Re: 1650 Broadway
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 4:58 pm
A partnership that includes EPC Real Estate Group LLC and local builder Dan Carr has gotten the go-ahead from the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a skyscraper of up to 350 feet, or about 30 stories, just west of the Kauffman Center, EPC President Mike McKeen said.
McKeen said EPC and Carr envision a two-phase project. The first phase would involve a tower with hundreds of apartments above a hotel and retail space on the site's northern portion.
The skyscraper at 16th and Broadway could house anywhere from 250 to 400 apartments, depending on its permitted height and final unit sizes. The hotel underneath would be a high-end concept with a heavy focus on food, beverage and entertainment components, McKeen said. Structured parking construction would be included in the project's first phase, sized to support the tower's final square footage.
From there, a second-phase project could include new offices in a shorter building sized based on tenant interest on the site's southern portion.
McKeen said his partnership soon plans to demolish other vacant structures on its properties, including a building at 1650 Broadway that formerly housed Concentra Urgent Care. A pre-demolition inspection was scheduled this week, the city's development database shows.
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... ition.htmlEPC and Carr have enlisted Hoefer Welker as architect for the high-rise, which would be clad in exterior glazing and architectural metal panels, according to the FAA materials. Kimley-Horn would be civil engineer.
The agency now continues to study whether to permit a project that would peak above 500 feet, or about 40 stories, on much of the block bounded north to south by Interstate 670 and 17th Street, and west to east by Washington Street and Broadway.
A 40-story apartment and hotel tower on Broadway across from the Kauffman Center?
That’s what a development group has in mind for the first phase of a big proposal that eventually could include a second high-rise building.
But first, the developers–GDC Financial, B16 Capital and EPC Real Estate Group–have to persuade the Federal Aviation Authority to allow them to stretch their proposed tower taller.
The FAA recently okayed building up to 320 feet on the site.
“We’re still trying to get up to 500 feet ideally,” said Dan Carr, a principal at US Federal Properties and EPC.
“We want to build 40 stories or something like that. The city manager (Brian Platt) wants more height there.”
https://cityscenekc.com/developers-look ... an-center/He added his group has a letter of intent from a hotelier that’s not currently in the market. The project also would include 18,000 square-feet of retail, mostly for restaurants, as well as garage space for tenants and visitors.
As for a potential second high-rise, it could either be an office building or multi-family, depending on market demand.
While design work already is underway, the timing of construction depends on lining up financing for the development.
EPC also recently developed a 33-unit apartment project at 17th and Madison on the Westside, and is involved with proposals for a 246-unit apartment deal at Third and Grand in the River Market, and a 300-unit development at 7421 Broadway in Waldo.
The high-rise development proposal on Broadway is the second tall development proposed for downtown in recent weeks. Lux Living is exploring a project at 14th and Wyandotte that would include a 20-story apartment building and 10-story hotel.
The site is literally surrounded by highways and overpasses. I'd guess the only real pedestrian connection would be between the building and the PAC across the street and the Crossroads. I'm sure they will gear towards that connection. I just don't see this being a place for retail connection or there being a lot of people trudging up the hill there into downtown. I could be wrong.smh wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:59 am As always, I'd like more detail on what's happening at the ground floor (the only floor that matters, haha). I feel like we're seeing a lot of driveways around the buildings, somewhat cutting them off from Broadway. This is a real opportunity to create additional street life opposite the PAC. I hope this design is improved to really promote walkability and not behave like the office buildings south of Crown Center on Grand.
A spot on comparison photo, nice.
I hear you, but the site fronts Broadway which needs street activation. Keep in mind too that street activation doesn't always mean retailers, it can mean all kinds of things--what you're trying to avoid is a blank wall or just driveways/parking lots that create an unpleasant walking environment. Plus with additional projects happening along Broadway we can expect pedestrian traffic to increase--if you give people a pleasant walking environment. As is, I agree with Critical Mass that we're getting strong Dallas/OP vibes.beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:11 amThe site is literally surrounded by highways and overpasses. I'd guess the only real pedestrian connection would be between the building and the PAC across the street and the Crossroads. I'm sure they will gear towards that connection. I just don't see this being a place for retail connection or there being a lot of people trudging up the hill there into downtown. I could be wrong.smh wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:59 am As always, I'd like more detail on what's happening at the ground floor (the only floor that matters, haha). I feel like we're seeing a lot of driveways around the buildings, somewhat cutting them off from Broadway. This is a real opportunity to create additional street life opposite the PAC. I hope this design is improved to really promote walkability and not behave like the office buildings south of Crown Center on Grand.
Respectfully disagree. I don't think this site necessarily needs to front the street in exactly the same way as 1400 Wyandotte, because you're right the environments are different. But minimizing blank walls, offering some sort of street facing activation, reducing obvious parking areas etc along Broadway is reasonable. Broadway will never be better if we just cast it off as a "weird area". It doesn't have to be weird! It can be good!KCPowercat wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 9:26 am Think we're being overly critical given where this is. It's never going to be amazing urban space there. Hence "weird location" comment.