Rubberneckers may be trying to catch a glimpse of Metcalf South Mall’s demolition, but that’s not the only teardown taking place this spring along Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park. The old Loehmann’s Plaza shopping center is coming down to make way for The Promontory, a $98 million mixed-use redevelopment that at full buildout will include 430 residential units with an attached 550-space parking structure, and 130,000 square feet of retail space.
Launch Development Inc. is leading the project in partnership with Jim Harpool, Evergreen Real Estate Services, and Matt Dennis, R.H. Johnson Co. Located on the northeast corner of 91st Street and Metcalf Avenue, the first of 290 residential units and over 21,00 square feet of retail space at The Promontory is slated to open in November.
The Promontory is the next redevelopment domino to fall in the Metcalf Avenue corridor and aims to take advantage of its central location south of Downtown Overland Park where at least four mixed-use multifamily projects are in various phases of construction—and north of the former Metcalf South Mall, which is being torn down to make way for an $80 million retail project anchored by Lowe’s.
“The thing that is unique about The Promontory is that the residential and retail parking are totally separate and you can park in secured structured parking on the level that you live,” Harpool said. “I think this is a different model from anything we’ve seen in Kansas City.”
Existing parking in front of the retail portion of The Promontory will be re-paved, re-lit and landscaped, with a separate multilevel parking structure planned for residents. Harpool said reasons for separating retail and residential parking were twofold: “First, so retailers aren’t fighting with residents about parking, and secondly, so you can conveniently park on the level where you live and you don’t end up having to drag groceries in and up from the ground level.”
Developers hope to capitalize on its location near two ambitious cultural projects slated to open this spring: The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center and the InterUrban ArtHouse.
Located at the site of the former King Louie bowling and skate center at 8788 Metcalf Ave., the Arts and Heritage Center will open May 8 and will be home to Theatre in the Park productions, the Johnson County Museum and other arts events. The InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Conser St., is a 10,000-square foot co-working space with a dozen shared studios designed exclusively for artists located in the former post office and plans a June 15 opening.
The Promontory's amenities include an on-site park with walking trail; rooftop terrace; and outdoor common spaces including fire pits, movie screen, pool, bar, and game area. Retail activity is underway, according to Harpool, with a 50,000-square foot anchor tenant opportunity available along 91st Street and Bo Lings set to re-open in its new space by the end of June.