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A panel of Downtown residential experts recently gave the Downtowners group a preview of next weekend’s “Downtown Homes Tour.”  The panel, Gary Hassenflu, Christina Boveri, Alan Waterman and Glenn Solomon, talked about the latest trends and developments in living in condos, lofts, homes and apartments from the River Market to Martini Corner. 

Babette Macy with Kissick Construction, David Rezac with 360 Architects, and Roger Summers with Key Construction learned a few interesting facts during the luncheon: the panel said occupancy in most downtown buildings is high, about 90 percent, and that the average rent is about $1,000 a month.

Lisa Matthews with 909 Walnut and Dirk McClure with Innovative Precast Solutions enjoyed the luncheon. One question posed to the panel: what price range is selling the most? It’s the $150k to $250k, the 400+k “is just not there yet.”

 Nicole Buland with Regents Flooring Co., architect Caleb Buland with Intelligent Line, and Stephanie Mill With Esteem Style got a lot of facts from the event. Another good stat: some landlords are dropping rents to stay full, and that’s OK, they said. And on the sale side, the most expensive and least expensive properties are selling the best. It’s the in-between ones that are waiting for buyers, one panelist remarked.

ECA Service Inc. will keep your power running smooth

ECA Service Inc. (above) is the company to contact when it comes to protecting commercial, industrial, healthcare, and even multi-family residential facilities from electrical system failures, electrical fires, and business interruptions and property damage due to electrical problems.  “We do an assessment of all your electrical, from the main service coming into the building to throughout the rest of the electrical distribution,” said Joe Nolke, (below) electrical risk consultant with ECA Service, a division of Electrical Corporation of America in Raytown.

 “During our testing, we use state-of-the-art technology and work to find any type of anomalies or problems that might cause unexpected shutdowns or even fires,” Nolke said.  Common problems include overloaded circuits, code violations, grounding problems, fire/safety, old equipment and whether you have adequate power for certain areas of your business.  Recently, technicians were working on the electrical system at an MC Realty building downtown. “Our techs go through and open up all of the panels, looking for heat problems in the breakers or panels,” Nolke said. “Then they document what they see with a web-based software system.” That system gives the customer an electronic historical record that is updated after every service visit. Testing associated with electrical preventive and predictive maintenance programs includes (below) Infrared Thermography, Ultrasonic Testing, Voltage and Ampere Diagnostics, Power Factor Testing, Proper Torquing, Power Quality Analysis and Surge Protection Analysis. Repairs and upgrades of electrical distribution systems, and custom design and affordable pricing of electrical preventive maintenance programs also are available.

 Independent building owner and manager studies have found that an adequately planned and executed preventive and predictive maintenance program can pay for itself and prevent unplanned power outages and electrical fires. There is a 100 percent guarantee on repairs and replacements for the customer’s total peace of mind.  “Not only does our service greatly reduce the chance of an unexpected electrical shutdowns that can be very costly; it alsogives the property owner or manager a peace of mind knowing their building is safe from any electrical problem that could cause a fire,” Nolke added. ECA will meet with you, assess your needs, and if you wish, design a custom program for you without obligation. For more information, call or e-mail Nolke at 816-737-3206 or j.nolke@ecahq.com.

Kevin Hatfield with Platinum Realty (above with Jeff Belton, Mid-America Mortgage and Brad Sarver, Platinum Realty) recently showed off a gorgeous custom 1.5 story “Arch Design” home in Lionsgate by the Lake. The home boasts soaring open living spaces with arches, columns and radius staircases. The kitchen is updated with stainless steel appliances and new granite countertops. Below, agents Karen McCarthy and Kim Barron, both with Reece & Nichols, stopped in to check out the first floor master retreat with fireplace, dual walk/in closets and fabulous master bath with heated travertine floors.  The lower level also is finished with a fireplace, bar, offices, workout room, bedroom, and full bath on a walk-out lot.

The home in southern Overland Park at 5708 W. 147th Place (below) also is around the corner from two fishing lakes, basketball and sand volleyball courts.  Lionsgate features some of the most green space of any development in Johnson County.

Good stats: Mortgage rates take another dive

Europe’s financial turmoil is providing an unexpected windfall for American home buyers as international money seeking a safe haven is flowing into the U.S., pushing domestic mortgage rates to the lowest levels of the year and back near 50-year lows. Brokers nationwide are hoping these falling rates can  lift the U.S. housing market at a time when it could definitely use a boost. The housing market had been preparing itself for a period of rising mortgage rates as the Fed recently ended its $1.25 trillion mortgage-securities purchase program that had been propping up the market. But instead, many in the industry now say rates could go as low as 4.5% this summer from 4.86% now, instead of rising to 6% as some economists projected, making for significantly lower payments for Americans buying homes or refinancing their mortgages.

Brookside gem boasts lots of updates

Chris Smart with Re/Max Premier (above) showed off this Brookside gem at 607 W. 61^st.  Agents enjoyed lunching (Smart got plenty of kudos for his healthy salad!) and touring the home that features a large center hall plan and gleaming hardwood floors. Below, Lynn Kingsley-Jones with Re/Max, Andrea Hunter with Prudential and Linda La Piana with Re/Max stopped by this week to take it all in.

Checking out the kitchen (below) were Brenda Lubeck with Prudential, Josh Wilson with Re/Max and Andrea Hunter with Prudential.

Earlier this month, numerous properties in the Freight House District and in the 3700 block of Main Street were auctioned off to the highest bidders. Recently we caught up with Gib Kerr, who handled the sales along with David E. Gilmore and DonErler of Sperry Van Ness.

How did the auction go?

The recent auction generated a lot of excitement and a flurry of activity. We are pleased to have sold 12 of the 15 properties, and we are negotiating with prospective buyers on the 3 remaining buildings. We are achieving our objective to liquidate the estate, so we consider this to be a very successful event.

What are those 3 buildings?

We’re in negotiations or have commitments for the 21,825-square-foot Creamery Building at 2100 Central Ave.; the 36,676-square-foot Columbia Building at 2006-2014 Wyandotte St.; and the 14,699-square-foot Jacobson Building at 2030 Central Ave.

 What does this liquidation mean to the area?

As the buyers take ownership of these properties in the next month, I think we can expect a mini-construction boom in the Freight House District and on Main Street in Midtown. All of the buyers have immediate renovation plans which will result in a huge economic shot in the arm for those areas. It’s good news for Kansas City.”

We heard a Rockhurst High School graduate bought one of the properties?

On May 6, Adam Blake was the high bidder for two historic buildings in the Crossroads Arts District. He’s a local boy, and the founder of Atlas Properties in Fort Worth, Texas, and he bid $1.1 million for the Pabst and Pendergast buildings at 2101 and 2107 Central Ave.

 Why was this auction so popular?

The estate of the late Kansas City developer Tom Levitt was auctioned off, so interest was high. Also, Levitt had worked hard to obtain developer incentives ranging from abatements to tax increment financing to historic tax credits for the various buildings. The auction included 8 historic buildings and 2 parking lots in the Freight House District, and 3 buildings and 2 parking lots in the 3700 block of Main St.

Why is this area so popular with investors?

The Freight House buildings are eligible for historic tax credits up to 45 percent or qualified redevelopment costs. This area has been reborn over the last decade as a cultural, commercial and residential center of Kansas City. Featuring new streetscapes, outstanding restaurants, hundreds of loft apartments and a vibrant arts scene, its has become a sought-after urban environment. The Main Street buildings up for auction also include historic tax credits and other incentives. This area serves as a vital connection between downtown and the Country Club Plaza. It is experiencing an economic renaissance as many new businesses and residents are relocating to the area.

Mission Hills masterpiece opens its doors for special tour

The rain held off earlier this week for the “Mission Hills Masterpiece Tour and Luncheon” presented by Kristin Malfer & Associates with Reece & Nichols. Agents flocked to the stunning new home at 2301 W. 68th St., where they were greated by the agents (Jamie Howe, Malfer and Tricia Napper) and the builder of the home himself, Cory Childress with Evan-Talan Homes.

Out on the back deck were Penny Borel, Kathi Monter, Collette Fultz and Dina
Gardner, all with Reece & Nichols.

The new home features a stunning spiral staircase. Tom Rosberg with Bank of Prairie Village greeted guest Genie Ullom with Reece & Nichols.

Kim Schulte with RE/MAX Best Associates digs into the Italian luncheon spread.

The Hopkins team, Becky and Bruci at Prudential, admired the stone
work and extensive landscaping outside the 2-story home. Below, Donna Martin, Babs Tuley and Tonya Witmer, all with Reece and Nichols, enjoyed some dessert in the kitchen after their tour.

Single-family units up for 5h straight month

Local new-home permits continued to climb for the fifth consecutive month, according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City.  A seasonally adjusted total of 208 single-family homes were permitted in March, up from a revised total of 183 homes in February. Housing units in the Greater Kansas City area dropped more than one quarter last year, and the metro region finished 2009 with 3,651 total housing units permitted, down from 5,062 total units the year before.

 McGuff  leads KC Home Inspection

It’s part of the home-buying process that can make or break a deal, but it’s often overlooked - the home inspection. Bill McGuff is one of the best in the business. He’s been inspecting homes for 18 years and started his own company, Kansas City Home Inspection, 11 years ago. His inspections look at structural components such as the roof, attic, siding, doors, windows, gutters, grade and foundations, as well as mechanical components such as heating, cooling, electrical, plumbing, kitchen appliances and bathrooms. He’s a one-man operation, and he goes all over the metro area. Recently, MetroWire caught up with Bill to ask about the home-inspection process:

 What are some of the common problems you see in a lot of homes?

The most common defect I find is wood rot on the exterior of the home. I often find rot on windows, doors, siding and trim. I would say the second most common defect I find pertains to the furnace. I find many furnaces that are rusted and neglected. I think it is an out of sight, out of mind thing for most home owners.

What advice would you give to agents or brokers to pass on to their sellers?

The best advice I know for an agent to give a seller is to have an inspection done before they put their home on the market, before any defects can be identified to a prospective buyer. The seller can then choose to have them repaired before the house goes up for sale.

Do you have any unusual stories about recent homes you inspected?

One of the most unusual home inspections I did lately was on a vacant home in rural Garnett, Kan. The home apparently had a mice problem and was infested with black snakes. The snakes were wrapped around the pipes in the basement ceiling, and they were on the basement floor and also in the sump pit. I was totally creeped out. Fortunately the exterminator was there performing an inspection. He’s a rural exterminator so he carries a snake grabber. He got rid of the snakes before I did my inspections. He was like Saint Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland.

Debora H. Field, Vice President of Sales and Leasing for Zimmer Real Estate Services, L.C., has an interesting job these days — working with a team to bring tenants to one of Kansas City’s most famous landmarks: Union Station. Field (above at Union Station), who has 30 years of commercial real estate experience, answered questions recently about the challenges of her latest venture that began in early 2010 when the owners of Union Station chose Zimmer to market this special property.

How was Zimmer chosen to market Union Station?

The owners, Union Station Kansas City Inc., sent out an RFP to several firms and we were on a list that was eventually shortened, and then we interviewed with the Real Estate Board committee and got the job. I think Zimmer, which has deep roots in KC and does a lot of work with community organizations, had the appetite and the ability to successfully market the space and I think that’s what the owners were looking for. I think they saw in our team people who have done about any kind of transaction imaginable and thought they needed some creativity and broad experience. So we assembled a team of people – development, marketing and leasing – and got to work. Joyce Murray and Devin Schuster are on the leasing team with me and Nick Parker and Becca Andersen do our marketing for Union Station. We’ve taken on some non-traditional roles for the Station and have enjoyed stretching our limits.

What is your role on the team?

I’m the Account Manager, the point of contact, between our team and the Executive Director and the Board’s real estate committee. The Zimmer team works on finding tenants and talking to other brokers interested in information for leasing the vacant spaces in the building. We figure out how to best tour and present this behemoth building. “Meet me under the Clock” has become what we say to find each other and prospects we are meeting for tours.

 What’s going on at Union Station right now, then?

We started with approximately 80,000 square feet of office and another, roughly 40,000 square feet of special use/retail/exhibit space available. Currently, the post office, NARA, two restaurants, Science Pioneers, EPT and Hubble Peak Law Firm are housed in Union Station, plus a few more small tenants and of course Pierpont’s restaurant. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the KCADC will be moving in, one to occupy the west wing and one to occupy the east wing for about 33,000 SF total. Sounds like the White House. Once they are in we will have about 45,000 SF of pure office space left to lease. We also have another tenant about ready to be announced taking 4,400 square feet of space which has great window line and access to the west parking lot. We’ve made several proposals and have many prospects which frankly we are thrilled about given the economy.

 What was your goal when you took over this project?

Our first goal actually, when we hit the ground running, was to get our hands and our minds around this large unique property to understand what space we had to lease to tenants. We had to get a handle on tenant opportunities and amenities cause there are so many, and we’ve done that. We had to identify ingress/egress, parking, how the building works 24/7 with the public coming and going and having big events and exciting days and then the doldrums. The train at Christmas was so loud in the Grand Hall we couldn’t give tours; they are moving it to a permanent location in the lower level for next your and years to come. With PGAV Architects help, we figured out how spaces would divide up. It really took a while to get our hands around the entire building and its opportunities and amenities. We would explore a new area every time we went to the building and found some space that was uninhabitable and then space that could be leased that sat vacant. We have recommended new way-finding signage which 360 Architects is involved with, while understanding what we can and cannot do in this historic structure. Once we had a handle on the physical building, we brainstormed and asked ourselves “How could space be converted to income, laying a long term financial foundation for the building? So, we took on the task of taking a look at every space in the building, and thinking, “What could this space become and what is it worth and who is the tenant?” It is very satisfying to have an impact on the future viability of a building that everyone in KC loves and relates to in some way.

Can you describe the spaces?

People say “I’ve heard it doesn’t have many windows.” But that’s not true. Union Station has spaces with windows with views looking toward Crown Center and interior spaces that look over the Grand Hall. The east and west wings have enormous light wells plus exterior windows. We found under utilized space that would make great office space and it had the best views looking up toward the WW I Memorial across Pershing Road. There are creative spaces, too. Spaces with brick side walls and no dropped ceilings. We give lots of tours, and I tell brokers to allow at least a half hour. People want to look around and undoubtedly, they want to share their stories and memories of Union Station with you. Tenants want to be there, it’s an exciting place, and we’re trying to make it a place for the community.

 What’s your hope for this project?

The goal is to obtain long-term commitments with a mix of tenants that use the building and all its amenities. And for me, personally, it’s been such a fun project, very intriguing and exciting, different. This isn’t one of those office building boxes to lease. I feel I’m making a contribution to something that’s much bigger. As we populate Union Station with tenants, it’s going to breathe new life into the building, and the retail that was once there will be replaced with those that make sense for the new tenant employees and visitors. People are awed by this building, and are excited, like we are, about its future. It is part of the real estate story because tenants are calling us and saying “We want to be there.”  With the amenities we have, meeting rooms, presentation stages, food service, Link access to Crown Center, stage and exhibit events it is a treat to market.  George Guastello, the Station’s Executive Director, is very creative and he saw immediately the viability of the building as the “Peoples House,” as he calls it. When we saw an opportunity to land the Chamber and KCADC, his strategy started to unfold, which is to make the building that is already the icon of Kansas City a place for tenants to become involved with the community and that they’ll want to interact and be part of the fabric of the city.

KC CCIM hosts networking event at The Cashew

The CCIM crowd packed the upstairs party room at The Cashew last week for a fun-filled evening of drinks and appetizers. Above, Dave Anderson and John Thellman with Thellman Financial Corp.

Vince MigLiazzo with Mark One, a sponsor of the happy hour,and Kirk Sherman with Zimmer enjoy the view from the top floor at The Cashew.

Jerry Franklin with J.W. Franklin Co., Patty Brehm with The Mission Bank, and Nathan Vanice with Reece Commercial

Debbie Leonard with Jones Development Co. and John Mikelson with Commerce

Therese McGill with The Kansas City Business Journal joined Rosanne Saitta with CCIM and Kent Rogers with Victor Ross & Co.

 Dennis Crull with Timberline Investment Co. and Bernell Rice with Realty Trust Group

Zimmer recognized with Power Broker Award

After another successful year in the Kansas City commercial real estate market, Zimmer Real Estate Services, L.C. has been honored by the CoStar Group with the Power Broker Award. This award is given to the top 10 firms and individual brokers in each market served by CoStar. Zimmer was named to the Power Broker list for both leasing and sales activity in the Kansas City market. This is the eighth consecutive year the firm has been recognized by CoStar for this award. “I’m extremely flattered that the excellent work by our sales staff has been honored yet again by CoStar,” said Zimmer President David J. Zimmer. “Our company has been committed to serving the Kansas City commercial real estate market for more than 60 years. We’re proud to have done our part to help many area businesses continue to achieve success and help shape the economic landscape of Kansas City.” Above, Zimmer Senior Vice President-Principal, Mark C. Long, received individual recognition among industrial leasing brokers in Kansas City.  Also receiving the nod for industrial leasing activity was Zimmer Vice President, John E. Green. “As everyone already knows, this has been one of the toughest years in memory,” Green said. “It’s nice to see our efforts not only paying off, but also being recognized by peers and colleagues.” Each year, CoStar tallies the commercial real estate sale and lease transactions that closed during the previous year and presents CoStar Power Broker Awards to the brokerage firms and individual brokers who closed the highest transaction volume in commercial property sales and leases in each market.

Lifetime Fitness opens its doors in City Center Lenexa

Victoria Thompson, Debra McDaniel and Jinny Alexander, all with Reece & Nichols, this week stopped by Cami Savage’s new upscale condo listing near the Plaza and Loose Park near 51st andOak. The contemporary home features amenities such as a heated pool, private, fenced patio and upgrades galore.

Cami Savage of Reece & Nichols in the living room with Brian Brockman of Plaza Mortgage. Below, a view from the street.

 Agent says buyers want more for their money

Walter Guth of Prudential Kansas City Realty looks upon real estate as a continuation of his personal ministry, a ministry that started years ago as an actual church minister. Guth served as pastor of a church at 30^th Street and Holmes Road in Kansas City after earning a Masters of Divinity at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City and a Ph.D. in Contemporary Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Wanting a career change, he eventually landed in real estate. He initially focused on rebuilding KC’s Northeast neighborhoods, and today he has broadened his business to specialize in historic home sales across the metro area, from 19^th Century homes in Liberty to mansions in KC’s Historic Hyde Park. Guth, an agent for broker Dan Sweeney based on the Country Club Plaza, recently talked with MetroWire about the urban core market:

 Much of the real estate market appears to be improving? How’s the urban core doing?

The first indication I saw of a declining real estate market was in the Northeast sector of Kansas City, Mo in 2005. While the subsequent effects of a recession, job losses, foreclosures and tightening lending have hit every area and price range within the metro area, I have seen it worst within the urban core (north of the Plaza, especially) and eastern Jackson County, Missouri. I see very little improvement in sales in the Urban Core, mainly because of interest in condo living and because tastes have changed, with style preferences gravitating away from Victorian and post-Victorian homes (dominant in the areas north of the Plaza) towards Craftsman and mid-century modern homes (among the historic homes), more prevalent throughout the city.

What do urban buyers want in a home these days, and what has changed about their interests or preferences in the past year?

Buyers want more for their money than they may have asked for in the past. The condition of the home — ideally “move in ready” with an interior decor that suits them — is more important than it used to be. I see fewer people having the time or desire to tackle major renovations than in the past. So home sellers are forced into two primary markets today: either the “ideal home” that is in great condition and updated with the style preferences of the buyer, or the “as is” home that has to compete in pricing with the foreclosures and short sales. The exceptions are the atypical houses with unique architecture or more land than surrounding homes. So it behooves the home seller to put his/her home in top condition, with updated kitchen and baths especially, have the home pre-inspected, and have the home staged prior to the first showing.

What are your strengths as an agent and how has your approach changed over time?

Teaching. I like my clients to be well informed about the real estate market and the “how to’s” of buying or selling a home. I recently had a home buyer contact me, stating that since I had sold her a home many years ago she has, in her travels bought and sold several others (in various areas of the country) with confidence, based upon what all I had taught her in our first transaction together. She had no question about hiring me again, and we closed on her new purchase this year. As evidenced by my “5 Star Realtor” awards since 2005, my clients are typically very satisfied with my job performance and actively recommend me to others. The most important change I’ve made, besides opening up my market area, has been a decision to decline listings or buyers I do not sense ready to work realistically with me, either in setting (or offering) a fair market price or in expectations of my role versus theirs in the transaction. In the past I have had listings as long as 3 years, waiting for the market to increase to the level of seller’s pricing, for example. Today, in an economy and real estate market recovering slowly at best, I would not do or recommend that.

 Stats show Realtors sticking to the job

With the real estate market improving, three-quarters of Realtors are very certain they will remain active in the market for two more years, according to the 2010 National Association of Realtors Member Profile. Only 8 percent were uncertain about their future. The study’s results are representative of the nation’s 1.1 million Realtors who account for 60 percent of the 1.85 million active real estate licensees in the U.S. The typical NAR member has 10 years of experience, and many have increased their training, Web presence and use of social media over the past year. More than half use social networking sites, up from 35 percent in 2009. Analysis of data from the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials shows the number of active real estate licensees in the U.S. fell 7.5 percent last year from 2.0 million in 2008. The number of licensees who are not Realtors was 750,000 in 2009, down 14.8 percent from 880,000 in 2008. At the same time, NAR membership fell only 0.7 percent. The survey shows the typical NAR member is 54 years old and works 40 hours per week; 57 percent are women. Women account for 51 percent of brokers and 63 percent of sales agents. Four percent of all Realtors® are under 30 years old while another 5 percent are 30 to 34 years old; 17 percent are 65 or over. The median income of Realtors fell 3 percent to $35,700 last year, which followed a 14 percent decline in 2008. Members licensed as brokers earned a median of $49,100 in 2009, while sales agents earned $26,600. Realtors in the business for two years or less earned a median of $8,800, while those in the business for 16 years or more earned $52,300. “The longer you’re in the real estate business, the more you make based on growth in referrals and repeat clients from serving their long-term interests,” NAR President Vicki Cox Golder said.

Kissick Construction is a full-service construction company with the resources to handle large, multi-disciplined projects in-house while providing personal service every step of the way. From the beginning of every project to the last detail, their focus is quality. Principals Jim Kissick and Pete Browne (above) their company on that principle of quality, and continue that commitment to client satisfaction, adhering to the ideals that every job must be completed on time, with master workmanship and attention to detail. Kissick Construction Company was founded in 1994 by Jim Kissick III and Pete Browne. They believed then–and still do today–that success is result of treating others fairly and with respect, hiring and retaining talented people, and never saying “we can’t” to a client. Since then the firm has grown to manage 100 million dollar single projects and has developed a strong reputation for providing innovative thinking to solve engineering challenges.

This proud tradition of service is rooted in their extended history (above), which goes back to 1896 when James H. Kissick started Kissick Transfer Company, an equipment hauling business in Kansas City. His two sons, Lloyd Kissick, Sr. and Robert, formed the Imperial Transfer & Storage Company in 1915, having both grown up working in their father’s firm. Primarily a hauling company, the young company also offered warehouse storage, intra-urban bus service and road oiling. This business was located in a building at 19th and Central. As Kansas City grew — so did opportunities for all facets of the operation. In 1922, they spun off the road oiling work with Lloyd Sr. forming Kissick Construction Company. The firm expanded into the road grading business across the Midwestern states. The 1940’s and 1950’s post war expansion saw the development of cities and highways. Kissick Construction was a key player in this work, adding asphalt and concrete plants to their road and grading operations. Lloyd Kissick Sr., with his trademark stogie, was a leader of Kansas City’s construction industry. In 1950 he was the president of the Associated General Contractors of Missouri. In the same year he was also the first president of the Heavy Constructors Association of Kansas City and subsequently served three consecutive terms. Today Jim Kissick III, grandson of the senior Lloyd Kissick, and Pete Browne, great-grandson, continue to serve the greater Kansas City area as respected contractors. They have sharpened their focus in heavy civil work – earthwork, utilities, structural concrete and foundation piling.

 Tell us about some interesting projects you’ve been involved with recently.

We just finished a project in Kansas City, Kan., for the company Fairbanks Morris.  We built a 35-foot deep concrete structure in the middle of their 400,000 square foot plant.  The structure is a water holding tank so the large pumps can be performance tested.  The challenge for us was to build the expansion without interrupting their production and testing schedule.   Their plant is currently working 6 days a week with 3 shifts a day to meet their production quotas.  Our work involved engineered shoring, excavation, structural concrete and structural steel work.  Our team successfully met the challenge – we finished ahead of schedule and Fairbanks Morris met their production quotas for the period. In regards to other projects, the stimulus funding has allowed for us to complete a variety of public works projects for various municipalities in the metro area.  We are currently working for the Cities of Roeland Park, Prairie Village, Atchison, Belton and Shawnee for utility upgrades.  While most of this work ends up being underground and you cannot see our product, we are thankful to have the work to keep our teams busy.  

With the economic slow down, how did you navigate through these tough times?

Because we provide a wide scope of civil and industrial services, we get contacted on a lot of projects – which has helped us weather the economic downturn.  We have widened the geographic range of our full service work – completing work in Nebraska, Iowa, and Oklahoma in addition to Missouri and Kansas.  Also, we are always available for to provide budgeting, value engineering and providing pre-construction services, which helps keep us in front of our current clients and potential new clients. We’ve used the time to strengthen the relationships with our clients, vendors and subcontractors.  We believe the construction environment will turn around in the near future. We are using the down time to strengthen our reputation within the construction industry in order to position us for the upcoming opportunities.

What are still the major challenges facing you and others in your industry?

A major challenge for us in the construction industry is educating clients about the value of hiring experienced and honorable contractors. Often developers, general contractors and industrial clients may consider pricing from a firm that does not have the experience on a particular project or has not included all the items that the client has requested.   As I tell prospective clients regarding particularly challenging jobs – “this is what we do every day” – and I mean it.  We can accomplish their goals because we have been there and done it before.

What new opportunities are out there?

Tough question in this market.  Most of the work is coming through the federal stimulus projects.  While traditionally our revenues have been 80% private and 20% public work—we are almost flipped now with the majority of our working coming from public utilities and clients.

What would you say is your niche?

Our niche is that we self-perform our work—meaning we complete our work with our own staff of professionals. When we subcontract work items that we do not self-perform, we tend to subcontract to the same short list of vendors we have used over and over—and we regard them as part of the Kissick team as well. We stand out in the industry because of our reputation as a consummate team player.  The attitude of all of our employees is one of cooperation.  As a team player, we will work around any and all obstacles that we can in order to keep the project team on track and the project successful for all involved.   This approach has allowed Kissick Construction Company to be selective in our volume of work and has assured us a high level of client satisfaction over the years. 

Tell us something about Kissick that most people don’t know.

We self-perform a wide scope of heavy/civil/industrial/concrete services, including engineered shoring systems, foundation piling, earthwork and utility systems, structural concrete and flatwork. Many of our clients or prospective clients know us for only one discipline or another, and may not know all of our capabilities.  We host lunch and learns for engineers, architects, developers, general contractors and industrial clients routinely to share with everyone our capabilities and wealth of experience, and to promote how contracting the civil/foundation work together (shoring, piling, earthwork and concrete foundations) really benefits the project schedule and overall cost.

We heard you are both Rockhurst grads and have a fun attitude in both your personal and professional lives.

Yes, we are both are native Kansas Citians and Rockhurst High School graduates who have working in the construction industry our entire careers.  Jim’s background is 40 years of earthwork, utility and road improvement and site development work.  Pete has 25 years experience in civil and concrete work in heavy industrial (manufacturing, power automotive) plant work.  We have a long working relationship and genuinely enjoy a commitment to provide quality service to our Kansas City client base.  We think work is fun!

Agents enjoy Mexican fare at renovated home in Crestwood

Agent Andrea Hunter (above left with Dawna Rutledge, both of Prudential Kansas City Realty) hosted a ”Cuatro de Mayo” luncheon this week at her new listing at 615 E. 54th Street in Crestwood. The home has been renovated top to bottom with a beautiful addition which was recently featured on the NARI 2010 Spring Homes Tour.

Prudential agents Steve Tate, Michelle Monaco and Whitney Trosper take in some guacamole and salsa.

Carol Partee and Sarah Snodgrass, both with Prudential, check out the renovated kitchen that opens up to a large family room on the back of the home.

Linda Knox, Greg Wild and Jill Winn, all with Prudential, check out the entryway with its elaborate molding. Below, Mickey Coulter and Mary Hutchison with Prudential stop by the elegant staircase that greets visitors in the entryway.

March proves to be a great month for single-family permits

New residential building permits turned back upward in March after a sluggish February, which was likely weather-related. According to new figures from the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, single-family permits totaled 208 across the metro area in March, a 14% increase from February and a nearly 100% jump over March 2009’s level of 111. The biggest gains were made in the outer suburbs. Cass County recorded 27 total single-family permits in March after having 0 in February. Unincorporated Platte County had 19 permits in March, up from 4 in February. And the Jackson County city of Grain Valley had 10 permits after just 1 the month before. In addition, urban Kansas City (its section in Jackson County) recorded its first multi-family units of the year in March, with 55. It is the only place in the metro area where multi-family units have been built this year so far.

Urban Living Tour kicks off  with a party at the Screenland

The annual Downtown KC Urban Living Tour is kicking off with a VIP party on June 4 at Screenland Theatre, 1656 Washington.  Coordinating this year’s tour are Downtown Council 2010 Urban Tour committee members Gil Brenis (from left), Ellen Vapp, Tommy Wilson, Christina Boveri, Mike Hurd and Crystal Schlichting. The 5-8:30 p.m. cocktail event includes drinks and hors d’oeuvres followed by a tour of four luxury condos on a chartered shuttle. The event is $40 per person or $70 per couple. The annual tour, presented by the Downtown Council, will be held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 5 and noon to 5 p.m. June 6. The $5-ticket tour starts at 14^th and Main in the Power & Light District, where chartered buses will be running continually, or you can take in the tour on foot and enjoy strolling through colorful downtown neighborhoods and stopping in at various condos, lofts, townhomes and penthouses from Quality Hill to River Market to City Market and much more. For more information, go to www.downtownkc.org.

Ken Jaggers is managing director of Integra Realty Resources – Kansas City, a nationwide firm that offers broad and comprehensive valuation and counseling services. He began his career in commercial real estate in 1987 as an investment officer with a subsidiary of Metropolitan Life in Overland Park, then in Washington D.C., and Boston. He joined BankBoston in 1991, then came back to Kansas City and joined Integra in 1993. Since that time he has completed appraisals on commercial properties of all types, primarily for institutional investors and for litigation. Unique properties include the 1,140,000-square-foot IRS Processing facilities and the 600,000- square-foot Overland Park International Trade Center.

What area of your business is most active these days?

Our practice is almost exclusively commercial real estate (CRE). We continue to see a significant amount of work from our traditional commercial and local bank clients.  This includes appraisals for new loans and renewals as well as appraisals of the collateral for troubled or non-accrual loans and bank owned properties.  We are fortunate to have thriving eminent domain, estate planning, litigation and consulting practices as well. Integra Realty Resources – Kansas City has common ownership with the Chicago and St. Louis Integra offices.  I am the managing director of Integra Realty Resources – St. Louis as well.  Our practice in St. Louis leans more toward eminent domain and consulting. Between the three offices we have 22 appraisers and analysts including 3 MAIs, an ASA, 3 CPAs, an attorney, and Relocation and Acquisition Specialists.  As you can see, we are ready for just about anything.

Give us a behind the scenes look at something you’ve done for a client or two recently.

We have recently completed appraisals of the Sanofi Aventis campus in Kansas City, Missouri, Black & Veatch Headquarters and Corporate Woods in Overland Park (below) and of two newly constructed apartment properties in the Kansas City area.  For a pension advisor we are presently appraising a 19 office and industrial property portfolio in the D.C. area and a 34 apartment property portfolio with locations throughout the United States.

Are your clients’ needs changing with the economic slowdown?

Most definitely. Our services provided to banks are now multi-dimensional.  We continue to see and complete appraisal requests for new loans and renewals.  Bank clients will sometimes have a different scope of work for the appraisal of distressed and bank owned properties.  We are also doing more non-valuation consulting for banks, attorneys and municipal clients.

Speaking of the slow down, what are people in the business looking to you for?

Recently I have completed some price sensitivity consulting on the sell out of development lots and condominiums.  Also, I have had several meetings with our bank clients who have needed assistance interpreting the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) required appraisal contracting process and the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

How do you stay on top of the trends in commercial real estate these days?

We have to talk to people continually. We talk to local, regional and national investors and developers and lenders. Appraisal work is a little like being a private investigator. You gather the data from numerous sources and analyze the pieces to solve the problem.  Every appraisal or consulting assignment is different and we strive to provide our clients with the current and credible information necessary for them to make well-reasoned and thoughtful decisions regarding their property. It is important for clients to understand the big picture.  How and why are apartments less distressed as a property type than others?  When will the CMBS market come back? And most importantly, when can we expect some market transactions? These are questions I get asked every day and I do my best to keep current in order to answer them.

What’s been your major role in our community over the past few years?

Professionally I am very fortunate to have been involved with the Kansas Speedway and Legends at Village West.  Initially, we provided appraisal and acquisition services to the UG comprised of 175 parcels totaling 1,200 acres.  Our involvement with the public finance process continued with IRR Corporate and Public Finance, a related company.  We were instrumental in this project for over 10 years. At the request of the EDC and the City of Kansas City, Missouri our firm appraised over 70 separate parcels, vacant and improved, as part of the East Village, Power & Light/H&R Block, and Sprint Arena redevelopments. I enjoy working with the Kansas City EDC and have had the privilege of consulting on many of Kansas City’s redevelopment projects over the last 10 years. I am currently the President of the Kansas City Chapter of the Appraisal Institute and a member of the Westwood, Kansas Planning Commission.

Tell me about the ViewPoint publication and how it’s grown.

We are uniquely positioned to give the broadest coverage of CRE market specifics.  Integra has 650 appraisal and consulting professionals in 59 offices all working in support of our annual Viewpoint survey as well as the quarterly update, Market Pulse. Every week I meet someone new who references Viewpoint.  Viewpoint allows us to host the annual Real Estate Trends and Investment Criteria Forecast.  2010 was our eighth year and for the last two we partnered with UMKC Lewis White Real Estate Center.  This event has been very well received in the community attracting developers, lenders, attorneys, and economic development professionals.

What’s a good day for you, personally?

That changes from week to week along with my family’s activities.  Right now I am excited about my daughter’s middle school musical.  I will say that any day golfing, fishing or hunting is a pretty great day.