Trader Joe’s? More security? The latest on changes coming to the Country Club Plaza
No, sorry, the Country Club Plaza will not see the return of a movie theater. It’s still not in the new owners’ plans.
But visitors to Kansas City’s 101-year-old Spanish-style shopping district can expect the aerating fountains on Brush Creek to begin spouting again. They can expect, maybe, a few traffic roundabouts to slow the Plaza’s traffic.
Expect a Trader Joe’s-like market or perhaps (it remains vague) an actual Trader Joe’s.
Expect new pedestrian walkways, or “paseos,” to weave among the Plaza’s shops. Expect to see more security, as it has already been “quadrupled” in the last two months.
Those were some of the welcomed changes reportedly outlined Wednesday evening by Ray Washburne, one of four principals of the Plaza’s new owners, Dallas-based HP Village Partners, said Kate Marshall, president and founder of the Plaza District Council.
Washburne, whose company bought the Plaza in June for $175.6 million from its previous owners, The Macerich Co. and Taubman Centers, was guest speaker Wednesday at a private cocktail party held at Grand Street Cafe for prime donors to the neighborhood group. About 200 people attended, Marshall said.
The Plaza’s purchase, announced on July 1 at a packed press conference, was greeted by many with relief and jubilation. Under its previous ownership, the 15-block district, long called the city’s “crown jewel,” had been languishing, emptying and falling into disrepair.
But Washburne, along with his partner and brother-in-law Stephen Summers, promised to return the Plaza to its previous glory. In Dallas, HP Village Partners owns and operates the luxury shopping center Highland Park Village.
The company has deep pockets. HP Village Partners’ four principals include Washburne and his wife, Heather Hill Washburne, and Summers and his wife, Elisa Summers. Heather Hill Washburne and Elisa Summers are sisters and descendants of the late oil tycoon H.L. Hunt, father of Lamar Hunt, founder of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Security at Country Club Plaza
Washburne’s comments Wednesday expanded on the $100 million worth of infrastructure and other changes he outlined in July. Those changes include new roofs, new diagonal parking, new sewers, landscaping, Spanish facades to replace those that do not fit the style, more security such as license plate readers and as many as 150 security cameras.
The Plaza is close to 1 million square feet of retail space, nearly four times the size of Highland Park Village. Washburne had said he sees room for a boutique hotel in the shopping district. He also envisioned an office tower on the Plaza’s west side in the empty acres that have become known as the “Nordstrom pit.” It is the spot across from the former and still-empty Plaza movie theater where a Nordstrom store had been expected before the company pulled out in 2022.
Perhaps most notable, Washburn said his group would prioritize more local restaurants and shops over national mall-like chains.
“I think this is probably one of the most exciting developments on the Country Club Plaza in the last 25 years,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said at the time.
Washburne’s comments on Wednesday were greeted with similar enthusiasm, Marshall said.
“Ray got up and he talked about how this was the first time he ever bought a property that came with fan mail,” Marshall said. “He said, ‘We’re long-term owners. We’re really excited to engage with the community. We answer our phones. We want your feedback. We’re not talking at you, we’re talking with you.’”
Washburne, she said, spoke of moving the Plaza’s security, currently located below ground, to street level.
“He said, ‘You’re going to see it. You’re going to know you’re safe,’” Marshall said. More security and off-duty police are already on the Plaza, she said.
Marshall said Washburne spoke about building the Plaza’s value, noting that when his group took over Highland Park Village some 15 years ago it was bringing in $80 million a year in sales and now brings in $650 million.
“He was saying, quite plainly, that the Plaza has the ability to be a tremendous tax generator for this community,” Marshall said.
He reiterated his commitment to local restaurants, noting that he would rather see the Plaza have five or six restaurants that are 2,500 square feet in size rather than one 10,000-square-foot restaurant.
“They’re very focused on redoing all the second floors and bringing back boutique offices,” Marshall said. “He thinks that it’s low hanging fruit. He says it’s going to be the first thing you get to see them do is working hard on making those second floor, boutique office spaces interesting to people.”
Many, Marshall said, are outdated, with dark wood and hallway bathrooms, and need renovation to become “class-A” spaces. Some buildings lack elevators.
“He talked about how he actually has offices on the second floor of Highland Park Village, and he loves to look out the window and see people pushing strollers, walking their dogs. And he wants to recreate that.”
Grocery store on the Plaza?
As for a market:
“He did actually use the words ‘Trader’ and ‘Joe,’” Marshall said. “There’s been a discussion about Trader Joe’s going to the Plaza for a long time, and people would love it. What we don’t know is if he was trying to give an example of like a Trader Joe’s or an actual Trader Joe’s.”
Again, as in July, Wasburne discussed bringing luxury brands back to the Plaza.
Highland Park Village, located a mile from Southern Methodist University, includes, among other vendors, Hermes, Fendi, Alexander McQueen, Brioni, Dior, Chanel, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Cartier, Chanel and Van Cleef & Arpels.
“It was a very positive evening,” Marshall said. “People are really encouraged and excited and happy, you know, that we’re back in good hands.”
This story was originally published September 6, 2024 at 4:54 PM.
