4 Kansas City Building Trends We’re Seeing

Times are changing. And with that, so are the types of living places people are looking for. Kansas City in particular is seeing a lot of changes to keep up with what people want, and builders are responding. As a result, several interesting types of Kansas City building trends are emerging that coincide with these varying lifestyles.

The Rise of Multi-Family Dwellings

People are looking for convenience. Low maintenance is desirable. So is, it seems, an urban lifestyle. Moving into the city center isn’t always feasible, and as a response, multi-use buildings, where there are apartments or condos above and retail spaces below, are becoming more and more popular. These buildings, like the ones at Mission Farms, allow for urban living outside the city itself.

A kind of self-contained city, places like Mission Farms allow for people to live, work and play all within a walkable distance. You can go out your front door, down a set of stairs and find chic boutiques for shopping and restaurants to fit all tastes. You hardly ever need to leave your community setting.

Remodeling Tenant Lofts

Another building trend is turning old, vacant industrial buildings into lofts. In doing so, builders are revitalizing downtown Kansas City. Even though these industrial buildings are being converted into modern living spaces, builders are leaving parts of the old buildings intact, preserving a little bit of the city’s history within the modern world. This is a huge draw for many people.

One such building that has been converted is the old Folger’s plant. Developers turned it into a sleek, modern 146 unit apartment building yet kept some of the old equipment for decor. Places that are seeing this kind of remodeling include:

• The Garment District
• Quality Hill
• River Market
• Crossroads

Upswing In Senior Living

The baby boomers, the largest age group in the country, are aging. Instead of condemning themselves to a tiny room at the local nursing home, they are opting for luxurious, care-assisted living communities, like the Villages at Jackson Creek.

Places like the Villages offer aging members of the population way to still live independently while having everything easily within reach. While there are apartments for those who wish to, and can, live independently, there is also a nursing center for those who need extra assistance and care. The levels of service vary based on the tenant’s needs.

Along with having a nursing staff easily accessible, community members are provided with several amenities, including:

• Laundry
• Hair salon/Barbershop
• Recreational activities
• Dining
• Transportation services

Millennial Living

Millennials are the social generation. They have grown up in an era where they have always been a click away from others. For this reason, they seem to migrate toward downtown, urban areas, where there is a vibrant art and music scene and everything is within walking distance. Urban living can get rather pricy though, so for those who can’t afford to live downtown, there are the livable communities, such as the multi-use dwellings mentioned earlier. These types of live/work/play environments provide residents with an urban lifestyle in a less urban area.

One thing is clear with these Kansas City building trends—convenience is king. The rise of multi-use buildings, converting old industrial buildings and assisted living communities prove it. With work and leisure all within a short walk from the front door, it’s hard not to see the draw. Have a commercial construction project in mind? Contact Pro Circuit. We have a wide berth of experience working in new retail and commercial construction, new tenant finish, historic renovation, and design/build projects.