New 363-Bed Dormitory Announced Near UMKC and Rockhurst; Glimcher Realty Trust Expands Portfolio in Leawood

By Gabriel Circiog, Associate Editor

The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph plans to construct a 363-bed dormitory targeting the students of Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the Kansas City Star reports.

The former St. Francis Xavier School, on Troost Avenue, which has been empty since 2009, will be demolished to make way for the five-story dormitory. Located near 53rd Street, close to UMKC and just across the street from Rockhurst, the development is estimated to cost over $19 million.

The project will be developed by Domus Communities, a partnership between Austin, Texas-based Petrus Development and Kansas City-based Entertainment Properties Trust, for the non-profit organization created by the diocese, SFX Domus. A feasibility study released by Domus Communities specified that the dormitory will not be limited in serving just Catholic students at the two universities.

The residence hall is an independent project of the diocese; UMKC as well as Rockhurst specified they have no involvement.

Wisconsin-based Tri-North Builders, hired by Domus Communities, submitted preliminary drawings to the City Planning Department. According to these drawings, the plan calls for a 135,000-square-foot building featuring 116 apartments and 127 parking spaces.

Monthly rents, including utilities, will range from $651 for a four-bedroom to $1,203 for a one-bedroom.

A public hearing on the subject is scheduled for June 19 by the City Plan Commission.

In other local news, Glimcher Realty Trust announced the acquisition of the outdoor retail center One Nineteen. Located in Leawood, Kansas, the new addition to the portfolio is adjacent to the company’s Town Center Plaza and will add 165,000 square feet of leasable retail space to the combined property. The center was acquired for approximately $67.5 million and is currently 93 percent leased.