Big 18th & Vine District Mixed-Use Plan Before Development Agency

(UPDATED Sept. 8: A 25-year property tax abatement, 100 percent for 15 years, 50 percent for 10 years, and a sales tax exemption on construction materials was unanimously approved for the One Nine Vine project at a special Planned Industrial Expansion Authority board meeting Tuesday.)

By Kevin Collison

The first phase of the proposed One Nine Vine mixed-use development, a $25.6 million apartment building with ground floor retail, is scheduled to be considered by a city development agency this week.

The proposal, first reported by CityScene KC last September, is being pursued by former City Councilman Kelvin Simmons for a vacant lot southeast of 19th and Vine in the 18th & Vine Historic District.

The development was described as critical to revitalizing the 18th & Vine area in its application to the Planned Industrial Expansion Authority.

“Not receiving assistance will put into motion a domino effect of negative impacts such as perpetuating ongoing disinvestment in the (18th & Vine) District…(and) inequitably rewarding economic development incentives in non-diverse areas of the city.”

Simmons could not be reached immediately for comment, however last year he described the One Nine Vine plan as “not a gentrification scenario.”

“What’s been missing at 18th and Vine is private capital investment. It’s been all government,” he told CityScene.

The One Nine Vine redevelopment ultimately calls for three phases covering parts of three blocks. (Rendering from PIEA application)

The first building in what is anticipated to be a three-phase redevelopment project would include 80 apartments, 14,678 square feet of retail and 85 covered and surface parking lots, according to the PIEA application.

The One Nine Vine project was described as the “first multi-family, market-rate attainable and affordable housing development built in the historic 18th & Vine district since 2006.”

The 1900 Vine LLC development team includes Simmons and his firm, the Avenir Group, and Tatum Martin, a Florida developer with Mar-Ston Development. Former City Councilman Troy Nash is listed as a consultant.

The developers are seeking a 25-year, 100 percent property tax abatement from the PIEA, the maximum allowed by state law, as well as a sales tax exemption on construction materials. The value of the incentive package was estimated at $3.2 million.

The One Nine Vine project would be located on vacant property southwest of 19th and Vine. (Map from 1900 Vine Street LLC)

A full 25-year abatement is significantly larger than current city policy, which has set a limit of 10 years at 70 percent and 5 years at 30 percent. There are exemptions for projects however, that meet the city’s affordable housing goals or are in distressed Census tracts.

Thirty, one-bedroom apartments are planned in the One Nine Vine project. Monthly rents for a 675 square-foot unit would be $850, with seven reserved as affordable at $726 per month.

Fifty, two-bedroom units are planned. Monthly rents for a 875 square-foot unit would go for $1,100 with seven set aside as affordable at $835.

The development group already has been approved for $4.3 million in assistance from the Central City Economic Development special sales tax. The developer equity and debt was pegged at $18.2 million in the PIEA application.

The One Nine Vine application has letters of support from several prominent, non-city elected officials: State Rep. Barbara Washington, State Sen. Kiki Curls, State Rep. Michael Johnson and Jackson County Legislator Crystall Williams.

A street-level view of how the first two phases of One Nine Vine are expected to look. (Rendering from PIEA application)

The second phase of the One Nine Vine proposal on the southwest corner of 19th and Vine is described as 7,000 square-feet of ground floor retail, a 30,000 square-foot super market, 200 “middle income” apartments and more than 150 parking spaces.

The cost of the first and second phase was estimated at $68 million.

A third phase on the west side of Vine closer to 18th street calls for 35,000 square-feet of ground floor restaurant and retail space, 33,000 square-feet of office, 60 market-rate apartments and more than 65 parking spaces.

No cost estimate was provided.

If approved, the development group expects to begin construction of the first phase this fall with completion in early 2023, according to the PIEA application.