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High Demand Buoys Kansas City Industrial Market

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:45:10 +0000

By John Hassler, Newmark Zimmer At the close of 2022, Kansas City’s industrial property market hit heights that would have been unimaginable only a decade prior. While Kansas City ranks as the 31st-largest MSA in the United States by population, it is the 16th-largest market nationally based on industrial square footage with nearly 315 million square feet of total inventory. Further, Kansas City ranks 10th nationally in the percentage of annual net absorption as compared with its market size and has added an impressive 62.5 million square feet of newly developed square footage over the last 10 years. Many factors have contributed to the market’s growth trajectory including the nation’s most geo-central location (a two-day truck drive to 85 percent of the continental U.S. population), the confluence of five Class-1 railroads (with four area intermodal centers), the intersection of four of the nation’s busiest interstates (including I-35 and I-70), an available and reasonably priced workforce, an abundance of industrial development sites in pro-development communities, and an experienced, well-capitalized concentration of developers headquartered in the area. Kansas City has leveraged those various logistical and strategic advantages at a perfect time to capitalize on an all-time high in industrial space demand with…

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No End Is in Sight for Kansas City’s Multifamily Development Needs

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 11:45:16 +0000

By Chris Armer, Hoefer Welker People who call the Kansas City metropolitan area home know it’s a desirable place to live. From the robust job market and vibrant arts scene to its rich history and, of course, stellar sports teams, the Kansas City metro area attracts a diverse group of people. Kansas City is evolving and so are its housing needs. In recent years, the demand for multifamily development in Kansas City has grown, driven by a range of factors. Mass retirements and flexible work arrangements are shifting priorities, while the housing shortage and rising interest rates are sending prospective homeowners on the search for attractive alternatives. The multifamily housing trend stands to gain momentum, creating a space for discerning real estate and architecture firms with development expertise to pave the way in an evolving housing market. The great shuffle Much has been said about the Great Resignation, but the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t only affect young and midlife workers who left their jobs to pursue higher-paying and more meaningful employment. It also hastened the Great Retirement, a massive wave of baby boomers leaving the workforce, many of them earlier than planned. Now those homeowners are selling their suburban single-family…

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Retail, Industrial Brokers in Wichita Market Remain Busy

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 26 May 2022 11:45:29 +0000

Wichita experienced considerable retail and restaurant expansion throughout 2021, with other new stores planned for 2022. The two biggest new players to Wichita include Top Golf at 29th Street and Greenwich Road, now under construction, and Scheel’s entering the market with a new 220,000-square-foot store to be located in the former Sears space at Towne East Square. Top Golf is anticipated to open in late 2022, spurring more retail activity on North Greenwich. Furniture stores have been actively backfilling big boxes, including Bob Mills who took the former Michael’s, and Wichita Furniture, a strong regional player, taking the former 100,000-square-foot Kmart building on West Kellogg/US-54. Discount stores have continued to find a way to open more locations to increase their footprints in the market, both new construction and conversion of former retail spaces. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet opened its west store at Central and Ridge roads, and is also opening a store at Brittany Center. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) have been active, including two new locations opening in 2022 for Dunkin’ and several new Dutch Bros Coffee locations as they enter the market as well in late 2022 and 2023. Tropical Smoothie Café opened a location last year and Smoothie King…

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Despite Pandemic, Wichita Market Experiences Significant Urban Development

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:45:35 +0000

By Tom Johnson, NAI Martens The overall Wichita economy is not out of the woods yet, but numerous factors point to a continuation of the recovery from both the Great Recession and the impact of the pandemic. Since the significant employment downturn during the second quarter of 2020, the Wichita metro area has markedly recovered but remains well below 2019 non-farm employment. The seesaw unemployment rate has now declined to just over 5 percent. All employment sectors are expected to increase from 3 to 6 percent in 2021 with retail, leisure and hospitality leading the way as restaurants and travel return to pre-pandemic levels. In the background of all the pandemic noise have been significant gains in urban development with over $1 billion of public and private sector investment since the recession. ● Residential has grown exponentially with 21 new and renovated properties representing 1,228 units with some of the highest rental rates in the city. ● With over 100 restaurants and local shops, retail has increased significantly, adding almost 500,000 square feet, a 39 percent increase with more to come. ● Starting with the Ambassador Hotel renovation, the hospitality sector has added 375 rooms with another 95 rooms in…

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Kansas City Multifamily Market Poised for More Growth in 2021

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 12:45:54 +0000

By Gabe Tovar, John Duvall and Kyle Tucker of NorthMarq The Kansas City multifamily market has proved it is more than resilient in the face of adversity. Throughout 2020, the market ranked consistently in the top 10 of 30 markets tracked by Yardi. It logged higher occupancies and rent growth, all while welcoming a record level of new supply. That stellar performance is likely to attract even more capital to the market in 2021. The story dominating the Kansas City market in recent years has been its booming development pipeline. Despite shutdowns and delays caused by the pandemic, developers delivered nearly 5,900 new units in 2020. That volume represents a record-high growth rate of 4.1 percent added to Kansas City’s market-rate inventory, compared with an annual average rate of 2 to 3 percent throughout the past decade. Looking ahead, that supply wave has crested, and the pipeline is shifting to the suburbs. NorthMarq forecasts completions over the next two years to average closer to 4,000 units with 70 to 75 percent of those opening across the suburban submarkets. In recent years, between 40 and 50 percent of total deliveries were concentrated in the urban core, so while this data supports…

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Kansas City Industrial Market Slated to Continue Positive Momentum in 2021

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 12:45:30 +0000

By David Zimmer, SIOR, Newmark Zimmer The industrial real estate market in the metropolitan Kansas City area ended 2020 on a high note. 2021 will pick up right where 2020 ended, with no outward or visible signs of a slowdown. New industrial construction is visible in every geographic sector of the metro area, with upwards of 2.5 million square feet of buildings under construction. Without exception, all these are high cube, modern distribution-type facilities intended to capture the ever-growing e-commerce, logistics and food and beverage sectors of the economy. With the one possible exception being the 880,000-square-foot office and distribution building for Urban Outfitters in Wyandotte County, all industrial construction underway is on a speculative basis with lease-up taking place before the buildings are placed into service. Development activity is being sponsored by both local development entities and regional and national developers who state that Kansas City’s geographical central location, coupled with a skilled workforce and extensive transportation infrastructure, are the primary reasons why Kansas City has attracted numerous companies to establish major distribution operations over the past decade. Investor appetite In addition to new development activities, the investor market for industrial properties has also reached record levels. In one…

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Building Momentum: How Public-Private Partnership Revitalized Downtown Topeka, Kansas

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 21 May 2020 11:45:39 +0000

The city of Topeka has built significant momentum in the five years since its downtown revitalization. Capital investment and strategic planning at the city’s center had a reverberating effect across town, from the expansion of vocational-technical training to the growth of Kanza Fire Commerce Park. Public-private partnership The year 2015 was pivotal with a $9.4 million public-private investment in infrastructure and amenities along Kansas Avenue, the main downtown thoroughfare. The city invested $5.8 million in roadway, sewer and streetscape infrastructure. Meanwhile, private businesses sponsored pocket parks with statues, benches and fountains. The Downtown Topeka Foundation brought another $4 million in private funding to the effort through its “Imagine Downtown” capital campaign. Since that day, local investors like AIM Strategies LLC have purchased more than 25 buildings on the avenue for gradual restoration into thriving businesses like Iron Rail Brewing, Cyrus Hotel and The Pennant restaurant, bowling alley and vintage arcade. Popular annual festivals and parades expect to see even more traffic after the unveiling of the next phase of major downtown investment. Evergy Plaza With 30-foot digital screens and the 50-foot CapFed On 7th Stage, Evergy Plaza was developed as a hub for community and a catalyst for business. The…

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Wichita’s Downtown Revitalization Serves as Catalyst for New Projects

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 07 May 2020 11:45:00 +0000

Wichita has been experiencing a strong downtown revitalization that has brought construction of new and redeveloped office, retail and mixed-use projects throughout its urban core over the past few years. Two years ago, companies began relocating downtown as shifting workplace demographics incorporated close proximity, “live, work, play” amenities in order to grow their businesses as well as attract and retain talent. Today’s businesses are seeking modern Class A finishes within Wichita’s center where these types of environments exist or will be available in the near future as developments continue. Downtown revitalization In the early 2000s, downtown Wichita lost many of its office users to more suburban office developments on the east and west edges of the city, leaving high vacancy rates and rendering many downtown office buildings functionally obsolete. Now this trend has reversed after the Wichita Downtown Development Corp. put together a comprehensive master plan to revitalize the urban core. Developers purchased key catalytic sites and repurposed them into economic drivers for downtown as shifting demographics brought about the need for businesses to attract and retain top talent with both onsite and walkable amenities. As new office projects downtown are beginning construction and being completed, the idea of relocating…

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Increased Development Brings New Life to Wichita’s Core

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 30 May 2019 11:45:00 +0000

Like many U.S. cities, Wichita’s downtown has experienced an unprecedented revitalization in recent years, with new development and the reimagining of older structures. Growth in the core is not slowing anytime soon if current projects under construction or on the drawing board are any indication. A number of projects, revolving around a new baseball stadium, are poised to inject new life into the historic Delano District. Plans for a new performing arts center are under discussion, and major mixed-use developments and public improvement projects along East Douglas Avenue are positioned to enhance the link between Delano and the city’s Old Town district. According to the organization Downtown Wichita, more than $1 billion has been invested in the urban core in the last 10 years, $631 million of which was private investment. The city center has retained a number of high-profile businesses after a decade of notable companies relocating to northeast suburban office locations. Project pipeline Following the recent addition of more than 800 apartment units in and around the central business district, commercial activity is on the upswing. The Spaghetti Works District, expected to be completed this fall, is a $23 million mixed-use development led by TGC Development Group and…

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Momentum Grows in Topeka Via Holistic Economic Development Plan

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 23 May 2019 11:46:34 +0000

A renaissance is underway in Topeka, Kansas, with undeniable momentum as new commercial, industrial and residential developments emerge citywide. The year 2015 was pivotal with a $9.4 million public-private investment in infrastructure and amenities along Kansas Avenue downtown. Local investors have purchased more than 25 buildings on the avenue for gradual restoration into thriving businesses like Iron Rail Brewing, The Pennant, Cyrus Hotel and Kansas Avenue Lofts. The 45,000-square-foot Evergy Plaza is slated to open in March 2020 in the shadow of the Kansas Statehouse. A crowning jewel of downtown development, the plaza will feature a 50-foot performance stage, digital screen, programmable fountains, fireplaces and an ice skating rink during the winter. According to a recent market study, growth in the Capital City shows no signs of slowing down. St. Louis-based Development Strategies says downtown could support expansion over the next decade to include 900 new or rehabilitated housing units, 300,000 square feet of new or rehabilitated office space, 690,000 square feet of retail space and at least 200 more hotel rooms. “Investments downtown enhance quality of life and quality of place to help attract and retain a workforce that will take us into the next 15 to 20 years,”…

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Mixed-Use Makes its Mark on Kansas City Neighborhoods

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 12:45:08 +0000

Many of us remember a time when a great new job was measured primarily by the paycheck and the size of the office. How times have changed. And nothing illustrates that better than the favor of mixed-use developments. As the workforce demographic has evolved, so have the amenities that attract top talent. Smart companies know that creating an appealing environment for the best candidates means access to food options, walking distance to shopping and retail choices, and close proximity to housing. Millennials are a big part (but not the only part) of this changing trend, especially as older millennials assume decision-making roles. But employers in general are learning that it makes sense to cater to their workforce by creating a more attractive work environment. From malls to millennials The landscape of American living and working has transformed over the decades. Up until the mid-20th century, mixed-use was everywhere, as many shop owners and employees lived in homes behind their businesses or apartments above their shops. With the rapid growth of the federal interstate system and growing popularity of single-use zoning regulations, however, commercial and residential spaces were largely separated. Not surprisingly, this combination gave rise to the golden age of…

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Johnson County, Kansas: A Midwest Hub for Industry and Innovation

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 12:45:42 +0000

Once referred to by developers as a “well-kept secret,” the Kansas City metro area is quickly developing a global reputation for skilled workforce, strong infrastructure, affordable housing and competitive overhead costs like transportation and utilities. “Kansas City is a region rising. We are dispelling the notion that Kansas City is a well-kept secret,” says Tim Cowden, president and CEO of Kansas City Area Development Council. “There is growing recognition among site locators and corporate executives that the Kansas City region is an excellent option for any number of business types, including financial services, technology centers, animal health, e-commerce or industrial.” I-35 corridor As one of the most populous counties in the metro area, Johnson County, Kansas, appeals particularly to business and industry seeking to locate outside the downtown Kansas City core. The county has added an average of 6,500 residents each year for the past decade, and private development is keeping pace. Residential and retail projects dot the I-35 corridor northeast of Olathe, Kansas, the Johnson County seat. Southwest Johnson County, meanwhile, has become an industrial heavyweight with two parks located just off the interstate. “Johnson County has a formula for success with the quality of the workforce, infrastructure that’s…

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Office Sharing Is on the Rise in Overland Park, Kansas

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:45:04 +0000

For those of you not familiar with Overland Park, Kansas, and its progressive office market, below are a few key points to help illustrate the relative size and economic strength of one of Kansas City’s most dynamic suburbs. • Incorporated in 1960, Overland Park is the second-most populous city in Kansas. • As of 2017, the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent. • It contains 17 percent +/- of metro Kansas City’s total office inventory. • $69,888 per capita income in 2017 • AAA bond rating status from the nation’s top three bond rating agencies, received by only a small handful of municipalities The Overland Park office market has led the metro in new office deliveries, occupancy and rent growth for much of the past two decades. It is the headquarters location of choice for a host of large corporations, such as Sprint, AMC Theaters, Black and Veatch, Waddell & Reed and YRC, to name a few. Access to a highly educated workforce, affordable housing, top-rated public schools and healthcare is a sampling of the reasons companies are attracted to the area. However, large corporations are not the only companies interested in locating here. Overland Park has a deep and…

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Led by Aerospace, Wichita’s Industrial Market Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 24 May 2018 11:45:12 +0000

The industrial sector remains the prime beneficiary of the numerous technological shifts occurring throughout the economy. E-commerce continues to fuel demand for distribution and warehouse space in the national industrial sector. The Wichita market remains focused on the aerospace cluster, advanced manufacturing and the growing advanced materials sector to sustain and grow the industrial segment. The current supply pipeline is to remain about the same as it has over the past couple of years, with over 726,000 square feet under construction at the end of the first quarter and many new large developments announced. Net absorption is expected to occur at a steady pace, resulting in lower vacancies around 6 to 7 percent. Average asking rental rates grew to $4.38 per square foot for general industrial space and $10.26 per square foot for flex space as of the end of the first quarter. This growth will accelerate further as the market continues to tighten through 2018. Employment growth has not been reflective of renewed vigor in the industrial sector, however, highlighting the influence of other industries such as technology. The industrial sector’s outlook is bright since increased emphasis on aerospace production and advance manufacturing shows no sign of abating. Of…

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National Retail Tenants Enter, Expand Into Kansas City Market

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 11:45:40 +0000

The greater Kansas City area retail market remains solid as a rock, despite CoStar Group’s mid-year report showing a slight decline in the average asking rental rate and a slight increase in vacancy. The retail vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2017 stood at 5.7 percent, up slightly from the previous quarter’s 5.5 percent. The average asking rental rate for retail is $13.05 per square foot, down from $13.07 in the previous quarter. Local, regional and national restaurant chains continue to expand with strong success throughout all areas of the Kansas City market, and “new-to-market” users continue to open their doors. Currently, there is approximately 570,000 square feet of retail space under construction in the Kansas City area and various mixed-use projects under development. Additionally, several new shopping center projects have recently been announced and are quickly gaining traction with restaurant and retail users. One of the major catalysts for the widespread retail and mixed-use boom throughout greater Kansas City is the various incentives that have been made available to developers including tax increment financing, community improvement districts, transportation development districts, tax abatement and other incentives. On both sides of the state line, as sites become more expensive and…

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Myriad Factors Help Explain Why Kansas City Office Market Has Not Reached Full Altitude

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 11:45:00 +0000

The Kansas City office market is poised for increasing rental rates and decreasing vacancy rates for the remainder of 2017 and into 2018. Kansas City has realized its 14th consecutive quarter of increased rental rates (through March 2017), while vacancy has decreased in the overall metro area due to lack of new office construction and a steady pace of absorption. Several factors contribute to the complexity of why the market is good but not great, steady but not dynamic, with no one factor driving the steady upward climb. It has been like a plane taking off but never reaching full altitude. A contradiction of sorts is contributing to the rental rate increases and vacancy decline, while there is still a lack of newly constructed space. Bread-and-butter leasing absorption and a lack of new speculative development have been the main ingredients in the overall solid market for office activity. The velocity in the market is doing its job of generating positive absorption each quarter while rates inch up. The lack of large blocks of space has created a few new construction projects, but not as many as experts had predicted and hoped for. Costs on the rise Higher construction costs and…

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A Growing Number of National Retailers Have Wichita on Their Radar Screen

Kristin Harlow — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 11:45:07 +0000

The pace of retail construction remains brisk in Wichita with national retailers showing an increased interest in the market. In the first quarter, developers started construction on nine buildings totaling 112,961 square feet, reports brokerage firm NAI Martens. Completions during the first quarter totaled 117,300 square feet. Notable store openings included Sprouts Farmers Market at Central Avenue and Rock Road; Save-A-Lot grocery store at 1640 S. Broadway; Cavender’s western wear store in Greenwich Place at K-96 and Greenwich Road; Andy’s Frozen Custard at NewMarket Square along 21st Street; and a freestanding Starbucks at Wichita State University on the school’s innovation campus. In short, developers in Wichita appear to be making up for lost time. As a result of the Great Recession, the local economy shed 30,000 jobs between 2009 and 2011, many of them related to the aviation industry, according to the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. Commercial real estate activity ground to a halt at that point. “Between 2008 and 2012 and maybe into 2014, we just didn’t have much development at all. There were some plans on the drawing boards, but nothing really reached fruition,” recalls Thomas Johnson, president of NAI Martens. But consumer confidence gradually began to…

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Payless ShoeSource Files for Bankruptcy, Plans to Close 400 Stores

Nellie Day — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 12:00:32 +0000

TOPEKA, KAN. — Payless ShoeSource has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to immediately close nearly 400 underperforming stores. The company, which bills itself as the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere, currently operates approximately 4,400 stores in more than 30 countries. The shoes and accessory retailer was founded in 1956 in Topeka, Kan. “This is a difficult, but necessary, decision driven by the continued challenges of the retail environment, which will only intensify,” says W. Paul Jones, the company’s CEO. “We will build a stronger Payless.” Payless has entered into a Plan Support Agreement (PSA) with its lenders to reduce its debt load by almost 50 percent. The plan will also allow Payless to lower its annual cash interest costs, access additional capital and provide a path to emergence from Chapter 11 with a sustainable capital structure. The agreement will also allow Payless to invest in areas that may provide further growth, including omnichannel expansion, product and inventory initiatives, and international expansion in Latin America and elsewhere. The company plans to optimize its store footprint through the immediate store closures, as well as managing its existing real estate lease portfolio. This may include modifying…

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DHS Breaks Ground on $835M Bio, Agro-Defense Facility Near Topeka

Nellie Day — Fri, 29 May 2015 16:13:09 +0000

TOPEKA, KAN. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has broken ground on the $835 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in the Topeka submarket of Manhattan. The 574,000-square-foot facility will be located in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, the largest concentration of animal health companies in the world, according to DHS. The 29-acre site will house advanced research, diagnostic testing and validation, countermeasure development and diagnostic training departments. The countermeasure development team will work to develop vaccines and anti-viral therapies at the facility, while the diagnostic training department will focus on high-consequence livestock diseases. “The NBAF laboratory will provide the nation with cutting-edge, state-of-the-art lab capabilities and help protect our food supply and the nation’s public health,” says Jeh Johnson, secretary of Homeland Security. “NBAF addresses a serious vulnerability. The economic impact of a bio agricultural threat — deliberate or natural — could have a substantial effect on the food supply of this nation and have serious human health consequences. We will soon be able to ensure availability of vaccines and other rapid response capabilities to curb an outbreak,” continues Johnson. “With the NBAF, our nation will have the first Bio Level 4 lab facility of…

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Value Place Changes Name to WoodSpring Suites

Danielle Everson — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 15:29:45 +0000

WICHITA, KAN. — Value Place, a value extended stay hotel brand, has changed its name to WoodSpring Suites, effective immediately. In addition, the Wichita-based company is developing a brand extension with a more enhanced offering, WoodSpring Suites Signature, designed to appeal to less price sensitive guests. “Our new brand strategy will foster our ability to further expand our network, gain access to new markets and customer segments, and further drive RevPAR growth for our company owned hotels and development partners,” says Bruce Haase, CEO of the brand. “Leveraging our highly profitable operating model and history of product innovation, we believe that our rebranding strategy will be the catalyst to take the company to the next level of growth and profitability. We are building from a strong foundation.”

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