Yet another steakhouse? Hereford House is not happy with this plan in Johnson County

Update: A Texas-based steakhouse is the unnamed restaurant looking to move into Town Center Plaza, sources say. Here’s the story.

Leawood’s Town Center Plaza wants to put a large, freestanding restaurant building in its north parking lot, but a neighboring restaurant is pleading with city officials to reject it.

Town Center did not name the restaurant tenant, but area real estate sources said it will be a steakhouse, a competitor to the nearby Hereford House.

The 12,681-square-foot one-story building would seat 341 people inside and on the patio, which will have fireplaces. The center would lose 142 parking spaces to make way for the new building.

On Tuesday, Town Center Plaza took the proposal to the Leawood Planning Commission, which approved it 6-1. The City Council is expected to decide on the plan in late September or early October.

Town Center Plaza officials couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.

The new restaurant would be near Hereford House, an original tenant of the center when it opened in 1996. Hereford House was founded downtown in 1957.

In a statement, Hereford House officials said: “We are extremely concerned with the proposed plan to add a new build and tenant in the extended parking area of our restaurant. This plan would eliminate a significant portion of our restaurant’s parking used by our guests and would drastically and negatively impact our business as well as other restaurants and retailers. We trust the planning commission will understand our concerns and will turn down this proposal.”

In addition to Hereford House, other nearby steakhouses include 801 Chophouse in Park Place just to the north and Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Town Center’s sister plaza, Town Center Crossing just to the southeast.

Town Center Plaza has been adding new tenants to the north side, including AKT fitness and X-Golf, and First Ascent Climbing & Fitness plans to open a new 25,000-square-foot center.

This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 12:39 PM.