Former Plaza-area hotel will turn into housing for Kansas City art students

The Kansas City Art Institute has purchased a nearby hotel site to expand much-needed student housing.

The school announced in a news release that it bought the Extended Stay America property at 4535 Main St. and will convert it into housing for students to support the school’s long-term growth and help address rising living costs for students.

The site, right by the main campus, will add 134 beds — 68 singles and 33 doubles — in studio-style rooms with kitchenettes and 105 parking spaces. It could open as soon as the fall.

The site has already served as overflow housing for students. A recent study showed an urgent need for more affordable and accessible housing for the school’s students.

The new student housing will be steps away from the Main Street streetcar extension, which is also expected to open in the fall.

The school also opened the award-winning Barbara Marshall Residence Hall a few years ago.

Next door, Flint Development has filed an early proposal for a possible new multifamily apartment building at 32 E. 46th St. with about 155 new apartment units and four townhomes on what is now a vacant lot.

This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM.