When Ed de Avila, managing director of HP Village Management, LLC, left his employment at J.C. Nichols Company in 1998, the Country Club Plaza, Nichols’ premiere property, was at its best.
“Today, it is a shadow of itself to what it used to be and what it could be in the future,” de Avila said.
Speaking to a crowd last week at a luncheon hosted by KC Downtowners, de Avila shared some of the plans and concepts of HP Village Partners LP, the company that earlier this year purchased the Plaza, to preserve and enhance the Plaza and to redefine its future.
“The Plaza really is the city’s treasure. And, we’re seeking not only to preserve it, but also to enhance it. This widely appreciated asset and its timelessness and old-world charm—all these things are still valid today. But I think that the consumer experience, maintenance, security, parking, operations all are leaving a lot to be desired,” he said.
Security and maintenance are the first of many improvements HP Village Partners is tackling, and for which it has budgeted more than $80 million.
“That’s just clean up, new roofs, new landscaping, expanding the security budget by $1 million, employing more security officers, doubling the amount of people that are now employed from a security standpoint,” de Avila said.
According to de Avila, 260 security cameras have been installed, with more on the way, together with license plate readers and static security stationed in the parking garages. In addition, HP Village Partners has painted the garages, added new lighting and closed some garage entries and exits, resulting in a reduction in vandalism. There are plans to replace garages that are 60 or 70 years old.
de Avila said parking on the Plaza will remain free.
Work is underway to remodel the lobbies, corridors and bathrooms in three of the Plaza’s buildings that have been vacant for seven years and to build out 12 office suites.
The remaking of the Plaza will focus on the west side, which de Avila called the “greatest eyesore.” This will include the repositioning or redevelopment of the building that once housed the Cinemark movie theatre. de Avila said that could become a company’s headquarters building or even multifamily.
“It’s certainly going to be retail on the ground floor. That much I can tell you. No matter what’s developed on the Plaza, we will always be respectful of that pedestrian experience and developing retail on the ground floor,” he said.
de Avila said there are no plans for a movie theater to return to the Plaza.
“But I do see a lot of potential entertainment in terms of music. . . . We see entertainment being a part. We see bringing back local restaurants and local retailers to the Plaza as a real focus of the Plaza. We also see bringing back better retailers to the Plaza, those that aren’t as predictable. Those that you aren’t going to find at a regional mall,” he said.
Above: A rendering sketch of the “Paseo District” concept creating pedestrian-friendly access in and around the Country Club Plaza. Image credit: OMNIPLAN
He described creating a “Paseo District,” which, de Avila said, is still a concept and very preliminary. The concept envisions creating a mid-block pedestrian access point through the mid-block of 48th Street to Nichols Road, using the service alley between Gram & Dun and the Granfalloon.
“What that will do is create about five or six new restaurant opportunities. Not restaurants that are 17,000 SF like Brio Italian Grill, but restaurants that are 3,500 SF to 4,500 SF,” de Avila said.
There are underground infrastructure issues, and de Avila said HP Village Partners is working closely with the city to resolve those issues. According to de Avila, HP Village Partners envisions covering the interior asphalt streets with bricks, adding more landscaping, narrowing the streets and installing as many as 250 new angular parking spaces.
There also are plans to add neighborhood uses and services. de Avila said the Plaza needs an 8,000 to 10,000 SF specialty market as well as a bodega where patrons can grab a prepared meal, a baguette or a salad. In addition, there are opportunities to add greenspace and pocket parks.
“We know there are really serious things that are missing that are not drawing the local neighborhood in,” he said.
The Plaza District has one of the highest occupancy rates in the city, even if the Plaza itself currently has vacancies.
“That means there’s demand. People want to be down there. They love the idea of going down the elevator, hitting the street and the sidewalk and having all these options at their fingertips or footsteps,” de Avila said.
HP Village Partners recognizes there is a traffic issue on the Plaza in terms of vehicular movement and speed, and de Avila said there are discussions underway about possible ways to mitigate or to slow the traffic, including adding a circular fountain at Broadway Boulevard and Nichols Road and at Broadway Boulevard and 47th Street.
According to de Avila, HP Village Partners respects the integrity of the Plaza and is committed to maintain its charm, character and identity. It will retain those elements of the Plaza that are meaningful, he said.
“The Plaza is everybody’s front yard, and we’re going to treat it as that. . . . We have a respect and a sensibility for the past with an understanding and a passion for what the Plaza needs in the future. As we’ve said before, we’re going to make Kansas City proud of the Plaza. . . . We’re legacy owners. We’re going to be here.”
Header image: Rendering depicting the pedestrian and vehicle flow proposed for Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. Image credit: OMNIPLAN