By Chad Taylor, the Taylor-Made Team

I have had some version of this conversation with home sellers more times than I can count. They are preparing to move, and there is a dining room set, china cabinet, or another piece of furniture that has been in the family for years. It is well-made, holds wonderful memories, and surely one of their children will want it.

Then the kids say, “No, thank you.”

The parents see craftsmanship, history, and sentimental value. Their children see something that does not fit their home or the way they live. Neither is necessarily wrong, although that probably does not make the conversation around the dining room table any easier.

I think about those conversations when we debate teardowns and new construction in Prairie Village. We can love something, appreciate its history, and recognize its quality without assuming the next generation will want to live with it exactly as we have.

Let me start by saying that old does not mean poorly built. In my years selling homes here, I have seen some incredible craftsmanship. Sturgeon and Taylor, for example, built wonderful homes in Nall Avenue Gardens, including homes with impressively thick stone foundations. There are older homes throughout our city that have been beautifully maintained, thoughtfully updated, and will serve their owners well for years.

But good construction and a floor plan that works for today’s homeowner are two different things.

Much of Prairie Village developed as a first-ring suburb in the postwar years. Those homes served the needs and budgets of the families buying them at the time. Many still do. Others present challenges that fresh paint and new countertops cannot solve.

Families may want a kitchen that opens to the living area. They may need a home office without giving up a child’s bedroom. They would like a garage that accommodates today’s vehicles, preferably two at the same time. Anyone who has folded in a mirror, held their breath, and slowly pulled into an older garage knows what I am talking about.
Sometimes an addition or renovation is the right answer. Sometimes the cost and compromises involved make starting over a more practical choice. I support keeping both options available.

In a recent public post, Prairie Village Councilmember Cole Robinson cited approximately 8,800 single-family homes in the city and between 40 and 70 demolition permits annually in recent years. Using those figures, that represents less than 1% of our single-family housing stock in a year.

That provides some perspective. It also does very little to comfort someone who has three construction projects surrounding their home.

Both things can be true. Replacement can be occurring at a relatively modest rate citywide while creating a significant burden on one street. If you have driven on 71st Street east of Mission Road lately, you understand how disruptive construction can feel.

Neighbors should be able to get out of their driveways, and they should not have to worry about a roofing nail turning their morning commute into a trip to the tire shop. Building a home is a complicated process involving many people, but the people living around that project deserve consideration throughout it.

Our team partners with Koenig Building & Restoration, and that relationship belongs in this conversation. Scott and Molly live in Prairie Village and care about this community. We chose to partner with them because we value their craftsmanship and have seen them be good neighbors firsthand. When we represent a builder, we are putting our reputation alongside theirs. Who they are and how they treat people matter to us.

The size and placement of a new home also deserve a thoughtful conversation. Height, rooflines, drainage, trees, and privacy affect the people next door. We should be able to discuss clear, reasonable design standards while still welcoming investment in our neighborhoods.

Affordability is another legitimate concern. A smaller existing home can offer a price point that a larger new home simply cannot. Replacing that home removes that particular option, and we should be honest about it. Luxury new construction alone will not provide the range of housing choices our community needs.

At the same time, we also need choices for families who want more space and longtime residents who want less maintenance. I regularly work with people who love Prairie Village but struggle to find the next home that fits their lives here. When they cannot find it, they look elsewhere.

Every city goes through a life cycle. Homes age, households change, and the needs of one generation differ from those of the next. Our ability to adapt matters, especially in a community where there is little vacant land left to develop.

That conversation includes our schools. Shawnee Mission is already confronting declining enrollment and reviewing attendance boundaries. New construction alone will not reverse those trends, but keeping our community attractive and accessible to families deserves a place in the discussion. As a Realtor, I know how often our local schools are central to someone’s decision to buy here.

I love Prairie Village’s mature trees, walkability, familiar streets, and older homes. I also love that people continue to want to make their lives here. Giving those households options will require preservation, renovation, and new construction.

The family that declines the heirloom dining room set may still want to host Thanksgiving. They just need a table that works for them.

Prairie Village needs to make room for that next chapter, too.

Have a question about what you’re seeing on your block in Prairie Village? Want to chat about options for your Prairie Village home? Send us a message below and we’ll be in touch!