KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council passed an ordinance that increases building height limits and opens new possibilities for the historic Country Club Plaza shopping district.
The ordinance raised the height limit to 275 feet, approximately 20 stories, for a development project on a plot of vacant land at 4720 Jefferson St.
The lot has been vacant after plans to develop it into a Nordstrom department store fell through.
Caroline Hogan is the Plaza's public relations and social media manager.
"We're thinking it could be a hotel, it could be residential, it could be active shops, it could even be offices," said Hogan. "We're not sure, but we just wanted that opportunity to be able to do whatever we wanted with it."
The site has been a source of frustration for the Plaza community.
"It has been an eyesore for so long and really it's a reminder of broken promises and trust with former owners," Hogan said.
Under new ownership, the Plaza group had previously considered an office tower for the location, but the proposed building exceeded the previous height restrictions. The recent ordinance change removes that barrier.
Kate Marshall, founder and president of the Plaza District Council, said the community remains open to the possibilities.
"Objectively speaking, is an 18-story building too tall out in the middle of a prairie potentially engaged in a community that surrounds it?" We'd have to see," Marshall said.
Residents and community members say as long as the Country Club Plaza maintains its historic charm, they’re open to the expansion.
"It's beautiful the way it is," said Marshall. "But there's also a lot of opportunity for growth and change around the edges."
It's something that the district's management says will be top of mind throughout the process.
"We understand as a group that the history and tradition and the look and feel of the plaza is very important to the community and to the surrounding community," said Hogan. "So, that's definitely something that's being taken into consideration."
While no specific timeline has been established for development, Plaza officials confirmed that conversations about potential projects have already begun.
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