The original Westwood View Elementary building at 2511 W. 50th St. is scheduled for full-blown demolition next month.
After a year of vacancy, the Shawnee Mission’s contracted construction company Houston Demolition, of Kansas City, will begin heavy demolition of the former school building the first half of September.
Earlier this month, the Westwood City Council asked staff to draft an agreement to work with a Kansas City developer who wants to remake the old school property with single-family homes, twin and triplexes. No decisions about the proposed project itself have been made.
Heavy demolition to begin next month
Houston Demolition has been working over the summer on light demolition at the former school site, according to the city of Westwood’s Aug. 20 email newsletter.
Light demolition will continue this week, and the entire site including the parking lot will become inaccessible to the public as Houston installs construction fencing.
Heavy demolition begins the first half of September, with the demolition of the existing building, parking lot and playground areas.
Nearby residents can expect “significant noise” between 7 a.m and 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, according to the city’s email newsletter.
By the second half of September, Houston plans to move on to lighter demolition and debris removal. This transition to lighter demolition should reduce the volume of construction noise, according to the city.
Demolition-related traffic is limited to Rainbow Boulevard, with no use of Belinder Avenue or residential streets to the west of the old school property, according to the city newsletter.
All demolition work is expected to be completed by October.
A look at what could replace the building
A Kansas City-based developer has proposed redeveloping the old school property into a housing project, but several steps have to take place before any work is allowed to begin.
For starters, the city of Westwood is currently in a purchase agreement with the school district to buy the Westwood View property.
That purchase agreement stems from a 2023 plan from Mission Woods-based Karbank Real Estate Company to turn the sites of Joe D. Dennis Park and nearby green space into an office-retail project, while giving the city the $2.8 million to buy the old school property and build a new park there.
Karbank’s plan is now defunct following a public vote that nixed the crux of the project: Selling Joe D. Dennis Park.
Now, in an effort to somewhat control the future of the site, Westwood is considering a partnership with Kansas City-based Hunt Midwest to redevelop the old school property.
Hunt Midwest’s initial proposal is for a residential redevelopment with a few single-family homes and several duplexes and triplexes.
The partnership with Hunt Midwest has yet to be cemented, and the proposal has yet to go through the formal consideration process.
Next steps:
- The city council is expected to consider an agreement to assign its purchase rights to Hunt Midwest at a future city council meeting.
- Westwood City Council meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at city hall, 4700 Rainbow Blvd.
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