Lenexa gives final OK to City Center hotel, retail project

Developers plan to bring two new hotels, more retail, a new restaurant and more parking to one of the major blocks in the Lenexa City Center district.

Earlier this week, the Lenexa City Council unanimously approved the final plan for the project put forth by Olsson and Midas, a Missouri hospitality management company that already owns and operates a hotel in City Center.

“This is a great project to see progress,” City Councilmember Thomas Nolte said. “What I’m really excited about is a streetscape that’s created on all four sides and to have a user that can take an entire block.”

The building would sit on a vacant two-acre property between Elmridge Street and Penrose Lane on 87th Street Parkway, near the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center and Lenexa City Hall.

Olsson and Midas Hospitality plan to build a double hotel, retail and restaurant space with its own parking garage in the Lenexa City Center. It's planned on the undeveloped block between Elmridge and Penrose off of 87th Street Parkway. — The Olsson and Midas Hospitality project is planned on the undeveloped block between Elmridge and Penrose off of 87th Street Parkway. This image shows the lot near the Shawnee Mission District Aquatic Center and the Lenexa Public Market. Image via Lenexa city planning documents.

88,000 sq.ft. of new hotels, retail planned

There will be a European-based Marriott brand called AC Hotels, along with a Residence Inn in the building, totaling 260 hotel rooms between them.
There would also be a common entrance and lobby space for the hotels, plus a centrally located courtyard.
The AC Hotels side of the building will feature a publicly-accessible restaurant with a bar.
Also planned are four ground-level shop spaces totaling 11,000 square feet.
Additionally, a multi-story parking garage will be built that has at least 200 spots for hotel guests, plus public parking.

More public parking is possible for City Center

The details of this are not fully settled, but the project could add an extra level to its parking garage, which would add more public parking to the site.
In the initial plans, 75 parking spaces were proposed to be set aside for the general public.
The parking issue has been a minor sticking point in previous discussion of the project, though it has still passed each phase with overwhelming support.
Exactly how many more public spots could be added and whether or not that will definitely happen hasn’t been settled.
The council approved essentially two plans Tuesday; one with the extra level in the parking garage and one without.

The City Center hotel project would feature ground-level retail and a restaurant, plus a multistory parking garage with some public parking. — The project would feature ground-level retail and a restaurant, plus a multistory parking garage with some public parking. Image via Lenexa planning documents.

Lenexa’s next steps:

This is the last major planning hurdle for the project before the city council.
However, the developers are still expected to come before the council for authorization of an incentives package.
At that time, the city and the developer are expected to have settled the public parking question.
If the extra level in the parking garage does go forward, city manager Beccy Yocham said Lenexa would likely kick in some of the money to cover the extra cost.

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