Lenexa CityCenter
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2003 9:25 pm
Posted on Wed, Apr. 02, 2003
City Center project clears another hurdle
By ANITRA ROWE
The Kansas City Star
At long last, Lenexa's City Center is out of the clouds and onto the printed page.
A concept for the high-density, New Urbanism-style development was approved by the Lenexa Planning Commission on Monday.
More than 1.1 million square feet of office and retail space and 1,000 residential units are proposed for 62 acres southwest of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard.
Planning Director Roger Kroh said the concept presented was in the spirit of Vision 20/20, the strategic plan adopted by the Lenexa City Council in 1997. City officials have said they want the project the create what its name implies -- a new gathering place and center of activity for the community.
"This is the first of the steps needed to bring this project to fruition," Kroh said.
Phase 1 of the development is to be the south half of the entire City Center project and will be mostly residential with significant on-street parking. The second phase, to the north, will mix retail, office, civic and residential uses in four- to six-story buildings on four city blocks.
In these mixed-use areas, the bottom two building levels are for commercial and business use, while residential quarters will occupy the upper floors.
Also planned for both phases of City Center combined are four parking structures that would accommodate more than 3,700 vehicles.
Kroh said the architecture of City Center will closely resemble early artists renderings of the development, however, the plans still could change.
The city will use secondary developers for the residential component of the project, he said, but a construction company has not been chosen.
Haile Group, the project developer, will manage City Center's construction from ground breaking to finish. Kroh said it's possible dirt could start moving late this year, but is more likely in early 2004.
The concept plan approved Monday also proposes the following changes to Renner Boulevard: additional traffic lanes, narrower traffic lanes, and the construction of four circular "round-about" intersections.
Planning commissioners questioned the decision to use round-abouts and the difficulty of negotiating them.
"It'll be interesting to see how that works out," Commissioner Rod Hoffman said.
Commissioner Don Oppliger researched round-abouts in several U.S. cities. Like a revolving door at a mall entrance, Oppliger said round-abouts allow drivers to "zip through very quickly."
"I think we're going to see much more of this throughout the metro area," he said.
Kroh said City Center is a multiyear endeavor that will fill in as time passes. After considering inflation, he said City Center will be valued at $750 million when complete.
The Lenexa City Council must approve the plan on April 15 before construction can begin.
A companion project to City Center also was recommended for City Council approval by the commission on Monday.
City Center East is a 650,000-square-foot office, retail and hotel development on the southeast corner of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard, directly east of the City Center development.
Commissioner Frank Weimer described City Center East as a "delightful and practical addition to City Center."
City Center project clears another hurdle
By ANITRA ROWE
The Kansas City Star
At long last, Lenexa's City Center is out of the clouds and onto the printed page.
A concept for the high-density, New Urbanism-style development was approved by the Lenexa Planning Commission on Monday.
More than 1.1 million square feet of office and retail space and 1,000 residential units are proposed for 62 acres southwest of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard.
Planning Director Roger Kroh said the concept presented was in the spirit of Vision 20/20, the strategic plan adopted by the Lenexa City Council in 1997. City officials have said they want the project the create what its name implies -- a new gathering place and center of activity for the community.
"This is the first of the steps needed to bring this project to fruition," Kroh said.
Phase 1 of the development is to be the south half of the entire City Center project and will be mostly residential with significant on-street parking. The second phase, to the north, will mix retail, office, civic and residential uses in four- to six-story buildings on four city blocks.
In these mixed-use areas, the bottom two building levels are for commercial and business use, while residential quarters will occupy the upper floors.
Also planned for both phases of City Center combined are four parking structures that would accommodate more than 3,700 vehicles.
Kroh said the architecture of City Center will closely resemble early artists renderings of the development, however, the plans still could change.
The city will use secondary developers for the residential component of the project, he said, but a construction company has not been chosen.
Haile Group, the project developer, will manage City Center's construction from ground breaking to finish. Kroh said it's possible dirt could start moving late this year, but is more likely in early 2004.
The concept plan approved Monday also proposes the following changes to Renner Boulevard: additional traffic lanes, narrower traffic lanes, and the construction of four circular "round-about" intersections.
Planning commissioners questioned the decision to use round-abouts and the difficulty of negotiating them.
"It'll be interesting to see how that works out," Commissioner Rod Hoffman said.
Commissioner Don Oppliger researched round-abouts in several U.S. cities. Like a revolving door at a mall entrance, Oppliger said round-abouts allow drivers to "zip through very quickly."
"I think we're going to see much more of this throughout the metro area," he said.
Kroh said City Center is a multiyear endeavor that will fill in as time passes. After considering inflation, he said City Center will be valued at $750 million when complete.
The Lenexa City Council must approve the plan on April 15 before construction can begin.
A companion project to City Center also was recommended for City Council approval by the commission on Monday.
City Center East is a 650,000-square-foot office, retail and hotel development on the southeast corner of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard, directly east of the City Center development.
Commissioner Frank Weimer described City Center East as a "delightful and practical addition to City Center."