When Gillon Property Group bought the Country Club Plaza in 2024, it promised a transformation to the historic shopping district.
For years, the Plaza had struggled. Aging infrastructure, vacancies and rising violent crime dented its reputation. The previous owners, Taubman Centers and Macerich Co., defaulted on the shopping center’s $300 million loan.
Once Gillon took over the property, the area quickly got a facelift: new paint, additional lighting, increased security and other changes. But details about more significant projects are still being finalized.
Port KC recently approved up to $1.5 billion in tax breaks and conduit bonds, a type of bond that Gillon Property Group will ultimately repay, to fund a major redevelopment plan that will bring taller buildings and more apartments to the neighborhood. A tax increment financing, or TIF, plan from the city is also anticipated, which could fund significant infrastructure improvements.
Those efforts could start at one of the most infamous spots on the Plaza: the empty lot at 47th and Jefferson that was once slated to become a Nordstrom. In 2022, however, the department store backed out in favor of staying at Oak Park Mall, and it’s yet to be replaced.
The lot is “a physical and psychological, you know, detriment to the Plaza,” said Dustin Bullard, vice president of partnerships and place with Gillon Property Group. “We do think that that’s probably the first site that you will see active development on.”
What’s built in its place will likely be a mixed-use development, with residential units and ground-floor retail and restaurants.
Building height has been a concern for many nearby residents, especially after the Kansas City Council loosened height restrictions in the Plaza in May. Bullard says that taller buildings are necessary to generate foot traffic, but they’ll still fit in with the surrounding structures.
“You’ve seen some renderings of some of the height proposals in buildings that we’ve initially looked at along Brush Creek, and I would say that they fit very well into the existing heights there with the adjacency south of Brush Creek,” Ballard said.
Tyler Enders, who owns Made in KC, says that during construction, supporting small businesses will be key.
“I think it’s going to be constant communication,” he said.
In the meantime, Gillon boasts a number of new businesses opening on the Plaza, including Alo and LoveShackFancy. The group says it will continue to bring a mix of local, regional and national businesses and restaurants to the district.
The goal is to have 90% occupancy by next year. The Kansas City Star recently reported that the district is slightly more than 70% full.
- Dustin Bullard, vice president of partnerships and place, Gillon Property Group
- Tyler Enders, Made in KC
