000-SF space into 184 apartment units and 17,834 SF of office space on the first two floors.

The major piece and largest challenge of the project included replacing all the exterior glass that inspired the building’s nickname and landed the building on the National Register of Historic Places. The MW Builders team replaced more than 2,300 panes of glass -averaging twelve panes a day- to preserve the late-modern look and feel of the building.

“Flashcube has been a unique part of the downtown Kansas City skyline for a long time. It was exciting to see our crews step up to a new challenge on this project and preserve the building’s iconic look while giving the building a new purpose,” said Todd Winnerman, president of MW Builders.

Located alongside Kansas City’s Streetcar line, the new Flashcube Apartments will attract urban dwellers looking for easy access to public transit.

Plexpod, a coworking facility, takes up two floors and roughly 17,834 square feet of the building. Residents and other Plexpod members will have access to the building’s amenities, such as an indoor soccer field, rock climbing wall, indoor basketball court, yoga and fitness room, game room and pickleball courts.