Columbus Park. An artist’s rendering of the proposed CP Lofts, which will be located on the east side of Holmes, between Fifth and Third Streets. Submitted Artwork

By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
November 11, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — While residents were planning their escape from work to attend the Royals’ parade and rally, city officials and Columbus Park residents were celebrating their area’s future.

On Monday, Nov. 2, after years of planning, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the Columbus Park Lofts [CP Lofts]. The 108 unit apartment project will be marketed to the “creative class,” or anyone involved in the arts. Located on the east side of Holmes, between Third and Fifth Streets, the $19.5 million apartment complex will consist of five buildings and include a gallery and studio space, a bike repair shop and green space. Units are expected to be ready for tenants in summer 2016.

The project will include a mix of one and two bedroom units — market rate and affordable housing — and will include amenities such as loft style apartments, pocket parks and greenways. Columbus Park Developers and Prairie Fire Development Group are the developers, with one-bedroom rental units priced between $500 – $850 a month. Two-bedroom units will rent for about $600 – $1,100 a month.

Included in the plans is the Fifth Street Collaboration Center, a community meeting space where residents can meet, work and relax in an environment conducive to creative activities. The apartments will be arranged in three two-story, 16-unit buildings; one three-story, 54-unit building; and one two-story building with six units above the collaboration center. Developers said $11 million in tax credits from the Missouri Housing Development Commission helped the apartment project.