Costco plans to convert its midtown KC store into business center. What will change?

It’s official: Costco is planning to convert its midtown Kansas City warehouse into a business center, according to new city records.

There have been rumblings and indications in the news and by city officials for months that Costco has been planning the switch, but recent city documents offer confirmation and shed more light on what, exactly, the store converting to a business center would mean.

Zoning documents filed last week for the 241 Linwood Boulevard site say that Costco is “planning to remodel and convert their warehouse” into a Costco Business Center, which a letter describes as membership-only wholesale distribution centers focused on providing products, equipment and services to small businesses.

The letter, from an architecture firm project manager to a city planning official, says that all Costco members are welcome and encouraged to shop at a Costco Business Center, and no separate membership is required.

“Costco Business Centers are designed and merchandised to support small businesses in their communities, providing low prices on supplies that businesses regularly purchase,” the letter says. “The experience of shopping at a Business Center is essentially the same as shopping at a Warehouse.”

What about Costco food, gas, clothes, services?

Members scan their cards and shop in the normal Costco way, it says, adding that members will continue to be able to buy items like paper towels, diapers, cleaning supplies, pet food, snacks, produce, pre-packaged bakery items, packaged meat, dairy products, eggs, frozen meals and more.

And the existing gas station will remain open for members.

But, the letter says, a business center would not have clothing, jewelry or electronics, and it would have fewer sporting goods, books, toys and seasonal items than a regular store.

And it would not include a pharmacy, an optical center, a bakery, a tire shop or a food court.

Business centers are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday, according to the letter.

Changes to the building, parking, roads

One corner of the building would need to be reconstructed to add shipping docks, and up to 25 delivery trucks are kept on site. The trucks leave in the morning for a full day of deliveries and return in the afternoon for reloading.

Among other site changes, Costco has proposed replacing the median at the Gillham Plaza entrance to allow right-in, right-out traffic only.

Parking would be reduced by about 100 spots to make room for a truck storage and loading canopy, while aged trees and other plantings would be replaced for landscaping.

“We anticipate there will be questions about the change in use and how it will affect Costco Members and neighbors,” the letter says. “We look forward to working with you and answering those questions as this application advances through the review and approval process.”

The Costco conversion plans remain under review at the city level.

City records show that formal staff meetings over the proposal are scheduled for June, followed by a public hearing before the City Plan Commission on July 15.

Elected officials have previously raised concerns about the prospect of a switch, and an online petition drew more than 4,000 signatures.