KANSAS CITY, MO - The Cordish Companies and Kansas City Power & Light District celebrated the grand opening of the historic Midland Lofts apartment community yesterday in downtown Kansas City. The transformation of the historic Midland Office Building into 135 apartment homes, Midland Lofts sits in the midst of the burgeoning downtown Power & Light District neighborhood, directly connected to the legendary Midland Theatre and steps away from Cosentino’s Downtown Market, Kansas City Live!, T-Mobile Center, Genesis Health Clubs, the KC Streetcar line, dozens of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues, and cultural destinations like the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
“It is an honor to bring the historic Midland Office Building back to life as Midland Lofts, and remarkable to look back and see how far we’ve come over the last 15 years,” said John Sweeney, Managing Director of Residential, The Cordish Companies. “With Midland Lofts’ opening, we are thrilled to be bringing even more new downtown living options to the Power & Light District as demand for downtown living continues to grow. Leasing for Midland Lofts has surpassed every expectation, and we are pleased to announce that we are over 80% leased, with approximately 50% of our residents coming from outside the KC Metro area. This is no surprise, as the City continues to attract top employers and students from across the nation.”
“When you look at a corner like this one downtown that did not have this activation a generation ago, this is the sort of thing we have been dreaming of for years. When I first got into office, I remember that even in times of challenge, Cordish said they could deliver. I am so excited to have them as partners and so excited to share with the world and this community what accessible housing can be,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas during his remarks at the Grand Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, September 18. Mayor Lucas continued to touch on the value that the historic Midland Lofts will bring to the Kansas City community saying, “This is among some of the most beautiful spaces I’ve seen and I look forward to people getting to live in this fabulous building, built and opened in 1927, but reinvigorated for another century. More than anything, let’s keep the progress in Kansas City going and have more exciting days ahead.”
Located at the corner of 13th and Baltimore Avenue within the Power & Light District, the newly renovated 12-story building includes 135 beautiful, airy loft apartments for rent featuring multiple open-concept studios and one-bedroom floor plans and amenities as rich as the building’s history. The apartment community boasts an impressive street-level lobby with large windows bringing in natural light, multiple seating areas for conversation and entertainment, and a suite of amenities and services for renters including:
- Coffee bar
- Entertainment kitchen
- Fitness center
- Coworking spaces
- Billiards room
- Club lounge
- Meditation room
- Indoor community fireplace
- Communal laundry room
- Luxer package locker system
- Complimentary wifi throughout all amenity spaces
- Business center with computers and printers
- Conference rooms
“Midland Lofts’ opening is a significant step in the direction of making Kansas City more broadly accessible to the downtown workforce,” said Emelyna Aurich, director of Property Management for Cordish Living. “Midland Lofts has brought many units to the Power & Light District that are priced below $1,000 per month and has acted as a catalyst for the development of more moderately priced apartment units downtown – both growing our density and making the community more moderately priced. We’re very proud to be providing additional options at lower price points, but you’ll quickly see that Midland Lofts was brought to life at the same high level as One, Two and Three Light, showing off 135 beautiful, airy loft apartments and 5,000 square feet of amenities as rich as the building’s history.”
The architecture and the interior design of Midland Lofts reflect the rich history and unique character of the building and theater while channeling the upscale finishes and design of One Light, Two Light and Three Light Luxury Apartments. The residential community will be an incredible blend of beautifully restored 100-year-old architecture combined with state-of-the-art, contemporary finishes. Local Kansas City architecture and design firm Helix partnered with Rosin Preservation to keep the allure of the historic building which sits proudly on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each living space at Midland Lofts has been meticulously designed with quartz countertops and tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, custom closet organizers, porcelain tile bathroom floors, in-unit washer/dryers, and oversized windows that show off incredible views of downtown. RD Jones + Associates, an award-winning full-service design firm specializing in interior design and architecture, is leading the interior design for Midland Lofts’ amenity spaces.
All throughout the building, Midland Lofts will feature a curated collection of art that was commissioned to celebrate the artists who performed in the Midland Theatre during its incredible century-old history and the glamour of old grand movie palaces from Hollywood’s early days, merging it with contemporary interpretations of old-world themes taken from the silent film and Vaudeville era up to the jazz-tinged music of 1960’s West Village nightclubs.
“The adaptive reuse of the 1927 Midland Office Building into the Midland Lofts offered the opportunity to apply Helix’s extensive design experience in historic preservation to the creation of affordable housing for our workforce,” said Doug Stockman, AIA, Principal and Director of Architecture at Helix Architecture + Design. “It combines Helix’s commitment to the urban core with our passion for revitalizing historic buildings and creating unique living spaces for more facets of our urban community who seek out different characteristics of the places they call home.”
Since the opening of the nine-city block Power & Light District, which is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year, downtown Kansas City has garnered national attention for its urban renaissance. The transformation has included more than $9.7 billion in public and private investment over the last 15 years, with more than 34,000 new residents downtown, including over 1,500 in the Power & Light District. Developed by The Cordish Companies, The Power & Light District is the most visited destination in the state of Missouri welcoming over 12 million visitors per year.
For almost two decades, The Cordish Companies has invested in downtown Kansas City, both with new construction projects and the restoration of historic buildings in the Power & Light District including the B&B Theatre, the Midland Theatre, and now Midland Lofts. In 2008, Cordish and AMC completed a two-year, multi-million-dollar renovation of the Midland Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1927. Since the renovation, the celebrated Kansas City venue has welcomed millions of guests and hosts hundreds of events each year.
“Midland Lofts is a significant project that will continue to infuse momentum into the ongoing development and growth of downtown Kansas City,” said John Moncke, President of Kansas City Power & Light. “Midland Lofts marries the rich history of Kansas City with a modern, elegant lifestyle and will provide additional first-class residential options at accessible price points. For nearly two decades, we have invested in building a world-class community downtown, with historic renovation and new construction projects alike. We are extremely proud to play a role in the ongoing growth of downtown.”
About The Cordish Companies: The Cordish Companies' origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately held, family ownership. During the past 10 decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into a global leader in Real Estate Development, Gaming & Hospitality, Entertainment Management and International Urban Planning & Development. One of the largest and most respected developers in the world, The Cordish Companies has been awarded an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence for public-private developments that are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. Prime examples are The Cordish Companies' prominent role in the redevelopment of Baltimore's world famous Inner Harbor; Philadelphia, PA; Atlantic City, NJ; Charleston, SC; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; Kansas City, MO and St. Louis, MO. In addition, The Cordish Companies has developed and operates multiple highly acclaimed entertainment destinations throughout the United States which welcome over 55 million visitors per year and are the most visited destinations in their respective regions. Over the generations, The Cordish Companies has remained true to the family's core values of quality, entrepreneurial spirit, long-term personal relationships and integrity. As a testimony to the long-term vision of its family leadership, The Cordish Companies still owns and manages virtually every business it has created. For more information visit www.cordish.com
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About The Kansas City Power & Light District: The Kansas City Power & Light District is a vibrant multi-city block neighborhood in the heart of downtown Kansas City. It is redefining the city from its skyline to its sidewalks. The District links together the renovated Bartle Hall Convention Center, the T-Mobile Center, offices, hotels, entertainment, cultural destinations and residential developments. The combination of entertainment, shopping, nightlife and residential with the District’s imaginative and innovative design has created an intriguing 24/7 neighborhood.