Bryan Stalder
Contributor

The former Askew School building at 2630 Topping Ave. could soon take on a new life as affordable senior housing following action by the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) Board of Directors.

On Dec. 17, the KCPS board approved a sales contract for the Askew School site with Parker Communities, LLC, part of a joint development team with Petra LLC. The proposal calls for the adaptive reuse of the historic school building into a senior-oriented affordable housing development, preserving the structure while addressing a growing housing need in the surrounding Northeast community.

According to KCPS documents, the project would include 59 residential units, made up of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. The development team plans to apply for a 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation in March 2026. If awarded, the developers would then seek historic tax credits in the summer of 2026, with an anticipated closing on the property sale in October 2026.

The approval follows years of discussion about how best to reuse the vacant school building. In May, KCPS partnered with the Blue Valley Neighborhood Association to host a community meeting where residents were invited to review the proposal and ask questions of the development team. Parker Communities LLC and Petra LLC presented their vision for senior housing, and KCPS collected feedback from neighbors before entering negotiations.

KCPS officials stated that updates on the project will continue to be posted publicly, and residents can sign up for future communications through the district’s repurposing contact list.

This is not the first time a reuse proposal has been considered for the Askew School. In 2017, Hope City submitted a proposal to convert the building into a church and prayer ministry. That proposal ultimately stalled after community feedback was mixed, and discussions ended when Hope City purchased the building it had been leasing elsewhere.

Supporters of the current proposal say senior housing could provide stability for the area by bringing long-term residents into a building that has sat unused for years. Adaptive reuse of the historic structure could also help preserve a neighborhood landmark while avoiding demolition.

Affordable senior housing developments typically limit rent to a percentage of a resident’s adjusted income, helping older adults remain in the community as housing costs rise citywide. Neighbors at the May meeting also raised questions about parking, property management, and how the building would integrate with the surrounding residential blocks.

As the project moves forward, some residents have expressed concerns about the track records of the companies involved.

Parker Communities, which operates Parker Square Apartments in Kansas City, focuses on income-based family and senior housing. However, in 2025, Parker Square Apartments faced significant public criticism and legal challenges related to maintenance and safety conditions. Tenant groups and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials cited issues including pest infestations, flooding, mold, and delayed repairs. In October 2025, a judge began considering whether a class-action lawsuit related to living conditions at Parker Square and other properties could proceed. Around the same time, Port KC ordered independent inspections following HUD findings of life-threatening and severe safety issues at the complex.

Petra LLC, which is involved in construction and development for various senior and affordable housing projects, has also faced legal scrutiny in recent years. In 2025, a related Petra management entity reached a settlement with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office over allegations of discriminatory housing practices and is currently subject to compliance monitoring and additional inspections.

KCPS officials have emphasized that approval of the sales contract does not eliminate oversight. The project must still secure multiple layers of financing and regulatory approval, and any future development would be subject to city, state, and federal housing standards.

If tax credits are awarded and financing is finalized, redevelopment of the Askew School could begin after the sale closes in late 2026. KCPS has stated that continued community engagement will be part of the process as plans are refined.

For neighbors, the project represents both an opportunity and a responsibility — an opportunity to bring new life to a long-vacant historic building, and a responsibility to remain engaged to ensure that promises made during the planning process translate into safe, well-managed housing that benefits both future residents and the surrounding community.