The Cordish Companies has kickstarted the transformation of the Midland Office Building in Kansas City, Mo., into Midland Lofts.
Located amid the downtown Power & Light District neighborhood, the historic building will be converted into a 135-unit building. The Power & Light District neighborhood is directly connected to the Midland Theatre. Renovations of the 12-story building began earlier this week and are slated to be completed by May 2024.
The office building had been lying vacant for more than 20 years. It will be renovated to feature apartments for rent with open-concept studio and one-bedroom plans. Midland Lofts will include a street-level lobby with large windows, seating areas for entertainment and a host of amenities and services.
The building will also offer a coffee bar, entertainment kitchen, fitness center, coworking spaces, laundry room, club lounge, business center and conference rooms.
Each unit will offer quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, custom closet organizers, porcelain tile bathroom floors, big windows and in-unit washers and dryers.
Midland Lofts will be a significant step up in making Kansas City more accessible to the downtown workforce, Cordish said.
“We are extremely excited to be introducing so many apartment units to the Power & Light District that are priced below $1,000 per month, and we firmly believe The Midland Lofts can be a catalyst for the development of more moderately priced apartment units downtown – both growing our density and making the community more moderately priced,” said Emelyna Aurich, director of property management for Cordish Living.
The project will bring more downtown accommodation options to the Power & Light District and will offer additional “first-class residential options at accessible price points,” said John Moncke, president of the Kansas City Power & Light District.
The property’s architecture and interior design will reflect the history and uniqueness of the building and theater. Kansas City-based architecture and design company, Helix, is the project architect. Design firm RD Jones + Associates is leading the interior design for the amenity areas.
Baltimore, Md.-based Cordish has invested in downtown Kansas City for nearly 20 years, both with new construction projects and the restoration of historic buildings. These include the B&B Theatre, the Midland Theatre and now Midland Lofts. In 2008, Cordish and AMC completed a multi-million-dollar, two-year renovation of Midland Theatre, which initially opened back in 1927.
“The residential renaissance of downtown Kansas City began with historic conversions, and we think it is fitting as we begin this next phase of the renaissance that we are adding both new construction with Three Light and a historic renovation of the highest quality with Midland Lofts to the Power & Light District,” said Marnie Sauls, executive director of residential management for Cordish Living.