Kansas City developers give residents a taste of NYC’s wide-open artist spaces.
By Kelly Barbieri
Many things have been said about the renovation of Kansas City’s downtown. From the new Sprint Center and surrounding Power and Light District to the new glassy, glowing addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum and the renewed Union Station, the goal of Kansas City developers is to bring young, fresh faces into the city and to keep the attention of local artsy residents and empty nesters moving into the city from the suburbs. With this in mind, developers are designing loft spaces in old warehouses located in formerly industrial neighborhoods close to downtown, such as the Crossroads and Garment districts.
The lofts, most of which are slated to debut in 2008 and beyond, are coming in all sizes, and as condos, co-ops, for sale or rentals only. But they all have one thing in common: the wide-open spaces reminiscent of New York’s SoHo that have become synonymous with cool urban living.
“This is a trend that started a couple of years ago, and it’s shown no sign of slowing down,” says Eddy Krygiel, architect at Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects. “Young professionals, artists and empty nesters are flocking to communities such as the Crossroads and Garment districts because everything they need is close by.”
The Star Lofts will be contained in a four-story building that was home to the Hese & Son Carriage Co. A $10 million renovation that will turn the warehouse into eight two-bedroom and 38 one-bedroom units will wrap in spring 2008. Rents will range from $445 to $610 per month.
Less than half a mile away in distance, but a world away in pricing, are the Broadway lofts in the brand-new 17-story Broadway tower. This project is scheduled for completion in 2008, priced to sell from $249,000 to $2.5 million. Unit sizes range from 900 square feet to a 3,100-square-foot penthouse, and all will feature bamboo flooring, custom Italian cabinetry, marble countertops and walk-in closets.
Then, there are those lofts in the middle-range. Close to Crossroads in the Garment District are Coffee Lofts, housed in a six-story building originally built in 1916. The steel and concrete building was renovated in 1999, and in 2006, it went from rental to condo.
The loft market is becoming so lucrative that several KC-based architect firms have more than one project in the works. Architects McGowan/Walsh will offer several loft buildings beginning in late 2007, including Argyle Lofts, a 1907 building located just a block away from the Sprint Center and KC’s new live entertainment district. The 137,000-square-foot concrete building will sport 90 rental lofts and offer 9,500 square feet of restaurant/retail space.
The company is also working on Windows Lofts in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District. The project is located just a short walk from more than 30 restaurants, 50 art galleries, Union Station and Hallmark Crown Center. The building boasts distinctive architecture, like brick walls, exposed columns, oversized windows and 12- to 14-foot-tall timber ceilings. Amenities include a rooftop deck, 16-foot-by-24-foot pool, indoor parking and a workout facility.
Also on the McGowan/Walsh roster is the Piper Lofts project, located in the Crossroads Arts District, just 300 yards from Union Station. The 225,000-square-foot building was built in 1912 and will contain 118 luxury lofts and 49,000 square feet of restaurant/retail/ commercial space.
Another big player in the KC loft race is BNIM, one of the companies responsible for the recent Nelson-Atkins Museum addition. BNIM’s Liberty Lofts will convert a former Armed Services Building into 30 high-end condos with structured parking and common amenities. The building is historically significant to many Kansas Citians for its role as the local draft headquarters during the Vietnam War. The location is walking distance to Union Station and Liberty Memorial Park, as well as Crown Center. The lofts range in size from 1,200 square feet to 2,200 square feet, and offer 13-foot-high ceilings, modern fixtures, generous windows and outdoor decks with dramatic views of KC.
Beginning in the summer of 2008, BNIM will also offer the more contemporary Freighthouse Flats, a historically preserved warehouse reinvented as 22 exceptional loft apartments in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District. Each loft is unique and cleverly designed, seamlessly blending early 20th-century architectural charm with today’s sleek, innovative design. Beautiful brick and top-of-the line interior finishings give Freighthouse Flats a cosmopolitan feel.
On the same block as Freighthouse Flats will be BNIM’s Arterra, the first new building constructed in the area in decades. The building, set to open in 2009, will be a mixed-use project with 8,000 square feet of retail and 50 residential units. Another project, Jenkins Music Building Lofts, will be located just north of the Sprint Center. The Jenkins Music Building was a music factory and the ’30s terra-cotta structure will be a series of unique 1,800-square-foot, oneper-floor units.
Judging by all the planned properties in Kansas City’s downtown over the next several years, the loft boom is nowhere near slowing down, but it will probably evolve slightly.
“We are finding that, while the luxury lofts are still selling well, more people are interested in the mid-level residences,” Krygiel says. "We will continue to see growth in Kansas City loft sales as long as we keep an eye on the market.” ■
