A developer may ask Prairie Village for public incentives to help remake the vacant Macy’s building at the Shops of Prairie Village.
Next month, the Prairie Village Planning Commission is set to review an updated plan that reimagines the future of the building, which has sat vacant since Macy’s closed in January 2020.
City leaders say developers are likely also going to request incentives to help pay for the planned upgrades.
This is the first movement on the redevelopment since December when the owner of the Shops said the project was “still in progress.” That news came two months after a groundbreaking was announced and scheduled for mid-November of last year but never materialized.
The most notable change from previous plans for the vacant building at the corner of 71st Street and Mission Road shows the removal of the third floor of the site, taking it down to a two-story structure, according to site plan documents obtained by the Post.
First Washington Realty, the Maryland-based owner of the Shops and the applicant for the updated site plan, did not respond to the Post’s request for comment for this story.
Developer faces “significant cost challenges”
- At Monday’s city council meeting, Mayor Eric Mikkelson told the council that First Washington is “running into some significant cost challenges” with the upgrades it has in mind for the project.
- Mikkelson said along with removing the top floor of the building, the company plans to flatten out the parking lot between the old Macy’s and the former Gravity restaurant in the southwestern corner of the complex. (Popular Leawood restaurant Bamboo Penny’s announced earlier this year plans to take over that space.)
- This requires “a major investment in some grading,” Mikkelson said.
- Mikkelson said the city anticipates the developer asking for industrial revenue bonds at a later date to help pay for those improvements.
- Industrial revenue bonds are when proceeds from the sale of bonds issued by cities or other public entities go to private developers to help buy land or pay construction or remodeling costs on projects, according to the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The plan still envisions Hen House moving into the first floor
- The site plan contained in city documents shows the current Hen House at the Shops moving into the first floor of a remodeled Macy’s building, with an entrance on the west side of the current structure.
- This is similar to previous plans that called for Hen House to move into the Macy’s building, though that plan also included the now-scuttled third floor with a fitness gym.
- In the updated layout, the second floor features four different retail spaces, all of which face West 71st Street.
- Specifics about the four retail spaces, including possible tenants, are unknown at this time.
City staff still needs to review the plans
- Deputy City Administrator Nickie Lee said city staff still needs to review the plan and send feedback to First Washington.
- A full history and analysis of the application will be included in the packet for the planning commission meeting, and the packet will be released by Sept. 6.
- The Prairie Village Planning Commission meets next at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.
- Meetings are held inside council chambers at City Hall, 7700 Mission Rd.
- A live stream will be available online here, as well.
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