After years of discussion and revisions, new-look plans for a mixed-use development near the growing Lenexa City Center area have received a critical approval from the city council.
On Dec. 17, the Lenexa City Council okayed a preliminary plan for Renner 87, a project at the northeast corner of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard that includes two separate buildings, hundreds of living units and nearly 10,000 square feet of commercial space.
The measure passed with a 7-0 vote.
The city council’s approval comes after previous plans for the site fell through twice, including most recently in 2021.
Price Development Group, with an office in Prairie Village, is the developer for the project.
“We believe the (Renner 87) project represents an opportunity to deliver a high quality residential and commercial space that aligns with the city’s vision for a vibrant and walkable city center,” Justin Barry with Price Development Group told the council.
The project will be at a major intersection
The seven-acre development includes two four- and five-story buildings, with the north building containing 215 multifamily units and the south building featuring more than 9,800 feet of for-lease commercial space. The development will also contain 333 parking spaces, according to the preliminary plan.
The project will be built in phases, Barry said, with the north building expected to take about 16 months for construction and 20 months for the southern building.
The development will be located near the eastern gateway of the Lenexa City Center district, considered a major intersection in the area. Both buildings will face out to 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard.
During the project’s pitch to the Lenexa Planning Commission, developers said the revised project had a “cleaner, more contemporary look.”
“We think that as we approach this, outside-in, that it functions as a better project,” Chris Bennish, a development partner with Price Development Group, said at the planning commission meeting last October.
City Council had questions about parking
Several city councilmembers had questions about parking and the flow of traffic.
The parking situation in the front of the building was described as “tight” by Councilmember Courtney Eiterich. She asked how vehicles would flow through the parking lot.
Parking in the front will be angled, Stephanie Sullivan, the city’s planning manager, said, and would flow down to a cul-de-sac turnaround area, which would remain open and accessible for fire safety vehicles.
“There is an area for vehicles to be able to turn around, make those safe maneuvers and go back the other way,” Sullivan said.
A parking deviation by the city allowing the development’s 333 spaces — as opposed to the 423 parking spaces the city would typically require for the amount of retail space planned for the project — was questioned by Councilmember Bill Nicks.
Because of the interconnected nature of Lenexa City Center, Sullivan said there are multiple places to park within the area, which allowed for the deviation.
“Some parking is yet to be constructed, but there is a fair amount of existing public parking that can be shared all throughout City Center,” she said. “Although it may not seem walkable in the sense that we’re used to, it’s still very much walkable from a more urban perspective.”
The commercial space is looking for tenants
Tenants for the project have not been determined, Sullivan said.
When asked by Mayor Julie Sayers about what kind of tenants the developer was looking for, Barry said they’ve been talking to a couple of retail brokers to “get a temperature” for what the area needs.
Potential tenants include a gourmet pet food store with a pet washing station, a co-working space similar to WeWork, a studio fitness center or amenities targeted at people working at or visiting the upcoming AdventHealth Lenexa City Center campus.
“We were kind of kicking around ideas just based on the demographics (of the area),” Barry said.
What’s next
Approval for final plans for the project will be taken up by the planning commission on March 3.
If approved, the city council could then vote on the final plans as soon as March 18.
Go deeper: After prior false starts, Lenexa moves on new plan at prominent intersectiongh
