Cordish Co. adds second penthouse floor to One Light apartment tower

Cordish Co. is designating a second penthouse floor at One Light, the 25-story apartment tower under construction at 13th and Walnut streets, citing demand for the high-end downtown residences.

One Light originally planned 10 larger penthouse apartments, one- and two-bedroom units, on the top floor.

“We decided recently, because there’s been so much demand for those penthouse units, to make the 24th floor a penthouse floor as well,” said Nick Benjamin, executive director of the Kansas City Power & Light District.

Cordish owns and manages the downtown district.

The 24th floor’s penthouse designation won’t increase the size of its 14 apartment units. But it will give tenants 11-foot ceilings, upgraded finishes and appliances and wine refrigerators.

At the same time, the sales effort for all 315 units is gearing up with the announcement of a new sales office, a 360-degree app for viewing individual units and a second sales person.

The sales center is slated to open Oct. 15 at 1251 Main St. next to Cosentino’s Market. It will include a model of the tower and a model kitchen and living room. The sales office currently is on the 30th floor of the Town Pavilion.

One Light’s 360 tour app is available online to those who register. It provides a look at renderings for the kitchen and living room of each unit, complete with the view outside that unit’s window. Benjamin said the rendered views are accurate for each unit.

Work on the tower is expected to be completed in the fall of next year. The tower offers a mix of units that range from 593-square-foot studios to 1,395-square-foot apartments. Rents range from $900 to $3,400 per month.

Slated to cost $79.2 million, One Light is the first of four new luxury apartment buildings Cordish currently plans. Cordish is developing the project with Kushner Cos. in New York.

Cordish is getting an effective 25-year, 50 percent property tax abatement to help its finances. City officials have said the high-end apartments would help spur other downtown development and boost downtown rents.

This story was originally published September 10, 2014 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Cordish Co. adds second penthouse floor to One Light apartment tower."