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.

GBA acquires Texas firm Jay Engineering Company

George Butler Associates, Inc. (GBA) recently announced the acquisition of Texas-based firm Jay Engineering Company, Inc., now renamed as Jaeco, a division of GBA.

As a result of strategic planning efforts, GBA set out to acquire a firm in the water/wastewater or transportation markets. Texas was identified as a strong market with growing need for infrastructure.

“Jay’s municipal and development engineering expertise and long-standing presence in the Austin area will allow us to further strengthen our service offerings and resources in Texas,” said Tim Ross, GBA president/CEO.

Jay Engineering has served clients since 1980. Earlier this year, founder Fred Jay marked forty years in business and made the decision to retire.

“I am so glad this day has come. We have worked long and hard to develop a reputation of serving our clients with integrity and excellence in our field. With my retirement, it is good to know both employees and clients will be well served under this new arrangement. Putting the additional resources of GBA into play will allow serving needs that we could not before. The future is bright,” said Jay.

Since 2016, GBA has grown from 210 to 300 people. According to Heidi Thummel, director of business development and the firm’s M&A project manager,

"We couldn’t be more excited to welcome new teammates in Texas! GBA is adding a group of outstanding technical professionals who will expand our capabilities, and Jay Engineering is gaining the support of a firm that can help provide opportunities for growth and development,” Thummel said.

GBA/Jay closed the deal virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic on August 31, 2020. Terms of the acquisition will not be released.

Savoy Tea Co. joins The District at Lenexa City Center

Copaken Brooks has announced Savoy Tea Company will be joining the Shops at The District at Lenexa City Center.

This is the first Kansas City location for the company, which has locations throughout northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma City, Okla.

Founded in Rogers, Ark. in 2011, Savoy Tea Co. carries over 150 specialty and rare teas sourced from tea gardens and family farms spanning across the world. Each of the specialty flavored teas are crafted by Savoy Tea Company, formulated to perfection by their professional team of Tea Specialists at the Savoy Tea Laboratory in Fayetteville, Ark.

“Kansas City has such an incredible small business community, and we’re thrilled to join those ranks,” said Bill Beyer, a Certified Tea Specialist and Tea Blender who co-owns Savoy with his wife, Tina Beyer, an Internationally Certified Tea Sommelier.

Bill and Tina Beyer have been educated by the Specialty Tea Institute of America, an accredited institution that leads the nation in tea education curriculum.

Savoy Tea Co. plans to use its team of experts to teach a diverse arrangement of tea classes, specialty tastings, and communal workshops partnered with fellow local Kansas City businesses to educate the community on all thing’s tea.

“We’re excited to plant our roots in Lenexa, which we hope will be the first of many locations throughout the metropolitan area,”Beyer said.

Erin Johnston, vice president of retail brokerage at Copaken Brooks, represented both Savoy Tea and The District in the deal.

“We toured various spaces throughout the greater metro with Savoy, but it was clear that The District was the best fit for their expansion into the Kansas City market, Lenexa’s new downtown continues to be a top destination for small businesses, and we’re proud to have a unique specialty shop like Savoy at our property,” Johnston said.

When fully developed, Lenexa City Center will consist of more than 2 million SF, including civic components for the City of Lenexa, nearly 1 million SF of office and retail and 375 residential units. The District Shops will include a variety of unique stores, restaurants and cafes in the heart of Lenexa’s new downtown.

KC's iconic 'Flashcube' building now open

The iconic “Flashcube” building at 720 Main Street in Kansas City, Mo., which previously sat vacant for nearly fifteen years, is now open for business.

The newly renovated, modern mixed-use building opened on August 14, 2020.

Worcester Investments partnered with MW Builders as the general contractor and Clockwork Architecture + Design to renovate the 220,000-SF space into 184 apartment units and 17,834 SF of office space on the first two floors.

The major piece and largest challenge of the project included replacing all the exterior glass that inspired the building’s nickname and landed the building on the National Register of Historic Places. The MW Builders team replaced more than 2,300 panes of glass -averaging twelve panes a day- to preserve the late-modern look and feel of the building.

“Flashcube has been a unique part of the downtown Kansas City skyline for a long time. It was exciting to see our crews step up to a new challenge on this project and preserve the building’s iconic look while giving the building a new purpose,” said Todd Winnerman, president of MW Builders.

Located alongside Kansas City’s Streetcar line, the new Flashcube Apartments will attract urban dwellers looking for easy access to public transit.

Plexpod, a coworking facility, takes up two floors and roughly 17,834 square feet of the building. Residents and other Plexpod members will have access to the building’s amenities, such as an indoor soccer field, rock climbing wall, indoor basketball court, yoga and fitness room, game room and pickleball courts.

Raymore Commerce Center breaks ground, begins leasing

Brinkmann Constructors recently broke ground on a 565,000-SF spec building in Raymore Commerce Center, an industrial logistics park located on 136 acres in the I-49 corridor in Raymore, Mo.

Colliers International is representing the developer, VanTrust Real Estate, and is actively searching for tenants to fill the space - the first of three planned buildings expected to total nearly 2 million SF upon completion.

“We are honored to work with a well-known and respected group like VanTrust. Regardless of who ultimately leases this space, they will no doubt bring jobs to the community and open up the corridor to even further development – an economic win all the way around,,” said Ed Elder, president at Colliers International | Kansas City.

Raymore Commerce Center offers tenants a fixed 20-year tax abatement program, proximity to a superior labor pool in the Kansas City MSA and exceptional access to the surrounding logistics network via I-49. 

“What drew us to Raymore was the access, workforce, a great land-owner partner and City that is pro-development. VanTrust is thrilled to kickoff Raymore Commerce Center and looks forward to partnering with the City of Raymore for years to come,” said Grant Harrison, director at VanTrust.

Building I is expected for delivery Q3 2021. Building 2 will include 415,000± SF and Building 3 will total 1,040,000± SF. Delivery dates for the additional two buildings are TBA.

“Brinkmann is honored to work with the stellar team on this project. This build will bring great opportunity and access to the area,” said Mike Uhrig, Brinkmann Constructor project director.

Other partners involved in the Raymore Commerce Center project include architect, GBA and civil engineer, Olsson.

For more information on this development, visit the project website at RaymoreCommerceCenter.com.