By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

October 28, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – On Friday, October 28, the Historic Preservation Commission granted a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the vacant gas station at 2300 Independence Blvd. and make way for construction of the Pendleton ArtsBlock project, a four-story, mixed-used housing development.

The Pendleton ArtsBlock housing development will be the new home for roughly 14 current residents of the Chouteau Courts housing project, which is set to eventually be razed as part of the Paseo Gateway Project, a project moving forward at least in part due to a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant issued last year to the Housing Authority of Kansas City. The development is also planned to serve as an artist’s incubator.

The housing project will include commercial uses on the first floor, facing south along Independence Avenue. Residential units will encompass the remaining three floors. In terms of outward appearance, the exterior is expected to consist of brown brick accented with lighter brick. The first-floor store fronts are expected to be made of primarily aluminum (including in the windows and doors), with concrete forming the base. According to a staff report presented to the Historic Preservation Commission, the development will be visible from Independence Blvd., as well as Park Avenue and Olive Street.

Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association President Jessica Ray wrote a letter in support of the development, adding that the developer shared details of the plan on several occasions during the Paseo Gateway planning process.

“We believe this innovative, artist-oriented housing development project will provide much needed housing to the growing Pendleton Heights artist community and to a variety of income levels, including public housing,” wrote Ray.

Todd Lieberman with Pendleton ArtsBlock, LLC said during the Commission meeting that the development project is part of the third phase of the Paseo Gateway project, and that the artist’s incubator idea is modeled after a similar project in Chicago that recently won several national awards. He added that the commercial aspect of the development will also be geared towards the artists who are expected to reside in the building.

“It’s an artist’s retail space,” said Lieberman. “We’re trying to make sure that we’re making this in a way that will be marketable, but also acceptable to area residents.

Project architect Dan Maginn noted that the development addresses a community need as a gathering space for the creative class in the Northeast area. He added that the project adheres to zoning guidelines, and that the development team hoped to respect the surrounding historic district while creating a fresh feel for Independence Avenue.

“It’s something that doesn’t pretend to be of a different era,” said Maginn.

The Historic Preservation Committee quickly and unanimously approved the Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of the former gas station, with member Mike Hardin going as far as to declare the development as “an awesome project” before casting his vote.