Opus Group delivers Westley on Broadway apartments to Westport

This week The Opus Group announced the completion of Westley on Broadway, a six-story, mixed-use apartment complex in the heart of Kansas City's historic Westport neighborhood on the corner of Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard.

Comprised of 254-units and two furnished community guest suites, residents will enjoy the luxury features within each unit, including chef-inspired kitchens and stainless steel appliances, nine-foot ceilings, designer backsplashes, smart-unit technology, luxury wood-style flooring and in-unit stackable washers and dryers. Units are offered in a mix of junior studio, studio, alcove, and one- and two-bedroom floorplans.

Additional features include onsite storage with available bike storage, pet-friendly living with a pet spa and dog washing station, electric vehicle charging stations and a 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center.

“The wellness center is an additional amenity that is advantageous to residents. Comparable to any high-end, full service gym, features include fitness machines, a cross training rig, barbells and free weights, a private fitness studio with a TV for utilization of personal training classes or training apps, a full size sauna and Wi-Fi spin bikes with on-demand classes. Residents can also continue to use the heated pool throughout October this year," said Devon Coffey, senior manager at Opus.

Besides the plethora of amenities, the six-story apartment development also includes three levels of underground parking and 10,000 SF of retail space.

To complement the surrounding architectural details, and give a nod to the history of Westport, Opus selected a blend of red brick and added oversized windows and heavily framed black retail storefronts with overhead steel beams.

Opus is the developer, design-builder, interior designer, architect and structural engineer of record.

Read related December 2018 MWM article here: http://www.metrowiremedia.com/news/opus-mixed-use-poised-to-trigger-westport-road-redevelopment

NAI Heartland's Joe O'Neill shares win-win attitude

This week’s Broker Spotlight features Joe O’Neill, an associate in industrial properties with NAI Heartland.

O’Neill first gained interest in manufacturing, logistics, distribution and warehousing while attending the University of Kansas during his involvement with KU’s Supply Chain Management Club.

Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from KU, O’Neill attained valuable sales experience selling capital equipment. These unique experiences, combined with his personal interest in real estate, ignited the beginning of his career in industrial commercial real estate.

Today, O’Neill’s primary areas of focus are landlord and tenant representation with regard to leasing, property acquisition and disposition of flex and industrial properties in the Kansas City metro area.

O’Neill explained how working with the other members of the NAI Heartland industrial team and learning from each other’s experiences has made him a better broker in the industrial market. He shares his winning attitude, interesting insights and more in this week’s Broker Spotlight:

RT (Rachel Treanor):  What does a Kansas City CRE Comeback look like to you?

JO (Joe O’ Neill): The dream comeback is for more businesses to look at Kansas City and realize the value here. Additionally, for them to believe in the greater potential our city has to offer with a new airport coming, our great central location, ample space for growth, and the work ethic of our Midwest people. Through these four big picture pieces, I hope business leaders will have a chance to notice and attract their businesses to the area. If this hope came true it should drive strong demand for commercial real estate throughout Kansas City.

RT:  How do you keep your skills sharp in this competitive climate?

JO:  Staying current with news and market trends. Work hard, stay current, more business comes in and it is a self-fulfilling prophecy to staying competitive.

RT:  What gets you excited to get to work every day?

JO:  Creating win-win situations. When you can source the property a client, partner or colleague is searching for that makes them happy, and you provided them that service. That is a win-win and a really good feeling.

RT:  What deal do you wish for in your future portfolio?

JO: Referrals and repeat clients. Both are testaments of great service and again that win-win I always aim for. Repeat clients often means a business is growing and that is exciting to be a part of.

RT: Who is your mentor and why?

JO:  Nathan Anderson has been monumental in getting me up to speed in the world of CRE. Before getting into the business I met with multiple industry veterans and everyone said a good mentor is key to success. This has proven to be true. Nathan has the rare combination of being very successful in this field as well as possessing strong coaching skills. I feel very lucky to work with him.

RT:  Who do you mentor?

JO: Starting out not knowing anything in a new industry it is a lot of take. Any chance I get to share what I have learned or let my colleagues know of a successful strategy is an opportunity for me to give back or pay it forward. We are all learning every day and the NAI Heartland office has a great culture where you can ask anyone a question.

RT:  How can prospects contact you for more information?

JO:  Thank you for the opportunity to share my contact info. I can be reached by email: joe@nai-heartland.com or by phone: 913-890-2010.

Interior reno, new chef launch Ambassador Hotel's 'The American Reserve Bar & Grille'

The American Reserve Bar & Grille, formerly known as the Reserve Restaurant & Lounge, located in the Ambassador Hotel, Autograph Collection is now open to the public with a vastly transformed interior, new chef, revamped menu, expanded wine list, patio debut and, of course, a new name.

The American Reserve renovated and expanded the existing space inside the Ambassador Hotel by reconfiguring the layout, allowing for 25 additional seats.

The redefined interior features all new hardwood floors throughout the restaurant and a color palette consisting of gold, dark grey and purples with white marble tabletops and velvet seating, creating a swanky and intimate ambiance.

The transformed restaurant now offers more than 180 different bottles of wine, a new patio area and a weekend brunch menu.

The final touch to the transformation included hiring Bryant Wigger to the helm as the executive chef. Wigger holds a Culinary Science degree from Orange Coast College and launched his career at The Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, Calif.

The soulful and regionally inspired new menu includes starters, salads, entrees, from the grill, sides and desserts. Alongside the new dinner menu, The American Reserve debuts a brand-new weekend brunch menu offering brunch cocktails, egg-centric entrees, sandos, bowls and hashes, sweet sides and lighter fare options.

The brunch menu is available Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dishes include Chicken Fried Steak, Croque “MO damn,” Baked Custard French Toast, South of the Border Egg White Frittata and Bacon Fried Rice, as well as nine brunch cocktails including Cinnamon Bourbon Milk Punch and bottomless mimosas.

The new restaurant elevated its bar program by expanding its wine list from 30 to 180 different bottles of wine led by The American Reserve’s certified sommelier, Eric Willey. The new world-class wine list features world-wide wine options by the glass or the bottle.

Adding even more space, The American Reserve is debuting a new patio space with a total guest capacity of 75. The patio is open on Friday and Saturday evenings and offers full food and drink service. Guests can enjoy live jazz music from 7-10 p.m. It is also open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with live music on Sundays featuring throwback hits from the 80s and 90s. The patio showcases artwork by local standout artist Alexander Austin.

About The American Reserve

The American Reserve, the signature restaurant of the Ambassador Hotel Kansas City, Autograph Collection, is a local, full-service restaurant serving contemporary American-style cuisine led by Executive Chef Bryant Wigger. The American Reserve offers a stunningly swanky ambiance to accompany its world-class service. The American Reserve is located in downtown Kansas City, Mo. at 1111 Grand Boulevard and can be found online at ReserveKC.com