Whole Foods confirmed for UMKC project in the South Plaza

Kevin Collison reports in the Star that Whole Foods has confirmed a new store on West 51st Street between Oak and Brookside Boulevard in the South Plaza neighborhood, adjacent to the UMKC campus. BlogKC broke the news almost three years ago.

Today’s announcement confirms the details of a mixed-use project – five stories, apartments and UMKC office space above the grocery, replacing the UMKC annex building and a large surface parking lot. One sticking point may be a request for an additional driveway onto Brookside Boulevard and across the popular Trolley Track Trail.

The Star mentions opposition from Vicki Noteis, a neighborhood resident and former City Planning Director, who doesn’t like the density. This location has long been planned for denser uses and is a good Transit Oriented Development considering it is on the MAX bus rapid transit line and at the terminus of the streetcar’s second phase.