ARTerra Apartment Project Underway in Downtown Freight House District; Development First Proposed 10 Years Ago

By Kevin Collison

The 12-story ARTerra apartment project in the heart of the Freight House District is officially underway, 10 years after it was first proposed.

The 126-unit luxury project is being developed at 2100 Wyandotte St. by a partnership between Copaken Brooks of Kansas City and Altus Properties of St. Louis.

It represents the first new-construction residential tower in the historic Freight House District, a section of the Crossroads Arts District dominated by large brick industrial buildings, most of which have been converted to residential use over the past 15 years.

“Creating a new construction option in the hear of the Crossroads, ARTerra provides the first downtown high rise living outside of the successful projects in the Loop,” Jon Copaken, a Copaken Brooks principal, said in a statement.

He was referring to One and Two Light, the Cordish apartment high-rises in the Power & Light District.

Josh Udelhofen, managing director of Altus, added in a statement that he grew up in Kansas City.

“To have Altus’ first project in Kansas City be the first new high-rise in the Crossroads Arts District is deeply satisfying and exciting,” Udelhofen said.

The $40.7 million project is being built by J.E. Dunn Construction, and is described as the first to use a light-gauge steel framing using the Prescient building system. It’s completion is anticipated in late 2018.

It’s one of several downtown apartment projects coming on line over the next couple of years to meet what is being described by a strong demand by millennials and empty-nesters to live in a walkable environment.

The ARTerra project will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with first floor retail. An integrated garage is part of the development and amenities include an infinity pool with a view of Liberty Memorial, and 12th floor amenity suite with views of the downtown skyline.

The ARTerra apartment project amenities include an infinity pool and hospitality suite with downtown skyline view.

Copaken Brooks has had a long history working to get the ARTerra project developed. The block at 2100 Wyandotte where its located was once occupied by what was coined the “PCB building.”

The building had been used to store equipment and fixtures contaminated with PCBs and was an EPA Superfund cleanup site.

In 2004, the building was surgically dismantled and the rubble was hauled to Oklahoma at a cost of $18 million. Copaken Brooks and an earlier partner acquired the property in 2007 with plans to develop it as a condominium project. That deal collapsed during the 2008 recession.

Since then, Copaken Brooks has redesigned the project at least twice to its present form, and now has Altus Properties as a partner.

Copaken Brooks also was partner in the recent redevelopment of the Corrigan Station office project at 18th and Walnut streets.

“Building on the momentum of Corrigan Station, we know the Crossroads is an area where people want to be and they will now have a highly amenitized option where they can live,” Copaken said in his statement.

The ARTerra construction site at 2100 Wyandotte