Ryan Companies opens new KC office

Ryan Companies has officially moved into its new Kansas City office on a second-floor suite of the Interstate Securities Building/Topsy Building at 215 E 18th St. in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

The construction and real estate development firm has been working in the KC market for 15 years, but it wasn’t until 2018 that they established a physical presence in the city.

The 3,213 SF office is designed to seat 16 employees, with room to expand up to 24. The building was built in 1950 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The decision to further invest in the Kansas City market was ultimately made because of their success that has come out of the last decade and a half paired with a great outlook for decades to come, according to Ryan's marketing team.

“We’re stoked to be in another one of 3D Development’s and Lankford Fendler’s projects. True to fashion, they continue to outdo themselves and we can’t wait to pour an Irish pint (or two) when we have our official open house. In the meantime, give us a ring, bring a mask and come check out our new digs! You’ll love our Northwoods fireplace (in the winter) and the view from the rooftop the next time the temperature drops,” said Aaron Schlagel, vice president – real estate development, midwest region for Ryan Companies.

Ryan Companies also announced the relocation of  Craig Thompson, vice president of construction, from its Des Moines, Iowa offices to its new office in Kansas City.

“I want to help build something in Kansas City that will continue for years to come. In Des Moines, we were able to grow the office by four times what it was when we began. With Kansas City being a bigger market, the sky is the limit for what we can do here,” said Thompson.

Thompson, who just celebrated his 20-year anniversary with Ryan Companies, will help lead the growth of Ryan’s rapidly expanding team and presence in Kansas City.

Ryan Companies’ noteworthy local projects include Commerce Tower, St. Luke’s Community Hospital in Shawnee, Kan.) and multiple projects for Target and Amazon. The company will focus on real estate development while continuing to provide construction services.

Local school construction projects stay on schedule despite pandemic

As schools sit empty and students adjust to learning from home under the current stay-at-home order, many local school construction projects continue to progress.

Hollis + Miller Architects, who specializes in education (architecture and design) and works with a large number of Kansas City-area school districts, has not seen much of a slowdown on their schools’ projects.

The firm is currently working on several school projects to ensure they are ready for the upcoming school year, including Park Hill School District's LEAD Innovation Studio, Liberty School District's Performing Arts Center and new additions to Blue Springs High School, including a state-of-the-art band practice space.

While safety for all contractors has been paramount, the projects have nevertheless been able to move forward, despite the current obstacles.

“We’ve implemented procedures to ensure we maintain project safety and are meeting the safety guidelines of the authorities,” said Mike Chiles, senior project manager for JE Dunn Construction, who is overseeing the trade partners on the Blue Springs HS project.

“Communication is key, and the teams have handled that well with daily huddles and constant on-site supervision,” Chiles said.

Chiles admits the current situation isn’t ideal; nonetheless, has encouraged the team to overcome any obstacles in an effort to keep construction progressing and on schedule.

“It’s a major project for the school and the community, and it will allow them to really expand their programs and ability to impact the community,” Chiles said.

“Maintaining those partnerships among the architect, contractors and trade partners is crucial, especially when a project is facing additional challenges like they are now,” said Kirk Horner, partner at Hollis + Miller.

Several projects remain on schedule to open in time for the fall 2020 school year.

“While the local community will take a while to bounce back from this, we see this kind of construction as a positive sign of economic health. Our local schools are committed to consistently improving the learning environments for our local students, and we’re privileged to contribute to that effort,” Horner said.