The idea of reorienting and revamping Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, which is four times the size of Highland Park Village, is no small one.
As of Friday morning, Ray Washburn, president of HP Village Management, was planning to use pressure washers to clean up the site of the shopping and office center, which was built more than 100 years ago.
An affiliate of HP Village Management formally completed the acquisition of a Kansas City site containing 970,000 square feet of commercial space across 15 blocks on June 28.
Country Club Plaza is famous in real estate circles as one of the first suburban shopping centers planned to cater to shoppers who arrive by car.
Washburn said the Midwest location, like Highland Park Village, has long served as a destination for out-of-town and out-of-state shoppers.
The opportunity to buy the dilapidated property first came up to Washburn last May when he was speaking at an Urban Land Institute conference. By coincidence, a representative from Nuveen, the investment management company that lent money to Highland Park Village, asked him if he’d be interested in another big project.
More than $100 million was spent on the renovation of Highland Park Village, and Washburn said another $100 million will be spent on the Missouri complex, with Nuveen remaining involved.
Given the size of Country Club Plaza, it is planned as a separate district with a contemporary fashion district, a dining district and a high-end designer district.
That’s similar to the retail balance achieved between Knox Street and Highland Park Village in Dallas, which also involves an affiliate of HP Village Management, Washburn said.
Currently, Country Club Plaza is home to Tiffany & Co. and Coach stores, but Washburn said discussions are underway with a number of luxury retailers.
“They’ve seen what we’ve done. [with Highland Park Village]”That’s really important,” he says. “There’s a trusting relationship with the tenant. They’re signing with someone who’s got a long-term approach. We’re not going to put on some lipstick, paint a little storefront, bring in a few tenants and then sell it.”
Washburn said the first priority is safety.
“We spend four times as much as they do on village security, and they’re four times our size,” Washburn said.
Kansas City, along with the Dallas area, has been selected to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the quarterfinals.
This is a milestone that makes it even more important to improve Country Club Plaza without losing its sense of place.
“The magic dust around this store creates a sense of authenticity and uniqueness to the center. What we’ve done with the Village is lead the local food and beverage scene. Secondly, we want some local retailers as well,” Washburn said.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Kansas City architects were hired to help create a modern master plan for the building, designed by Edward Delk, which used Baroque and Moorish styles to mimic the architecture of Seville, Spain, one of Kansas City’s sister cities.
The leasing effort is being led by Steven Summers, co-owner of HP Village Management. Eastdil Secured advised Nuveen on the loan sale.
