KCRag Forum

In other Armour Blvd news, the Richelieu Apts at 405 E Armour (16 units - 14 2 bedroom apts, 2 1 bed apts, four story building) are under contract for sale (listed at $775,000).

I'm not sure if this being bought by MAC or not (I would guess not, as it doesn't quite fit the profile). The building isn't section 8 or slum apartments, but I think there is room for improvement and a corresponding raise in rent. They currently go $575-$595 for the 2 bedroom units.

KCtoBrooklyn wrote:In other Armour Blvd news, the Richelieu Apts at 405 E Armour (16 units - 14 2 bedroom apts, 2 1 bed apts, four story building) are under contract for sale (listed at $775,000).

I'm not sure if this being bought by MAC or not (I would guess not, as it doesn't quite fit the profile). The building isn't section 8 or slum apartments, but I think there is room for improvement and a corresponding raise in rent. They currently go $575-$595 for the 2 bedroom units.

Based on current income alone, they are overpriced by just slightly more than double their value.

And the building has no parking.

The Homestead reverts to its' old name, and Pendergast past.

http://midtownkcpost.com/2013/03/08/the ... -past-5936

There's a pic on the midtownkcpost link for a nice before and after:

Aaaand that's the difference between historically appropriate windows and crappy 1/1 windows.

that's nicely done

All of these apartment renovations are working together to make Armour and Midtown much better. It's really exciting! Next: infill development, renovations and beautification of Main and Broadway, Please!!

apparently MAC has decided that the buildings at 110-118 W. Armour are too expensive to rehab after all. instead of their original plan, which was to tear them down for a parking lot, they apparently have a plan to replace the buildings with a 40-unit apartment building. they have a design, which the OHP neighborhood has apparently seen, but I have not seen it.

chrizow wrote:apparently MAC has decided that the buildings at 110-118 W. Armour are too expensive to rehab after all. instead of their original plan, which was to tear them down for a parking lot, they apparently have a plan to replace the buildings with a 40-unit apartment building. they have a design, which the OHP neighborhood has apparently seen, but I have not seen it.

Hope the neighborhood demands cohesive architecture and quick resolution - these buildings are crumbling by the minute.

My guess is the new building never materialIzes. They tear down the current and the spaxe just stays empty. Seems like a trick plan to get the year down they want past the neighborhood and city.

MAC has been a good corporate citizen, as far as I can tell, taking a big risk on some buildings that I had despaired of ever seeing return to their former glory. Is there any particular reason to think that they're not acting in good faith now?

heatherkay wrote:MAC has been a good corporate citizen, as far as I can tell, taking a big risk on some buildings that I had despaired of ever seeing return to their former glory. Is there any particular reason to think that they're not acting in good faith now?

Good post Heather. MAC's investment in Kansas City, is pretty amazing.

I hate seeing those apartments deteriorate. I understand peoples strong reactions at their loss. It is a significant, strong streetscape. A lot to lose.

I'm counting on MAC's team, to be judicious, thoughtful and to make a sound investment. The connection to Broadway could be positive and important. Planning, place-making, significant design investment.

If existing goes, do something great in it's place.

chrizow wrote:apparently MAC has decided that the buildings at 110-118 W. Armour are too expensive to rehab after all. instead of their original plan, which was to tear them down for a parking lot, they apparently have a plan to replace the buildings with a 40-unit apartment building. they have a design, which the OHP neighborhood has apparently seen, but I have not seen it.

I had heard this info as well. I thought the source was questionable, but maybe it has legs. I heard that the design was good and would fit in well with the neighborhood.

I too am concerned that this will just be a parking lot with future plans for construction that may never develop. Anyone know if MAC has done new construction in Chicago? They seem to have a backlog of work, especially with the Ambassador yet to be started.

As far as the progress of their current projects, I have been a bit perplexed by the apparent stop and go nature of the work. There are three buildings (The Ricardo/Homestead, Westport Central, and the Duke) that all appear to be very near, or even completely finished yet there have been no recent signs of life in these buildings. Work continues on the Kenwood and Bellerive buildings, though I am not seeing as much work traffic/commotion as was happening in the spring. However, "The Twins" at 3421 and 3425 have recently been finished and are being leased out.

Last winter the plans were to turn those into a parking lot. It's a shame that they can't be rehabbed, but the plans for new housing is a good development. I haven't seen the plans but have heard that Hufft Projects will be the architect.

My understanding is that the hangup on The Ricardo/Homestead, Westport Central, and the Duke have to do with the federal tax credits, which may be related to the sequester.

Developer wants to demolish, replace Armour apartments

A developer has a new plan for several buildings on West Armour between Broadway and Main in the Old Hyde Park neighborhood.

MAC Properties, the developer of many apartments on Armour, is now proposing to tear down one existing apartment and three duplexes and replace them with a new 40-unit building.

Huh? Those things look like a rehabbed 1950s government project with some fancy metalwork added. And from a local architect?

I'm not impressed at all. Also, I find it very hard to believe that the old buildings can't be saved. That block is so interesting and the duplexes were designed by John McKecknie, a very important early-KC architect. They are very cool buildings.

Yeah, that does look like the boxy, brick apartments from the 50s like the ones on Warwick around 36th or Victory Court on the Plaza. I do have concerns about that design - especially being one long, squatty building taking up the whole block.

Obviously, it would be great it the buildings could be rehabbed, but I would think that if MAC truly can't make it work, then it is a lost cause. I'll take these over the current rotting buildings.

Anything can be saved. It's only whether or not it makes sense from a business standpoint.