472 apartments planned in downtown KCK 12 story complex
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Developers unveiled a $145 million proposed 472 unit apartment project at N. 4th Street and Minnesota Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas Monday before the Unified Government’s Standing Committee.
The entryway to KCK on I-70 and the Lewis and Clark Viaduct has government buildings, a soon to be torn down convention center and a grocery store. Otherwise its open space and many struggling small businesses.
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“We want a wide variety of housing downtown for many years we had great single family neighborhoods adjacent to downtown but it’s not enough to support our downtown businesses,” Jim Schraeder, Shareholders of Downtown KCK, said.
“There’s not a lot of rental product in downtown KCK right now. We came in and pitched a 12 story tower right off the bat, David Wingerson, a developer with Flaherty and Collins Properties, said.
Flaherty and Collins Properties said studios would start at $1,075 and the average unit would cost $1,600 a month.
“If the apartment costs are so high that they outbid our income how do people that are here already take part because it sounds more like gentrification and moving us out and not giving us a fair shot,” Louise Lynch said.
But developers say the project is more than just housing, including 12,000 square feet of commercial space.
“You can be walking down the street you can go into the private side grab something to eat and on the other side there’s a farmer market or something like that so it really ties into this public private relationship,” Wingerson said.
The Unified Government, which owns the land, put out requests for proposals seeing the area of 4th and Minnesota as a gateway to the city.
“Arguably it’s one of the best locations in KC metro, you can’t beat the views of KCMO you can’t beat the views of the river,” Wingerson said.
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“We need more downtown businesses, we need more downtown residents and this will be a great quick start,” Schraeder said.
Monday was just a first step, land entitlements and final development agreements still need to be approved. They plan to start neighborhood public engagement meetings next month. Start construction this time next year and be renting out the apartments in May of 2027.
