Kansas City's Wesport neighborhood sees new condo project

The Westport neighborhood is about as historic as it gets in Kansas City. In fact, up until about 1897 or so, it was its own city that was older than K.C. itself. But despite its bustling nightlife and restaurant activity, it hasn't been the scene of much in the way of new urban housing development. Until now.



Construction is under way on the 41 Penn Condominiums, which its builder, 41 Penn LLC, is touting as the first mixed-use development in the neighborhood. The five-story building will boast 32 residential units arrayed above first-floor retail at Pennsylvania and Archibald streets in historic Westport. It should have the neighborhood all to itself when it comes to hipster K.C.-dwellers who are looking to live in one of the most exciting parts of town.



"It's being built right in the middle of the Westport neighborhood, which is a thriving entertainment district," says Mike Heitmann of 41 Penn LLC. "It has a unique modern, hip design. For instance, we could have gone with light-gauge framing but we're using reinforced concrete to give it a loft feel and to keep it solid and minimize noise transmission between the units. So it's a very solid structure."



Also, says Heitmann, the builders have gone with a traditional masonry envelope around the building to match it up with the older. historic structures around there.

source: mwrenonline.com