Crown Center
Thriving on the southern edge of Downtown Kansas City, the Crown Center region continues to expand and evolve. Already boasting more than 2.5 million square feet of prime office space, the Crown Center complex is poised to double that figure in the next decade. Just as impressive is the area's cultural evolution with the renovation of the Liberty Memorial and the ongoing development of KC's Union Station.
A massive construction project is under way at 2555 Grand Blvd. in the heart of Crown Center, just southeast of the retail shops. The new 24-story, 600,000-square-foot office tower will serve as the new headquarters for Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., Kansas City's largest law firm. When completed, 2555 Grand will be the largest Crown Center-owned office building and the tallest building constructed in downtown Kansas City in more than 10 years. The $100 million project is being co-developed by Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation and the Zimmer Companies.
Just to the east, another substantial project is nearing completion. The $155 million, multi-phase expansion at Children's Mercy Hospital includes the construction of a four-story, 72,000-square-foot outpatient clinic and research building over the existing parking garage; expansion of the Center for Congenital Heart Disease, including the consolidation of office space and the construction of four new operating rooms; construction of a 27-bed inpatient unit in the Henson Tower; construction of a new heliport with two landing surfaces atop the Sutherland Tower; and expansion to the north of the existing parking garage to add approximately 800 new spaces. Most phases of the project are scheduled for completion by the end of 2002, excluding the research building and parking garage. Those phases are should be complete by summer 2004.
The potential redevelopment of the Old Main Post Office at 315 West Pershing Road has gained momentum over the past 18 months, all in an effort to determine the best way to maximize unused space in the 500,000-square-foot structure. Located adjacent to Crown Center and Union Station, the historic building and three adjacent city blocks are targeted for redevelopment. First, the Zimmer Companies released a proposal, a joint venture with Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation, recommending that the building be adapted for new commercial and residential uses, in addition to developing multifamily housing and attached parking on property owned by the USPS immediately to the west. Then, downtown business leaders, with support from U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, proposed using to property to consolidate all the area's Internal Revenue Service operations, and several other federal agencies. Nothing has been finalized, but whatever happens, the common goal of those involved is to bring more jobs to the area to generate increased revenue for Union Station, Crown Center and KC's urban core as a whole.
Other prominent developments in the Crown Center region include:
Liberty Memorial--National and local dignitaries were in attendance for the rededication of the Liberty Memorial in May 2002. The event, held on Memorial Day, marked the completion of the $46.6 million exterior phase of the project. Improvements made included building 
a new concrete deck and support columns for the memorial, replacing damaged limestone, restoring the interiors of the side buildings, rehabbing the elevator shaft in the tower, developing a new entrance on the south mall and creating space below the memorial for a museum. The $30 million interior phase, which involves the museum construction and exhibits, will be completed at a later date. J.E. Dunn is the general contractor for the project.
Beacon Hill Housing Development--The project encompasses 300 new single-family and townhouse units and 100 rehabilitated homes between Bruce R. Watkins Drive and Troost Avenue from 21st to 27th Street. A neighborhood demon- stration project sponsored by Fannie Mae, the project has substantial funding from the federal government and the city receiving funding from its American Community Foundation. Envisioned as a "new urbanist” mixed-use community, the $70 million development will provide over 400 middle income, market rate homes for sale in Kansas City's urban core. Construction began this spring with the project being developed by Beacon Hill Developers LLC and The Zimmer Companies.