Shaping Kansas City: Copaken Brooks' century of real estate innovation

In its more than 100-year history as an on-going business, Copaken Brooks has changed and enhanced the commercial real estate landscape throughout the metro area.

The company’s owners and principals, Jon Copaken, Keith Copaken, Bucky Brooks and Bill Crandall, discussed their current projects and future plans as the guest speakers at last week's monthly breakfast hosted by CCIM Kansas City.

Copaken Brooks has developed 20 million SF of properties throughout its history, but they are not just developers.

“We have five million SF currently under management. We have equity interests in most of it, not all of it. We put together partnerships. The partnerships we’re involved in own anywhere from five percent of the asset to 100 percent of the asset. . . . We serve as the developer or the manager. We arrange the financing with banks,” Keith Copaken said.

Twenty years ago, the property located at the corner of 87th Street and Renner Road in Lenexa, Kansas was merely a cornfield. The city of Lenexa acquired the land and engaged Copaken Brooks to help them master plan the development which today is Lenexa City Center.

Keith Copaken said 1.6 million SF of the property has been developed, and Copaken Brooks has been involved in the development, facilitation, brokerage and everything else related to the site. The mixed-use property is zoned for two million SF. The project has public spaces, including the Lenexa Rec Center, Lenexa City Hall, Johnson County Library – Lenexa City Center, Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center and Lenexa Public Market. It also boasts residential, retail and office spaces. Kiewit Corporation occupies 650,000 SF.

SmartStorage Lenexa under construction and scheduled to open before the end of the year. Photo Credit: Strickland Construction Company

Also under development from the ground up in Lenexa is SmartStorage Lenexa, a three story climate-controlled 695-unit facility, scheduled to open in December.

Hoping to replicate the success in Lenexa, the City of Independence, Missouri has engaged Copaken Brooks to redevelop its Independence Square area with mixed-use. Crandall said he anticipates the redevelopment plan, which covers approximately eight acres, to be adopted by the end of the summer. There are still several parcels to assemble.

“When we talk to municipalities, my mantra is that you’ve got to control the real estate. I tell municipalities, you’ve got to get the real estate. You’ve got to go buy land. You’ve got to go buy buildings. . . . Until you have control, you don’t have anything. . . . Nothing happens unless you start, and the city has had the will to do this thing. The city is really owning this and trying to be a cooperative partner,” Crandall said.

Copaken Brooks wants to do infill development on the site and repopulate the Square.

“There’s lots of good tenants on the Square now. . . .We want to make it a destination,” said Crandall.

Brooks said there are development opportunities at Cambridge Business Park, another Copaken Brooks property, located along the hillside where I-35 swings west into Kansas traveling from Downtown.

According to Crandall, multifamily is probably the most robust asset class that the company is chasing currently. But, the timeframe to get new projects up and running is long.

One multifamily project under development is Third and Grand, a project that has been in the works since 2018 when the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) issued a request for proposal. Copaken Brooks entered into a development agreement in early 2019, and after 18 amendments to that agreement, it closed on the land in February 2024.

Third and Grand has been in the works since 2018 but is expected to be completed the beginning of 2026. Image credit: Klover Architects

Copaken Brooks broke ground on the 245-unit luxury apartment building with parking in April, with completion scheduled for January 2026

“It’s on probably the best TOD [transit-oriented development] site in the city. The streetcar literally runs right in front of us on Grand Boulevard. Third Street is a major east-west bus route. We’ve got automobiles, we’ve got scooters. We’ll have EV parking inside the building as well as outside the building. . . . It’s really a spectacular location,” Crandall said.

Another planned multifamily project is 1818 Main, the land for which Copaken Brooks put under contract in 2021. It will be a 16-story structure with 147 units on 13 levels atop three levels of structured parking. Jon Copaken said they expect to begin construction in September.

“When all is said and done, it will be about a five or five and one-half year endeavor. . . but that’s about how long these things take,” he said.

Copaken Brooks is an active Downtown player. Among its holdings are 1111 Main (previously known as Town Pavilion) and 1201 Walnut. Jon Copaken said the activity on those properties is “really good” even though tenants are still trying to figure out space needs to get employees back in the office.

The company also controls the two blocks directly north of the T-Mobile Center.

“Controlling two blocks within the center of the city is kind of a rare thing,” said Jon Copaken.

Keith Copaken said Copaken Brooks as a company does placemaking.

“We make places, and we make spots that people want to go to. . . . In order to make great places, you have to have time and you have to have control,” he said.

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Header image features Lenexa City Center. Image credit: Klover Architects

Westside Flats boutique-style living draws in residents

Westside Flats, one of the latest multifamily additions to KC’s premier downtown, westside neighborhood seems to be a hit with tenants - if its steady-climbing occupancy numbers are any indication.

The EPC Real Estate Group development, which includes 29 high-end apartments that sit above a secure, structured parking garage at the SW corner of 17th and Madison, and four townhomes just to the south, has seamlessly integrated into the existing community, while providing a very “boutique” feel.  

Amenities include an expansive rooftop patio with downtown skyline views, 24 hr-fitness center, streetside patio with communal indoor/outdoor fireplace, secured/covered parking and high-end finishes throughout all units. 

Perhaps the best amenity of all is the convenience of walking only 100 yards to KC staples such as Blue Bird Bistro, The Westside Local, Chez Elle Creperie, Goat Hill Coffee, Los Alamos Market Y Cocina or Fervere. 

“Westside Flats has been such a fun and unique property to be involved in. Nestled in the most perfect location that allows our residents to support local, within a neighborhood just blocks from downtown Kansas City,” said Nicole Yates, market specialist for EPC Real Estate Group.

Another 5-minute walk to the east will put you at a First Friday event in the Crossroads or Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts for a show. 

“The project has been a huge success thus far as we saw immediate demand. Kansas City recognizes the unique lifestyle opportunity at Westside Flats, and consequently we now have a limited number of units remaining. We expect these to go quick,” added Yates.

The multifamily development opened this spring and EPC anticipates it to reach full capacity later this year.

“It has been exciting to see this one come together. With ongoing input/support from the city, neighborhood, and design team (Klover Architects), this has been a true collaborative effort that’s resulted in a great project that we are all extremely proud of,” said Austin Bradley, VP of development for EPC.

The Locale: Mission's first Class-A development

Mission, Kan. has acquired their first Class-A, mixed-use development, The Locale, located at 6201 Johnson Drive in the heart of the city's Lamp Post District.

The EPC Real Estate Group development, initially named Mission Trails, is anchored by a 201-unit multifamily complex and includes 5,500 SF of restaurant and retail space, all connected by an amenity-rich outdoor courtyard.

Since the first move-in in April, the luxury apartment complex is 27 percent occupied and 43 percent leased, according to EPC.

The three-acre property is conveniently located just minutes from Interstate 35 and Highway 69 and within walkable distance of downtown Mission.

The community of studio, one and two-bedroom floor plans includes upscale-living amenities - like a courtyard with gas grills, saltwater swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center and an on-site dog park.

"One of the many reasons why we stand apart from our competitors is the plethora of amenities that compliment anyone’s lifestyle. It's vacation 365 days around here," said Nicole Yates, EPC marketing specialist.

Designed by Klover Architects to match the city’s mission architectural style, the 305,688 SF property includes 201 apartment units - each with their own balcony, a 2,500 SF interior courtyard, 5,500 SF of restaurant and retail space attached to a 4-story, secure-access parking garage - which was financed by a public/private partnership between the City (of Mission) and EPC.

Other amenities include an indoor pool and jogging track, fitness center and communal meeting space.

“From the moment we began designing the building we felt an obligation to build something unique and special. We knew the new 5-story building would take (up) a very prominent location within the entire area. We decided to continue the mission architecture-style with the goal of raising the bar and further expanding the appeal of the Johnson Drive corridor. EPC’s goal from the beginning was to maximize the opportunity of enhancing the exceptional Mission community,” said Steven Coon, principal at EPC.

Project contractor, Crossland Construction Company, worked with EPC to complete The Locale within 20 months and implemented their team of “Real Builders” to self-perform the concrete and rough carpentry. 

Crossland’s team leads, Matt Crossland, project manager, and Tim Carson, superintendent, said the projects’ close proximity to the city’s numerous, popular destinations proved to be a challenge to maneuver around in during construction of the three-acre, urban in-fill site.

“This building takes up every square inch of the site, which made it logistically complex. There was limited space for laydown and staging so all trades had to be well coordinated,”  said Carson.

In addition, severe weather in 2019 led to reduced time onsite for trades. Between site logistics and weather issues, Crossland utilized PlanGrid construction technology to help the project stay on time and on budget.

The Locale marks EPC’s fifteenth completed ground-up development in the KC metro since 2010. Other recently completed projects include Avenue 80 and Avenue 81 on Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park, Kan.; and the recently proposed Ranch Mart South senior living redevelopment in Leawood, Kan.

Other partners on The Locale include Security Bank, BSE Structural Engineers and McClure.

To view the fast-motion earth video of the project’s construction from beginning to end, click the following link, courtesy of Crossland Construction. Click here to watch fast-motion earth video.

Click here to watch Crossland’s YouTube video.