Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
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Pork Chop
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Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by Pork Chop »

The condo building boom continues:
Proposed twin condo towers with ultra-plush units and a 12th-floor restaurant sky bridge could flank Grand Boulevard and become an iconic gateway to the city, a developer says.
Bruce Roberts said he will file plans with the city this week for an urban redevelopment district. On Tuesday the city park board, which has a say-so over Grand Boulevard, endorsed the project between Seventh and Eighth streets.
Roberts said he already has acquired the property and has financing in place for the approximately $90 million project. The developer hopes to have city approval by September and to follow an 18-month construction schedule.
A rendering of the project, to be called Wellington Place, prepared by architect Rick Woodbridge, depicts symmetrical towers 15 stories tall with copper roofs.
They would be connected at the 12th floor with a bridge that would be a seating area for a high-profile restaurant.
Roberts said the buildings would offer spectacular views in all directions for high-dollar tenants in balconied units. The condos could sell for $250 to $400 a square foot. The top three floors would contain penthouses, with a single unit on the top floor of each building.
Lower floors would contain offices and the ground floor would have 5,000 to 7,000 square feet of retail space facing Eighth Street.
Grand Boulevard would be landscaped to reflect a new streetscape plan being phased in elsewhere downtown.
Plans call for attached parking garages with spaces for more than 600 vehicles.
Tenants of the 110 units would be allowed to configure their own space and would have access to a fitness center with pool, a wine cellar, a cigar lounge, party rooms, a cinema and a pet walk.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 117713.htm
Last edited by GRID on Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand

Post by kcdcchef »

i saw this piece this morning. this is great. it sounds like an all systems go type of thing. wow, great new construction for downtown.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand

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Other than the limestone bluff, is there anything noteworthy that would be demolished to make way?
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Wellington Place

Post by CityLiving »

This looks like a great development and a great new restaurant!  Is Grand the best street for this?  Walnut seems to have more of the new residential developments in the past few years (909 Walnut, Wallstreet, etc.).  Walnut is also a good connector between the Entertainment District and River Market.

[img]http://www.kansascity.com/images/kansas ... MK74K6.jpg
[/img]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 117713.htm


Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand
By MATT CAMPBELLThe Kansas City Star

Proposed twin condo towers with ultra-plush units and a 12th-floor restaurant sky bridge could flank Grand Boulevard and become an iconic gateway to the city, a developer says.
Bruce Roberts said he will file plans with the city this week for an urban redevelopment district. On Tuesday the city park board, which has a say-so over Grand Boulevard, endorsed the project between Seventh and Eighth streets.
Roberts said he typically builds homes in Mission Hills and has never attempted a project of this scale but was excited about the prospect. He described the concept as creating an old-world design to evoke the feeling of mansions in New York and London.
Roberts said he already has acquired the property and has financing in place for the approximately $90 million project. The developer hopes to have city approval by September and to follow an 18-month construction schedule.
A rendering of the project, to be called Wellington Place, prepared by architect Rick Woodbridge, depicts symmetrical towers 15 stories tall with copper roofs.
They would be connected at the 12th floor with a bridge that would be a seating area for a high-profile restaurant.
Woodbridge said he knew city planners last year had rejected a proposed skywalk on Baltimore Avenue that critics said would have blocked street-level views and discouraged pedestrian activity. But he said he believed this proposed bridge on Grand would be high enough to avoid such concerns.
“This could be an architectural icon for the city,â€
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand

Post by GRID »

Looks like a geat project!

I hope something like this gets proposed for Grand south of 670.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by tat2kc »

I love the look of this project. And the location is great. I also like that the street will be upgraded also, to match the portion of Grand redone at the P&L district.  The developer owns the property, and he has the financing in place.  How often does that happen in a Kansas City project so early? 
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Re: Wellington Place

Post by scooterj »

CityLiving wrote: This looks like a great development and a great new restaurant!  Is Grand the best street for this?  Walnut seems to have more of the new residential developments in the past few years (909 Walnut, Wallstreet, etc.).  Walnut is also a good connector between the Entertainment District and River Market.

Wanut is a better connector between the two (and I hope that the city recognizes this fact and works on making Walnut as friendly as possible), but there's not really anyplace you could put something straddling Walnut without taking out at least one nice building.   (Not that I wouldn't mind a tower on just the West side of Walnut between 6th & 7th.)

The Grand location seems like, unless these buildings have HUGE footprints, they would be taking out only surface parking and a small 1-story building.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

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Wunderbar! :cheers:
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by tat2kc »

I think Grand is the perfect location for this project.  When the construction is completed on this project and the South Loop project, Grand will be far along on its revival.  Remember, the FRB will also be residential.  Grand Blvd will be poised to be the primary artery through downtown kc to Crown Center. It will connect the City Market to Crown Center, will beautifully restored buildings, new construction, a festival area (at the arena).  I think this project will help bookend the loop.

Long range, this would also help accelerate the development of other vacant or underutilized properties on the street.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by Czar »

Someone is 15 days early....  this is an april fools joke...must be.  Evidently this developer does not know the market, construction prices or he has been hanging out at Grand Slam too long. 
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by KCDevin »

Czar, look at 4646 Broadway, it's a lot cheaper than many projects, however it's high prices are because it's in a high-value area.

He already owns the land so that cuts down the price a lot.

4646 Broadway, 12 floors, costs $17-20 million dollars...
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by KansasCityCraka »

The only part I do not agree with is the Copper roofs. They look horrible in 10 years and will stay green forever. Otherwise this is great news!
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by kcdcchef »

KansasCityCraka wrote: The only part I do not agree with is the Copper roofs. They look horrible in 10 years and will stay green forever. Otherwise this is great news!
yeah, but looking at other city's skylines that have those, the look is real regal too, the worn look.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by KCDevin »

Achem... Guys... Look 1 block away from these towers...
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by voltopt »

what, grand slam liquors?  :lol:
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by KCDevin »

Image
Wow, nice picture GRID...
Last edited by GRID on Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by kcdcchef »

and i like that look. sorry, it took decades to look like that. i like it.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by voltopt »

i like that look too, actually.... very... permanent...
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by scooterj »

KCDevin wrote: Wow, nice picture GRID...

Whoah, I just realized that I never posted my favorite picture that I have taken of that building.  It's at home, though, so I'll have to post it tonight.

EDIT:  I found the picture, here it is...
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Last edited by scooterj on Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Developer proposes twin condo towers on Grand (Wellington Place)

Post by KCDevin »

I like this because it's a nice salute to buildings like Fidelity National Bank and Trust (909 Walnut)...
Waldorff Astoria:
Image
And more buildings that I don't know the name of :P
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