KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Country Club Plaza District Council confirmed Tuesday that Dallas-based firm Highland Park Village Partners plans to finalize its purchase of the Plaza by Friday, June 28.
Plaza District Council President Kate Marshall confirmed the news in a phone call with KSHB 41's Megan Abundis.
"We were really pleased to have good news to share with our community that the HP Village Partners are definitely going to close on the Country Club Plaza on Friday," Marshall said. "We had a good meeting with them yesterday and understand they are going to be tremendous partners with only the best intentions at heart for the Plaza.”
The announcement was also made in a newsletter on Tuesday afternoon.
"More than 65 Plaza District residents came [together at] Made in KC Marketplace for a cup of coffee and great news," the council said in the newsletter. "HP Village Partners will close on their purchase of the Country Club Plaza on Friday June 28. They come with welcome intentions to preserve, protect and enhance the much loved Country Club Plaza. They will not deviate from the architectural charm of the existing area as we know it and in fact their intention is to look for ways to make additions that are completely in keeping with the look and feel of some of the earliest buildings and towers on the Plaza."
News of HP Village's interest in purchasing the Plaza first broke last October.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas has welcomed the sale, and expressed excitement for what it could mean for the city and district.
Lucas met with HP Village in December to explore the possibility and learn more about the firms plans.
He also recently spoke with KSHB 41's Elyse Schoenig where he confirmed a sale was imminent.
Lucas said focusing on safety and making it more walkable is something he's been pushing for in conversations about the sale.
Marshall also said the Plaza District Council is pleased with the company's plans to improve safety in the iconic district.
“The additional people on the street will be more eyes and add to the safety factor," Marshall told Abundis. "But the new owners are also very focused on security itself and working very closely with KCPD, the city and drilling down on possible approaches to security that we haven’t seen on the Plaza until now."
Marshall said there were lots of reasons to be optimistic things will turn around and people will feel safer and enjoy themselves on the Plaza.
The KCMO district had been under the ownership of Macerich and Taubman Centers, with Macerich as the majority owner, since 2016.
In a recent update from the Plaza District Council, Marshall said the council stands ready to work with new ownership to ensure a better future for the Plaza.
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