The project will have a Main Street meant to create a walkable, mini-downtown atmosphere in a suburban environment. The roundabout and roads already are in place. Rendering credit: Slaggie Architects, Inc.
Waldo Ice House redevelopment helps freeze housing shortage
The history of the Waldo Ice House project dates back 100 years to when the site was home to the Kansas City Ice Company from the mid-1920s until the mid 1960s.
By 1970, Waldo Antiques operated the property until 2017. That’s when developers Diane Botwin of Botwin Real Estate and Andrew Ganahl of Linden Street Partners put plans in motion to redevelop the site with a mixed-use project.
“My father-in-law, Jerry Raeder, has memories of going to the Kansas City Ice Company plant as a child in the mid-1940s before the family had an electric refrigerator,” said Ganahl.
However, due to decades of neglect, redevelopment of the original historic ice house building did not pencil, and the building was demolished. Keeping in the spirit of the original structure’s use and objective, Ice House Partners LLC was formed, and the Waldo apartments became reality.
Botwin and Ganahl met as neighboring business owners in the KC Crossroads. Botwin as a 30-year local business and property owner, and Ganahl, as a regional urban infill developer, decided that multifamily housing deemed “missing middle” was needed as an alternative for people who want to live in Waldo but did not desire a single-family home.
“We have leased 4,000 square feet of the first-floor commercial space to a local optometrist and have 800 square feet awaiting a new tenant,” said Botwin.
The project is the first new construction project Waldo has seen in many years, finally bringing housing options to the neighborhood’s constrained supply of housing,
Details of the multifamily portion include:
· 44 units, mix of studios (25%), one-bedrooms (55%) and two- bedrooms (20%); most with balconies
· Rent starting around $1,000/month with average price of $1,250/month
· Nationally-exhibited local artist is creating a site specific work to be installed in the apartment lobby
· Walkable and transit—oriented; adjacent to CVS, Aldi's, Walgreen's, local restaurants and retail; plus close proximity to major transit stop at 75th and Wornall, including Main MAX bus line
The project team includes Slaggie Architects, Inc; general contractor, Haren Companies; engineers Leigh & O’Kane (structural), Smith & Boucher (MEP) and Taliaferro & Browne (civil).
A completion date is slated for summer 2021.
New $25 million spec creative office building heading to River Market
Epoch Developments has announced that they plan to move forward with a $25 million spec office building on what is now a surface parking lot at the northwest corner of Third and Delaware in downtown KC's River Market.
The transit-oriented development project is proposed as a 64,000 SF, five-story building and will house office and restaurant space.
“This project will accelerate the transformation of Delaware into a diverse destination district,” said Craig Slawson, Epoch Developments founder. “This has long been a vision of ours and we’re excited to add a work component to the mix.”
Slawson said it’s important that the new structure complement the surrounding historical buildings, so plans include features and building materials that form a cohesive aesthetic for the street.
While still in the pre-leasing stage, the project is seeking a best-of-breed, locally owned and managed restaurant as well as a potential fitness club on the first floor. Floors two through five will be commercial space, and a possible floor six will have a penthouse suite with rooftop venue open to the public. Parking will be available underground.
Epoch, known for rescuing vintage buildings to convert and activate lifestyle communities in the urban core, currently owns 22 vintage buildings that are designed and/or operational and 3 acres of infills in Wichita, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City is home to 20 of the buildings, representing an investment of over $40 million. In Wichita, Epoch owns three warehouse-to-apartment conversions.
Project partners include Slaggie Architects and Catalyst Ventures. Construction is projected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year and be complete in late 2020.