New $15 million Wonderscope Children's Museum breaks ground

Wonderscope Children’s Museum has begun construction of its new $15 million site located at 433 E. Red Bridge Rd. at the Red Bridge Shopping Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The expansive 30,000 SF museum will more than triple their current 9,000 SF location in Shawnee, Kansas.

Kansas City’s newest children’s museum will feature ten exhibit spaces focusing on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activities, birthday party rooms, classroom spaces and a half-acre of outdoor educational space.

“It’s been three years in the making, and we are so excited to share the news that Kansas City will soon have a new premiere children’s museum,” said Roxane Hill, Wonderscope executive director.

The new exhibits are designed by a world-class team of experts experienced in creating one-of-a-kind children’s museums. The themed “Crossroads of Kansas City” creation stations include rivers and railways, food, sports, music and nature and will allow children to explore art and science, generating the STEAM that moves Wonderscope forward.

In February 2017, Wonderscope launched a $15 million capital campaign for the new museum. Major donors include The Regnier Family Foundation which has been a long-time generous supporter of Wonderscope and its mission.

Wonderscope is also launching a community campaign creating the opportunity for KC residents to embrace the new museum filled with fun and educational activities. By making tax-deductible contributions, individuals and families can help build Wonderscope’s new home and forever be remembered on a unique commemorative wall display inside the new building. To participate, visit: https://www.wonderscope.org/a-new-place-to-play/capital-campaign

The project development team includes Haizlip Studio, MIG Portico, Paul Orselli Workshop, Dimensional Innovations, CBRE and McCownGordon Construction.

The new museum is expected to be complete in Fall 2020.

Red Bridge set to rise and shine with plans for new breakfast eatery

Lane4 Property Group's re-awakening of Red Bridge Shopping Center in South Kansas City continues with the announcement that Caleb’s Breakfast and Lunch will open in early 2018.

The new concept by Rebecca Huntsman will offer classic breakfast and lunch fare in a family-friendly environment. The breakfast business is a natural fit for Huntsman, whose father brought First Watch into the Kansas City area more than 30 years ago. But she says Caleb’s is about much more than food.

“We want to know the community. We want to be the community. We want to know the people that walk in our door, know how many grandchildren they have and what’s going on in their lives. And while we are getting to know the community, we’ll serve great food,” Huntsman said.

LANE4 President Owen Buckley said the father and daughter team have a strong and successful operating history in the region, making them ideal tenants for Red Bridge.

“I helped Ron secure his original First Watch restaurant at 95th and Metcalf 30 years ago,” Buckley said. “It’s really fun to work with him again… (They) are as excited as we are about delivering a great product to this special community.” 

Caleb’s is among a growing number of locally-owned and operated businesses choosing to locate in the Red Bridge Shopping Center.

“We see the retail market shifting and we see the strength in quality, local businesses. They add character and strength to our centers; that’s who we want at Red Bridge,” LANE4 Vice President Brandon Buckley added.

Red Bridge has moved from 50 percent to 80 percent occupancy since renovations were completed in early 2017, with Euston Hardware, Blue Bicycle and SERC Physical Therapy opening new locations. In addition, Blue Moose Bar & Grill, Aerial Fitness, and Crows Coffee are all in various stages of design and construction. Design is underway for Wonderscope Children’s Museum, with groundbreaking targeted for 2018.

Blue Moose prances into Red Bridge Shopping Center

LANE4 Property Group's $19 million redevelopment of the Red Bridge Shopping Center is taking shape with the announcement of three new tenants, including the addition of Blue Moose Bar & Grill. With plans to open this fall on the southeast corner of the South Kansas City retail center, the 7,000-square foot restaurant will be Blue Moose's first in Missouri and seventh in the metro area.

"We are very excited to bring our Blue Moose concept to the Red Bridge neighborhood. We have wanted to be in Southwest Kansas City for many years, and this location is perfect for the Blue Moose,"  Ed Nelson, President of KC Hopps, said in a release.

Silks & Poles Aerial Fitness will bring the coastal trend of gravity defying fitness to the metro with plans to open a 4,591-square foot location and juice bar at the Red Bridge Shopping Center this summer. In addition, Edward Jones & Co. will double its leased space at Red Bridge Shopping Center from 734 to 1,363 square feet.

The new tenants are helping boost the center's occupancy from 47 percent to 75 percent over the past year and follow the announcement that Wonderscope Children's Museum and Mid-Continent Public Library are teaming up to develop a 50,000-square foot building to house a new museum and public library. Design plans and a capital campaign are underway, with groundbreaking targeted for 2018.

The addition of the children’s museum and new trio of tenants are expected to attract new customers and offer new education opportunities to the surrounding communities, according to LANE4 Vice President Brandon Buckley.

“We are committed to making Red Bridge a unique community-oriented shopping center, so welcoming new experience-based tenants to complement Wonderscope gets us one step closer to achieving that,” Buckley said. “We look forward to releasing more new tenant announcements soon.”

The redevelopment is "a great example of collaboration with surrounding neighborhoods to bring back what residents wanted, which included a hardware store and a restaurant," said Kansas City Councilman Scott Taylor. "We now have both-- and welcome Blue Moose Bar & Grill to the neighborhood."