A new mixed-use project with apartments on a key downtown Overland Park property near 80th Street and Metcalf Avenue cleared a key hurdle this week.
On Monday, the Overland Park Planning Commission voted 11-0, recommending the city council find the plans for the apartment and retail building to be in compliance with the city’s special zoning overlay for the downtown area.
The commission also supported a number of deviations related to building materials, building size and height, among other factors.
Development could ‘shape’ future of Metcalf
The property at 8036 Metcalf Ave., once home to a Winstead’s hamburger joint, was most recently used as a temporary location for UMB Bank while its neighboring branch was renovated. Now, the site is vacant.
“It fills in a vacant lot that will really shape how Metcalf looks and downtown Overland Park,” said Commission Chair Kip Strauss.
Hunt Midwest — the firm behind the nearby The Vue mixed-use development — is the developer of the project.
225+ apartments planned in Metcalf project
- From the outside, the building will appear to have seven stories.
- It will contain ground-level retail spanning 5,000 square feet and a stacked mostly below-ground parking structure with some public parking availability.
- The upper levels of the building will have 226 apartment units.
Commissioners broadly supportive of downtown development
Though there was some discussion of discomfort with the volume of deviations requested, members of the commission were generally supportive of the development, noting its general conformance with the city’s long-range and evolving goals for the downtown area.
“It does the things that I think we’re aspiring for in downtown,” said Commissioner Rob Krewson.
Other commissioners agreed, with Commissioner Edward Reitzes calling it “another step” on “the same path” of recent progress to reimagine downtown Overland Park.
Next steps:
- The Certificate of Conformity with the downtown form-based code goes to the Overland Park City Council for consideration next.
- It is tentatively scheduled for the Jan. 6, 2025 meeting.
More downtown Overland Park news: Overland Park bids farewell to farmers’ market pavilion, makes way for new space
