KCRag Forum

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/11/48 ... plaza.html

I work in the building next door and welcome this development. Imagine there will be some pushback from plaza preservers eventhough its set back from 47th.

12-story office tower proposed for the Country Club Plaza area

A developer is proposing a $78 million office tower at 46th Terrace and Pennsylvania Avenue, the first new office project for the Country Club Plaza area since a controversial plan fell through three years ago.

The approximately 12-story building is being proposed by Block Real Estate Services for a 1.5-acre location where the firm had pitched a hotel project last year. The land is currently occupied by a 1950s apartment complex and is immediately north of the Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist....

While the proposed Block office tower is approximately the same size as the Highwoods plan rejected three years ago, its location is within the area reserved for highrise buildings established by the city, the so-called Plaza bowl plan. It would be immediately across Pennsylvania from the 10-story Valencia Place tower.

Okay so I think this development is great and I look forward to it. Questions though: 675 space garage? I am going to assume that this garage will be a public one. There is no mention that it will be public, but at that size I don't know how it couldn't. If it is just for that office building then they way overbuilt, which is a concern of mine regarding several current projects going up in the city. I'm going to assume it is for public use though, which would certainly be welcome. Hopefully this means when a new building goes up next door or across the street they won't need any parking, because they can use this garage. Somehow I bet they build a new garage though .

Also, do they really need tax breaks for this development? I mean if they need them just to keep developments like this coming to the plaza, then sure continue with the tax breaks. I just don't think developers need them for plaza development. Developers already WANT to build on the plaza. No doubt these developers are making stupid amounts of money.

If we are going to use tax breaks on development in the city, I would much rather see it go toward downtown development and neighborhoods that actually need it. In fact as much as I like this office building, how 'bout use that tax break and build this project downtown.

The design is uninspired, but I do like the fact that it will include a restaurant space - expanding the retail footprint of the Plaza is a good thing.

I'm curious where they will find the tenants (which buildings/area will be loosing them). Their timeline seems rather optimistic.

I think the north end of the Plaza and the Plaza-Westport neighborhood are going to see a lot of construction and change over the next few years.

Valencia Place is almost entirely Lockton and they've outgrown it. There are a few non-Lockton tenants left that will get the boot as their leases end. Currently Lockton has employees spread out across mid-town and so I would expect some cosolidation that would require additional space in the new building next door. The building that Pulsinelli vacated is half empty but I would expect additional tenants in that building going forward. I think there is the demand for space that is right on the Plaza as opposed to being on the other side of Ward Parkway, i.e. Country Club Bank.

On the garage point the entire Lockton employee base covers most of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th floors below Valencia. They also have executive parking on level 1. My guess is that most of those spots will get used by employees during the course of the business week.

KCtoBrooklyn wrote:The design is uninspired, but I do like the fact that it will include a restaurant space - expanding the retail footprint of the Plaza is a good thing.

I'm curious where they will find the tenants (which buildings/area will be loosing them). Their timeline seems rather optimistic.

I think the north end of the Plaza and the Plaza-Westport neighborhood are going to see a lot of construction and change over the next few years.

Completely agree. The design is a crap salad. But they got it in the right place and the restaurant space is promising. Not sure I buy their tax abatement rationale. I'd hope the city pushes back on that.

First comment:

Susie Burke · Owner/President/CEO/the Filter Queen at Kansas City Air Filter
How much will their streetcar assessment be? Or are they even aware of what's going on?
Reply ·
· 11 minutes ago

I'm pretty sure that Block is totally unaware of the streetcar. Yup.

.

Streetcar assessments aren't abated (abateable?).

Fit the general Plaza plan...great addition.

Blocks seek incentives for $78M Plaza office project

Ken Block and Stephen Block of Block Real Estate Services LLC announced plans for the 188,000-square-foot building in March. The project, which would replace the 1950s Victory Court Apartments at 46th Terrace and Pennsylvania Avenue, reportedly has been under consideration as a new headquarters location for CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann PC. It currently occupies 130,000 square feet in Pinnacle Corporate Center II in Leawood, which was developed by a Block Real Estate Services-led partnership.

http://tinyurl.com/l3fqxwh

I agree with comment that there should be no incentives for this given all the empty office space downtown. For more residents maybe under certain conditions, but not for office space. And the Plaza (and KCMO) needs more residents, not more offices.

Incentives on the Plaza are as bad as incentives for Prairie Fire.

I would be more willing to see incentives used if the tenant being pursued were going into a new building on a vacant parcel downtown, and it required a parking garage as part of the building.

For example, if CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann PC, a financial services company, would be willing to move into a new building on Grand between Admiral and 8th Street. That would be a boon to our financial district downtown.

If the YMCA were going in the East Village, I would also suggest the 10th and Grand parcel, or even Copaken's parcel at 12th and Grand.

Isn't that pretty much the exact same design as the bland polsinelli building but with a glass doohickey added to the roofline? I take it CBIZ was not looking to stand out in anyway whatsoever?

It is very close to the same that Highwoods was proposing for Polsinelli, but with a glass outhouse on top!

People who shit in glass outhouses shouldn't throw turds.

I was going to say the glass makes those turds really shine!

LenexatoKCMO wrote:Isn't that pretty much the exact same design as the bland polsinelli building but with a glass doohickey added to the roofline? I take it CBIZ was not looking to stand out in anyway whatsoever?

While I agree, find me a really special 12 story building anymore.