A conceptual rendering of one of four prospective restaurant and retail spaces near the entryway to Lenexa City Center at Renner Boulevard and 87th Street Parkway. Image via Lenexa city documents.
The gateway corner to Lenexa’s City Center development is getting a few design updates and may soon have a restaurant tenant signed for one of its four prospective buildings, the city Planning Commission learned this week.
Driving the news: Henry Klover of Klover Architects presented a new preliminary plan for the area known as “Restaurant Row” at the southwest corner of Renner Boulevard and West 87th Street Parkway.
Currently on that undeveloped corner is the large waterfall monument sign for City Center.
What else to know: Klover presented revisions Monday for an existing 2017 plan for five buildings to be constructed on the triangular-shaped tract.
The biggest change from the earlier plan involves two buildings across from the City Center Drive outlet.
Earlier sketches called for single-story buildings, separated by a circular courtyard, but the new plan integrates that courtyard space into a shared plaza and adds a second story to each building for office or retail use, and to increase the density of the project.
More details: The plan commissioners reviewed deals mostly with the first phase of construction, which will include buildings at the southeast and western points of the triangle.
The southeastern building — close to the traffic circle at Renner and City Center Drive — will have extensive patio space for seating, Klover said.
Negotiations are underway with a tenant, though Klover did not name that tenant.
A fifth building, closest to the monument sign, is planned as a two-story office building with an adjacent parking structure; it is not included in the first construction phase, but the parking structure is a condition for approval of the remaining buildings.
An aerial map of Lenexa City Center’s “Restaurant Row.” Image via Lenexa city documents.
Lenexa City Center discussion
Planning commissioners approved the changes unanimously.
“I liked the plan in 2017. I like it better today,” said commission chair Chris Poss.
Commissioner David Woolf said he was generally in favor but asked designers to be mindful of pedestrian safety in crossing to the parking structure.
Roxie Hammill is a freelance journalist who reports frequently for the Post and other Kansas City area publications. You can reach her at roxieham@gmail.com.
Our comment section is reserved for subscribers. Try a subscription today for just $1
Monthly Subscription
$1 for your first month, then just $8 per month thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Try for $1Annual Subscription
$1 for your first month, then just $77 per year thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Try for $1