The Roeland Park City Council is soon expected to consider a land-sale agreement for a 222-unit apartment complex at The Rocks site near where Roe Avenue intersects with Interstate 35.
In July, the city approved a 120-day memorandum of understanding with Kansas City, Mo.-based Sunflower Development Group to develop The Rocks, 4800 Roe Parkway, the former site of the Roeland Park city pool.
Sunflower’s Principal Jason Swords said the details of the mixed-use apartment complex — with retail and a restaurant on the main level — should be similar to what the developer is working on at the former Mission Bowl site in neighboring Mission.
“I believe I know the direction the city would like to see this go. We’re going to do our very best to get it there,” Swords told the council this week.
Referencing the Mission Bowl project, he said, “That’s the direction we’re trying to push here.”
Details of The Rocks development
Although Roeland Park has yet to approve a final land-sale agreement, Swords presented Sunflower’s vision for the site at Monday’s council meeting.
Below are some details of what could come of the former pool site:
- Four levels of concrete, including three levels of a parking garage built into the cliff.
- More than 300 parking spots inside the garage, and 41 surface level parking spots.
- Four levels above concrete with 220 apartment units ranging in size from 670 square feet to 1,200 square feet.
- A rooftop pool and 4,560 square feet of commercial space.
Swords said Sunflower estimates 20% of units will qualify as affordable using 70% average market income.
The project would cost a little less than $50 million and would take approximately 20 months to complete, he said.
What’s next
The details Swords provided are not final as there is not yet a development agreement between Sunflower and Roeland Park.
Mayor Mike Kelly said he looks forward to discussing the details about affordable housing and finding a restaurant for the site as the project progresses.
“We’ve been working on this site for a long time, and to have a project like this with the amenities that are contemplated here would truly be a benefit,” Kelly said. “A $50 million investment is pretty generational in Roeland Park.”
City Administrator Keith Moody said the city council is expected to approve the land-sale agreement at its Dec. 20 meeting.
Moody said a development agreement is likely to follow at the first or second meeting in January 2022.
