Plan for hotel complex north of Plaza moves forward after height compromise

The Kansas City Plan Commission on Tuesday approved a preliminary development plan for a project north of the Country Club Plaza that had drawn fierce opposition from neighbors in nearby apartment and condominium towers.

The project, which features a hotel, apartments, retail and open space, had been criticized as too tall for the 1.5-acre site. But neighbors, city staff and the development team reached a reduced-height compromise — with some remaining conditions — and submitted a revised plan that met with plan commissioners’ approval.

Plaza Hotels LLC, the developer, agreed to reduce the building height by cutting two floors from the 10-story proposal, reducing the overall height of the tower to 105 feet from street level at a crucial intersection.

The project would be on a block bounded by Broadway, West 46th Street, West 46th Terrace and Wornall Road.

Plan commissioners gave their nod for the plan to proceed, with the understanding that multiple conditions are being required by the city’s Planning and Zoning Department or have been agreed to by neighbors and developments. The project also needs rezoning and preliminary plan consideration by the city’s Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee. Final approval would be needed from the City Council.

A major concern remains about the need for a traffic study of the Plaza area by the city.

Chase Simmons, an attorney representing the developers, told commissioners that conversations or meetings had been held with neighborhood representatives and others concerned about Plaza area redevelopment.

The development team includes NorthPoint Development on the apartment part of the project. GEM Holdings LLC, an asset management and investment company, is investing in the hotel part of the project. Hufft Projects is working on the complex design, which also underwent revisions to satisfy neighborhood requests.

Simmons said the development team doesn’t intend to ask for tax increment financing or tax abatements. He said the team is considering a special taxing district that would use hotel sales taxes to help defray development costs.

With the revisions, Simmons said, the development will not appear to loom over the north side of the Plaza. Furthermore, he said, the development team “feels like we’re in compliance with the new Plaza plan” even though the proposal was grandfathered in under the former plan to control and monitor midtown development.

The Plaza Hotels LLC plan was submitted before the new Midtown/Plaza Area Plan was approved.

The development’s revised plan calls for the hotel to be reduced from 204 to 175 rooms and the number of apartments to be reduced from 144 to 132. The developers are seeking some flexibility to alter the room counts between the hotel and apartments without going over the total number.

The compromises also address parking, pedestrian pathways, noise abatement, delivery access and rooftop concerns.

Strong protests against the original plan were made by residents of nearby condominium owners and apartment residents at 4545 Wornall, 4646 Broadway and other locations. The Historic Kansas City Foundation also weighed in, and its president, Greg Allen, complimented the development team on responding to the neighborhood.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Plan for hotel complex north of Plaza moves forward after height compromise."