Nearly nine months have passed since July 1, when Dallas-based Highland Park Village Partners — owned by descendants of famed Texas oil tycoon, H.L. Hunt, father of Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt — announced they had become the new owners of Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza.
After years of watching the 15-block Spanish-styled shopping district languish under previous owners, Kansas Citians greeted the announcement of what was later reported to be a $175.6 million purchase with great enthusiasm as principal partner Ray Washburne laid out the Plaza’s future , promising to return it to its past glory, and even better.
He spoke of improving security and outdated office space in the short-term and, in the long-term, making major architectural and infrastructure changes, possibly adding a boutique hotel, residential apartments, a bodega-like grocery, luxury retailers and an infusion of local retailers and eateries over mall-like chains.
“In general,” Washburne told The Star prior to the press conference on the west edge of the Plaza, “we’re going to clean it up and reposition the center as something that Kansas City will be proud of again.”
“One of the things we pride ourselves in,” he said later, “is being place-makers.”…