The long-awaited destruction of two run-down hotels near Shawnee Mission Parkway and Metcalf Avenue is going to be put off about four more months, due to delays in closing on the property.
Wes Grammer, developer of the storage facility, hotel and a commercial building that will replace them, got the city council to agree to a 125-day extension of his construction deadlines. Grammer had planned to complete the purchase from Shawnee Mission Holding LLC by June 28, but that’s now been moved back to Oct. 31 for unspecified reasons, according to his letter on file with the city.
The area in question is the northwest corner of the intersection, currently occupied by vacated Ramada Inn and Knights Inn. By the time they were closed in late 2017, there had been numerous complaints of infestations, code violations and police calls on activities of residents there. City council members have been keen to remove the hotels and redevelop the corner.
Grammer’s Metcalf Crossing development will be a $39 million project that comes with tax increment financing to generate $2.9 million and a special one-percent sales tax in the area for another $3 million.
Before the deadline extension, demolition was to have begun by the end of this year.
The city council approved the extension with no discussion.
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