84 homes and townhomes coming to unused space in Columbus Park
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Roughly seven acres of mostly unused space in Columbus Park is slated to get 84 new homes over the next few years, split between 58 townhomes and 26 single-family units.
The long process started when the Housing Authority of Kansas City (HAKC) put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) at the end of 2022, looking for ideas for what to do next with the land. It used to be part of the Guinotte Manor development before it was demolished about 20 years ago.
KCPD arrests two juveniles in deadly shooting of restaurant owner
The project would take over what’s now open greenspace where Harrison Street curves into East 4th Street.
“The whole goal of this development is to build off what already exists here,” said Edward Franklin Building Company Managing Partner Grant Baumgartner.
He has a lot to work with from the rest of Columbus Park’s eclectic architecture where Mary Fasone’s family has lived for four generations.
“We have everything from the really modern to the super old,” said Fasone.
She owns one of each kind of house, which is why she’s happy Baumgartner is planning to build new homes that match the old neighborhood, and not end up with the uniformity that results in many new construction projects.
“There is no real organized pattern to it,” said Baumgartner.
“In fact, we kind of like the sporatic layout of the mixture of homes and townhomes.”
Residents like Fasone and Columbus Park Neighborhood Association Board Member Cathryn Schneider say they support this project because it’s driven by a local builder who is using what has been empty space for roughly two decades.
Scene cleared after bomb threat at Wyandotte High School
“It felt like this could always be something very cool and the fact that it’s now [getting a new street grid] and brought back into the neighborhood is very unique,” said Schneider.
Edward Franklin is still working through the details on getting the new street grid installed but Baumgartner says Phase 1 will bring 41 homes and townhomes with construction starting in 2025 to be delivered in early 2026 if everything goes according to plan.
All the units will be intended to be sold, unlike many rental development projects in and around downtown KC.
“Columbus Park has had homeownership that’s been here a long time,” said Baumgartner.
“Throughout the time that people wre leaving downtown, there were people and families who stayed here and maintained the neighborhood and invested in the neighborhood.”
Schnieder says more housing stock could help people already renting in Columbus Park find a place to own while building up the commercial district one block away on East 5th Street.
“I’m also excited for the new businesses,” said Schneider.
“Having 80-plus homes is going to make these businesses be able to stay here for a really long time.”
Baumgartner says they will submit official plans for the city approval process in the next few months and hope to build roughly 14 homes a year over six years with the timeline speeding up based on demand. The townhomes are expected to be priced in the $500,000 range with single-family homes going for around $700,000.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.