OFFICIAL: Port Authority Riverfront Project

[TheLastGentleman]

“A river in the city of fountains” is a wonderful book about the history of KC’s waterways

[bspecht]

Developer drops 254-apartment plan at Berkley Riverfront; Port KC searches for a new builder

Lux Living will not move forward with a $55 million apartment development at Berkley Riverfront.

In May 2022, Lux failed to secure a desired 25-year property tax abatement for a seven-story complex with 254 units and 2,598 square feet of commercial space from the Port Authority of Kansas City. Opposition from numerous residents — who cited tenant complaints and municipal and legal concerns reported about Lux projects in its native St. Louis — resulted in a final vote falling through. Nevertheless, Lux went on that September to net final plan approval from the City Plan Commission to build the apartments on about 2.2 acres.
...
Joe Perry, the port's vice president of real estate, said developers had started inquiring about Lux's site even while it was still under contract. Now, an eventual substitute apartment project could have a similar scale to what Lux had contemplated, though Perry said he is not yet at liberty to say who might build it.

"We are actively replacing that contract right now," he said. "We have two or three developers waiting in the wings, and we've had multiple offers."
...

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... amily.html

Picked up by NorthPoint, now 152 units & severe downgrade in design. https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... iving.html

[smh]

The riverfront developments are so disappointing (Current excepted).

[Jblanco]

They need to change the name of this Riverfront district to 'Lenexa By The Lake.'

[GRID]

severe downgrade is a severe understatement JFC.

They need to change the name of this Riverfront district to 'Lenexa By The Lake.'

So far Lenexa is doing a far better job.

I mean seriously. I thought this was going to be the start of better development down there. It's only getting worse.

Well the rendering looked nice.

[KC_Ari]

That just looks like an expansion of their current two buildings. Meh. I'll take it, but certainly not wowed by it.

[dukuboy1]

I did not realize “high rent section 8” was a possible design style, let alone the only choice for all development in the Riverfront area *sigh*

[missingkc]

Why would the Authority agree to this? It makes it look like they just want to be done with the riverfront project and will accept any offer that will fill space.

[TheUrbanRoo]

Yeah I don’t know why they wouldn’t just decline this unless they know they absolutely can’t get anyone else in the near future

[FangKC]

They should sit on that parcel for now. Another opportunity will come along at some point. The site will become more valuable when the streetcar line is running by it and the soccer stadium is open.

[langosta]

Why would the Authority agree to this? It makes it look like they just want to be done with the riverfront project and will accept any offer that will fill space.

I hear from a credible source the previous developer struggled with easments/utilities on the site. Might explain why the new proposal has a reduced footprint

[missingkc]

Too bad. I thought it was a great use of the site. Some extra height in the new proposal would have been nice.

[FangKC]

For comparison:


New Orleans' Riverfront District Plan

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN-RbnqBvKH ... BiNWFlZA==

https://riverdistrictnola.com/

https://riverdistrictnola.com/about/videos-renderings/

https://www.bizneworleans.com/river-dis ... dbreaking/

https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans ... renderings

https://www.google.com/maps/place/29%C2 ... &entry=ttu

[langosta]

For comparison:


New Orleans' Riverfront District Plan

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN-RbnqBvKH ... BiNWFlZA==

https://riverdistrictnola.com/

https://riverdistrictnola.com/about/videos-renderings/

https://www.bizneworleans.com/river-dis ... dbreaking/

https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans ... renderings

https://www.google.com/maps/place/29%C2 ... &entry=ttu

has any of that been built

[FangKC]

Not yet. I think they are just getting started.

[langosta]

Not yet. I think they are just getting started.

It’s a long term remediation site with master developer assignment. Even some of your links are a few years old. Best of luck to them but no different than our EV project or the original Port KC master plan at this point.

Edit: not that I don’t want denser but there are plenty of river front remediation or completed to actually point to

[bspecht]

I mean commitments of Shell HQ and Topgolf (not that I'd strive for it) are a bit different.

Reminds me of Port Covington in Baltimore, which is moving along well towards a moderate density.

[langosta]

I mean commitments of Shell HQ and Topgolf (not that I'd strive for it) are a bit different.

Reminds me of Port Covington in Baltimore, which is moving along well towards a moderate density.

Local shell office moving into a new building. Just as when JE Dunn anchored east village with their office.

[TheLastGentleman]

I mean commitments of Shell HQ and Topgolf (not that I'd strive for it) are a bit different.

Reminds me of Port Covington in Baltimore, which is moving along well towards a moderate density.

Local shell office moving into a new building. Just as when JE Dunn anchored east village with their office.

Anchored? The JE Dunn building is the east village

[WoodDraw]

I've always wondered about that deal. My fuzzy memory was that je Dunn kinda expected development around it but it never happened.

When I'm over there I'm always like I should ask someone about that who would know and then I immediately forget on the way home.