Park 39, the newest and largest mixed-use development in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri, is under construction. This new development is centered around the former Westport Middle and High School campuses at 39th and McGee.
Once home to students, athletes and artists, the project will soon welcome back a community that can live, work and play on the 16-acre Park 39 campus that is walkable to various parks and entertainment districts.
The gem of the $250 million development will be The Residences at Park 39, a 138-unit apartment community anchored inside the four-story former Westport High School.
The original brick-and-stone façade, the front entry and other aesthetics of the historic 1908 building are being preserved and restored, as are the original hardwood floors and ceramic tile. Updated skylights and new large windows on the building’s perimeter have been added to frame beautiful vistas of the surrounding neighborhood.
The Residences will include flexible work areas, a fitness center and mailroom, an auditorium transformed into modules, conference rooms and library and event spaces for groups large and small. Residents also will have other indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, plus easy access to more than 80 acres of greenspace, trails and parks nearby.
Individual residences will have open floor plans with very high ceilings, amazing views and finish-outs that offer modern looks for kitchens, bathrooms and living areas.
Each unit will have its own washer-dryer and will range from 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet and with expected monthly rents from $950 to $2,000. The building’s new infrastructure will include smart technology and state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire alarm and protection systems.
The Residences at Park 39 will be the centerpiece of the larger Park 39 campus that will be alluring to those in the arts and medical districts along with other Midtown enthusiasts. Commercial space will be available in several of the buildings that will attract office, retail and restaurant tenants.
Because today’s workspace requires a level of flexibility, the commercial spaces at the Park 39 campus will provide various options for traditional and hybrid work models to fit traditional commercial clients, as well as fledgling and visionary entrepreneurs.
Two 10,000-square-foot plates of commercial space are available immediately south of The Residences. Across 39th Street to the north, more than 163,000 square feet of office space with flexible leasing options are available within the seven-story Plexpod at Park 39, formerly the Westport Middle School. Directly to the west, a 3,500-square-foot conference center houses a full-service restaurant.
A 3,500-square-foot building at Warwick Boulevard and 39th Street is available for retail, and a 1.5-acre lot at 39th Street and McGee Street will be developed in a later phase or as a Build-to-Suit.
“We’re very excited about this new project because we are revitalizing historic buildings that were vacant and we’re bringing them back to life to create a more sustainable neighborhood that people and businesses can enjoy,” said Andrew Brain, CEO of Brain Group, which along with E.F. Chip Walsh of Mercier Street is co-managing the Park 39 development and the construction project at The Residences.
When completed in the Fall of 2023, The Residences will offer its tenants an environment to customize their live, work and play experience in Midtown’s newest vertical living space.
Craig Thompson, vice president of construction at Ryan Companies US Inc., which is the general contractor for The Residences, said the high school is a composite of buildings from three different eras, but that the ownership group and designers had an incredible vision for a unified and seamless look.
Park 39 showcases the Kansas City spirit of celebrating its history and architecture by repurposing a landmark that will continue to contribute to the city’s landscape for years to come. Many are making this happen, including Burns & McDonnell, Ryan, HP Development Partners 2, Brain Group, Mercier Street, Dwight Capital, Arvest Bank, National Trust Community Investment Corporation and Commerce Bank.