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Reece & Nichols broke ground earlier this month on a new Corporate Headquarters, just down the street from their current building at 115th and Granada in south Leawood. The 30,000 square foot building is expected to be ready for occupancy by July. The builder and architect is Peters and Associates, and out at the construction site (above) are John Sweeney, CCIM of Reece Commercial, who represented the landlord, and Dan Sight, CCIM of Reece Commercial, who represented Reece & Nichols.

The new headquarters will house the followings branches of Reece & Nichols: Corporate Staff, Accounting, Legal, Marketing, IT, Town Center Sales Office, Reece Commercial, the Training Academy, New Homes Division, Alliance Offices, Plaza Mortgage, Kansas City Title and Relocation. The building (see artist’s rendering below) will consolidate three offices into one location with greater functionality and delivery of services to their agents and clients.

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The Hunt Midwest Business Center expansion is well underway, and a reception was held recently to celebrate the new inventory of 80 acres at I-435 and Parvin Road in Kansas City, located in a 2,500-acre commercial/industrial development adjacent to Hunt Midwest SubTropolis. Hunt Midwest SubTropolis is the world’s largest underground business complex.

Above, David Hinchman, who heads the CB Richard Ellis Kansas City Industrial Team, joins Hunt Midwest’s Jason Glasrud, manager of sales and leasing, and Dick Ringer, assistant general manager, as they draw the winners of Chiefs tickets and cash prizes at the Hunt Midwest Business Center open house on Oct. 7. More than 50 area commercial real estate professionals attended the event, which showcased the progress of HMBC’s 80-acre expansion. Below, Murphy Tractor & Equipment, Co. closed on the purchase of a 9.5 acre tract at Hunt Midwest Business Center last year and has built a 43,000 square foot sales and service center.

Lots up to 700 square feet deep, ranging in size from 3.6 to 36 acres, are available for commercial development this fall, following completion of utility installation, asphalt paving and related infrastructure additions. Recently, Alexander Mechanical opened a new 15,000 square foot facility on 3.38 acres of land and Inland Truck Parts opened a new 65,000 square foot service center on 8.23 acres last year.

“The number one asset the location brings to our business is truck access,” said Thomas A. Udland, president of Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co. “Most of our freight involves semi-trucks and trailers and we need the easy access afforded us by the interchange at Parvin Road.”

Ringer agreed, adding: “The expansion of Hunt Midwest Business Center will enable us to add inventory and stay ahead of demand for commercial property adjacent to the heavily traveled I-435 corridor.”

As part of the overall expansion plan, additional access to SubTropolis will be added as needed via a new stretch of road named Derrough Drive in honor of Hunt Midwest president and CEO Lee Derrough, who retired at the end of 2009. Currently all access is on the south side of the complex. Derrough Drive will offer access on the north side.  Below, the new entrance monument with Worlds of Fun in the background.

Jason Wikstrom, Phil Stepp and Linda Cone (above) were just a few of the golfers who took part in the annual Reece and Nichols Benefit Golf Tournament that was held recently at Creekmoor Community Golf Course in Raymore. Cone won the women’s longest put contest, and Nathan Vanice won a closest to the pin contest. A silent auction was held online before and during the tournament.  Other events included Moneyball, Mulligans, Closest to Jerry, Tiger Tees, game-day prizes, lunch and an after-tournament happy hour. The event raises money for the Reece and Nichols Benevolent Fund which provides assistance to our agents and employees during times of need.  To date, the event has raised more than $200,000.

Speaking of Reece & Nichols, earlier this month they broke ground on a new Corporate Headquarters just down the street from their current building at 115th and Granada in south Leawood. The 30,000 square foot building (see artist’s rendering below) is expected to be ready for occupancy by July. The builder and architect is Peters and Associates. The new headquarters will house many branches of Reece & Nichols including the  Town Center Sales Office, Training Academy, New Homes Division, Alliance Offices, Plaza Mortgage and Kansas City Title and Relocation.

Survey: home ownership still a priority for most despite economic downturn

The just-published National Association of Realtors’ eighth annual Housing Opportunity Pulse Survey reveals that nearly eight of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision, despite ongoing challenges with the economy and housing market. The survey, which measures how affordable housing issues affect consumers, also found job security concerns to be the highest in eight years of sampling, with 70 percent of Americans saying that job layoffs and unemployment are a big problem in their area. Eight in 10 cite these issues as a barrier to homeownership.

Some key results:

• Americans continue to believe that buying a home is a good financial decision (77 percent believe total strongly or not so strongly, 68 percent strongly so).
• More than two-thirds of respondents (68 percent) say that now is a good time to buy a home.
• Job insecurity and the lack of jobs continue to be the primary obstacle to home ownership and market recovery.
• Respondents see the recession and job losses as the main reasons for the foreclosure problem, a shift from last year when they more likely to blame homeowners who bought homes they could not afford.
• A majority of renters say that owning a home at some point in the future is either one of their highest priorities (39 percent) or a moderate priority (24 percent). Just 21 percent of renters say that owning a home is not a priority at all.
• Frustration with banks is up: now a majority worry that banks have made it too hard to qualify for a home mortgage loan.
• Most of those surveyed say that it is harder to sell a home in their neighborhood than it was a year ago.
• Looking forward, 70 percent expect real estate sales in their neighborhood to remain about the same over the next few months. A nearly identical number (69 percent), also expect home values to remain the same.

Koons and Pulaski Bank Home Lending host luncheon at desirable home in Meyer Circle area

Nancy Rieger Koons with RE/MAX Results (above) got great feedback from other agents this week on her new listing just west of Ward Parkway on 66th Terrace. At $529,000, this three-plus bedroom features a new kitchen and stunning dining room (below) that both open up to a bright family room overlooking the backyard gardens.

Below, Kelly Whitwood (at left with Judith Krantz and Judy Klemm of RE/MAX) hosted the luncheon. Whitwood  is a senior loan officer for Pulaski Bank Home Lending in Overland Park.

Office

Board of Trade II Building, Inc. leased 24,362 square feet of office space to Commodity Futures Trading Commission located at Board of Trade II, 4900 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri. Phillip L. James and Rollie D. Fors of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group represented the Landlord in the transaction, and David Lipson of Studley, Inc. represented the Tenant.

Employers Mutual Casualty Company has Leased 18,162 square feet of office space located at 7300 W. 110th Street, Overland Park, KS. Estel C Hipp, Kenneth G. Block, SIOR, CCIM, Matt Spachman of Block Real Estate Services, LLC in cooperation with Rollie Fors of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group, handled the transaction.

Advance Store Company, Inc. has leased 12,054 square feet at 5360 Johnson Drive in Mission, Kansas from Redbarry-Advance LLC.  Darren Siegel and David Block of Block & Company, Inc., Realtors represented the landlord in the transaction.

Robert V. Lewellen and/or Assigns purchased 10,000 square feet at 210 W. 74^th Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri from 3 & 1 Group LLC.  Bob Wallen of Block & Company, Inc., Realtors negotiated the transaction.

ADM Grain Co. renewed their lease of 8,149 square feet in the ADM Milling Company Building located at 8000 W. 110^th St. in Overland Park, KS.  Robert Keatley, SIOR of NAI Capital Realty negotiated the transaction.

Retail

Noodles & Company has leased 2,800 square feet at 2140 Independence Center Drive in Independence, Missouri from SPG Independence Center LLC.  Steve Gasperi of Block & Company, Inc., Realtors represented Noodles & Company in the transaction.

Radio Shack Corporation has leased 2,728 square feet at 7588 W. 119^th Street in Overland Park, Kansas from Privitera Realty Holdings LLC.  Tony DeTommaso of Block & Company, Inc., represented Radio Shack in the transaction.

Apollo Products, Inc. renewed its lease of 2,400 square feet of space at Colonnade Shopping Center, 17601 E. 40 Highway, Independence, Missouri. Sher Blandford and Audrey Navarro of Kessinger/Hunter & Company negotiated the renewal.

Frozen Assets LLC d.b.a. Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt has leased 1,980 square feet in Bauer Farm Retail Development located at 6^th Street in Wakarusa Drive in Lawrence, Kansas from Bauer Farm Retail Pad 1 LLC.  Sheryl Vickers, John Cobb, and David Block of Block & Company, Inc., represented the landlord in the transaction.

Industrial/Land

Summers Holdings, LLC purchased 42,600 square feet of industrial space from J2 Building Development LLC located at 110 W. 14^th Avenue, North Kansas City, Missouri. John F. Delzer of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group represented the Buyer in the transaction. Bill Hershewe of Hershewe Real Estate Company represented the Seller in the transaction.

Treat America Limited leased 32,400 square feet in Kansas Commerce Center located at 9771 Commerce Parkway in Lenexa, KS.  Kevin Wilkerson, Phillip Algrim, SIOR and Erik Lund of NAI Capital Realty negotiated the transaction along with Ed Elder of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group.

Goodman Distribution, Inc. renewed their lease of 25,000 square feet at 16680 W. 119^th St. in Olathe, KS.  Kevin Wilkerson and Phil Algrim, SIOR of NAI Capital Realty negotiated the transaction along with Mark Fountain of Jones Lang LaSalle.

Mid-American Investments, LLC sold 10,200 square feet of industrial space to Ryan A. and Jennifer B. Schurle located at 1837 East 1450 Road, Lawrence, Kansas. Kelvin Heck, SIOR, CCIM of Grubb & Ellis|The Winbury Group represented the Seller in the transaction.

Talk about following in your father’s footsteps — David Zimmer has been selected as the International President of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). He is just the second real estate professional from Kansas City to serve in this capacity. The other was his father, Hugh Zimmer, in 1979. Zimmer accepted the honor at the SIOR Fall World Conference this month in San Antonio, Texas.

“There is a sense of pride there,” said the younger Zimmer. “There have only been a few father-son tandems to hold this position in the past — I think only three or four before us — and we’re the only two from this area. Our family takes great pride in the work we do and the role real estate plays in the growth and evolution of the city in which we live, work and play. Serving the real estate industry, and the SIOR organization in particular, as president, not only provides me a great personal opportunity, but I can use this position to shine the spotlight on our city, our community of real estate professionals and the region as a whole.”

MetroWire talked with Zimmer at his downtown office about SIOR. “SIOR, it is recognition by the real estate community that you are considered to be the best of the best. And it’s a vote of your peers.” He said SIOR is one of the most prestigious and elite organizations in the commercial real estate industry with membership around the world. Membership is given only to those who achieve and maintain the highest business, ethical and performance standards in the country. He said there are about 2,600 active members around the world and that they are making a strong push to expand into Europe and, eventually, Asia. “The relationships you develop with people all over the country and the world, it’s a means and a mechanism to refer clients,” he said.

Zimmer has been involved in the commercial and industrial real estate development and brokerage business since 1979. He began his professional career with The Vantage Companies in Dallas and then returned to Kansas City in 1983 and began working with Zimmer. His primary duties include industrial and commercial real estate brokerage of properties owned and managed by Zimmer, as well as third-party clients. David became an active member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors in 1990. He was President of the Western Missouri-Kansas Chapter of SIOR in 1998, and served as Regional Vice President of Region V of SIOR as well as on its National Board of Directors from 1999-2001.

Award-winning Straub Construction helped shape and build KC’s history

What do the largest municipal water park in Kansas (Salina’s Kenwood Cove Water Park, below), the renovation space in 909 Walnut (above), and a $29 million construction project for Goddard School District have in common? They are just a few of the projects entrusted to Straub Construction, an award-winning general contractor with 90 years of experience specializing in builder contractor services. Their resume includes new construction and renovation of multifamily, commercial, institutional, religious as well as historic renovation.

Straub’s list of accomplishments over the years is a long one — this is the fourth consecutive year they were named a top ten “Best Places to Work” by the Kansas City Business Journal. Straub was named a 2010 Top 10 Small Business — for the second time — by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. And this past summer, the Kansas Department of Commerce named Straub Construction the East Central Regional Business Excellence Award winner.

The Johnson County Parks and Recreation District’s new LEED indoor sports facility is being renovated by Straub. Other projects include Lee’s Summit Fire Station #2, Wichita New K-8 School, Basehor-Linwood Wellness Center/FEMA Shelter, Summit Grove Senior Apartments, Destiny Towers and Pemberton Park.

Three generations have led the family-owned business that for 90 years has helped transform Kansas City.  Above, Straub Construction President Ernie Straub III and Vice President & COO Parker Young, Jr.

Award-winning Straub Construction’s outstanding reputation and performance as a general contractor exceeds industry standards and customer expectations. Loyalty to customers’ needs allows Straub’s team to deliver superior projects on-time and on-budget while forming solid relationships that today’s businesses demand. Straub has produced a strategic blend of general contracting, construction expertise, quality work, superior project management and trusted construction services that keep their clients coming back.

Straub is working on their fourth project for Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB). The third one was the new construction of a state-of-the-art, 31,000-square-foot Weaver Auditorium. The $6.75 million project earned one regional and two national awards in 2009, including Project of the Year from the National Commercial Builders Council. Below, another Straub success: the Hyde Park Apartments historic renovation.

“Honesty, integrity, work ethic, respect and accountability — those are our core values,” said Straub. “We live them in everything we do, whether dealing with our customers, our vendors or each other,” he said. “In doing so, our values have helped position us for the future.”

The company’s core values have been standard from the company’s relatively modest beginnings in 1920. Over the years, Straub has grown into a major player in the local construction business. It has become one of the most trusted general contractors in the Kansas City area.

Through the decades, Straub’s projects have ranged from schools (Goddard’s new schools below), churches, historic renovations and mixed-use developments to hospitals, public developments and even aquatic centers. Multi-family housing has also long been a forte. This sort of diversification has been one of the company’s keys to success and has allowed it to adapt to the needs of the market while weathering the inevitable ups and downs of the economy. Today, Straub has maintained its quality team and financial strength, and is positioned to provide the best services to its partners.

‘Exemplary leadership’ recognized by prestigious annual award as the Chamber also introduces the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership award

L-R: Dr. Danny Weaver, KCUMB; Dave Fowler, KPMG; Adele Hall; Marie Farrell; Chamber President and CEO Jim Heeter; ATHENA International Board Chair Heather Paquette; Chamber Chair Peter deSilva.

During a private reception at Boulevard Brewing Company, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce recognized the 2010 ATHENA award winner, Adele Hall. And for the first year, the chamber also presented the ATHENA young professional leadership award to Marie Farrell.

As written in the recipients’ biographies supplied by the Chamber, Hall’s “civic contributions are legendary.” The tireless community leader has worked with education, youth, health and political issues, both locally and nationally. She currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Local Investment Commission, Starlight Theater, and is a board member for Wayside Waifs. Hall serves on the advisory board of the George Bush Presidential Library Center, and is also a lifetime member of the Central Governing Board of Children’s Mercy Hospital and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

In addition to 2010 marking the tenth anniversary of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s ATHENA award program, the event committee also opted to debut the Athena Young Professional Leadership Award, an honor given to Marie Farrell.

A recent graduate of the Chamber’s Centurions leadership program, Farrell “has established herself as one of our community’s leading life sciences communicators, engaged citizens and role models for young women,” according to the Chamber. Farrell devotes much of her time to Coro Kansas City, an organization that uses public affairs internships to introduce and expose future community leaders to various civic matters. Farrell extends her commitment to leadership into her workplace at Global Prairie, where she maintains an active role with the company’s structured mentorship program and serves as a mentor to junior staff members and several young women interns.

2010 ATHENA Award recipient Adele Hall

Each year, Athena award honorees are “chosen by a selection committee made up of a diverse group of businesses and community leaders,” according to the Chamber. Adds Sheri Blackman, director of events for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, “The Chamber has presented the Athena award to women who have displayed exemplary leadership across professional sectors, improving the quality of life for others in their communities. This international award focuses on the development and mentorship of women, and is one of the most prestigious leadership awards one can receive.”

The ATHENA award dates back to 1982 when Martha Mertz, a member of the board of directors for the Lansing, Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce, decided to work with the Chamber “to recognize the leadership of outstanding professional and business women in the community,” according to ATHENA International. At the time, Mertz was the only business woman serving on the board and saw a need for increased leadership opportunities targeted toward business women in the community.

“This concept led to the idea of acknowledging and honoring those quiet leaders, mostly women, whose efforts were adding immensely to the fabric of their communities while they remained unacknowledged and not visible as leaders,” according to ATHENA International. “The ATHENA award was created to raise up one outstanding role model each year in a community to put a familiar face and voice to the idea of a leader.”

In 2007, ATHENA Award organizers realized the need to recognize an emerging demographic of young professionals. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award was introduced, serving as “a natural extension of the prestigious ATHENA award,” according to the organization.

2010 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipient Marie Farrell

This year, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce added the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award to the annual awards program. Sponsored by KPMG (a sponsor of the national ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award) and Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, the young professional award is meant to recognize “emerging women leaders across professional sectors for exemplary leadership,” according to the Chamber.

Adds Blackman, “The committee and the Chamber felt it was important to recognize these emerging young leaders.”

Past ATHENA award recipients from the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce include Mamie Hughes, Susan Stanton, Kathleen Sebelius, Roshann Parris, Peggy Dunn, Julia Irene Kauffman, Anita Gorman and Beth Smith.

Images courtesy of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

The Liberty Memorial World War I Museum was the perfect venue for the fall Parade of Homes celebration on Oct. 6, presented by the Greater Kansas City Home Builders Association. Nearly 250 guests (including builders such as Harry Roth with John Vance at far right with guests above) gathered for a great evening of fun, food and friends. As the sun set on the terrace of the Liberty Memorial, guests gathered in the World War I Museum Auditorium for the much anticipated announcement of the winners of both the Pick of the Parade and the Distinctive Plan and Design contests.  John Moffitt served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Below, award winner Jeff Ashner of Ashner Construction Company with Dana Benjamin.

Below, Don Julian (center) of Don Julian Builders accepts his award with Jerry Kelso and Laura Swearingen, real estate agents at Canyon Creek in Lenexa.

Below, husband/wife team of Lisa and Russ Groshans accept the award for their company, Casa Bella Construction.

The Parade of Homes, which features 199 new homes on display to the public throughout the metro area, ends Sunday. It’s a free event, and for more information, go to kchba.org. As part of the parade, builders are judged in several categories. This year’s Grand Award Winners, with the location of the winning home and including those above, are D & D Building, The Oaks of Edgewood Oak Grove, Oak Grove; Gary Kerns Homebuilder, Hills of Oakmont, Platte City; SAB Homes, Eagle Creek, Lee’s Summit; Summit Custom Homes, Fritchie Bluff, Lee’s Summit; MarKirk Construction, Lake Side at Chapman Farms, Blue Springs; Casa Bella Construction, Embassy Park, Kansas City; James III Homes, Madison Ridge of Grey Oaks, Shawnee; Don Julian Builders, Canyon Creek by the Lake, Lenexa; Neese Construction, Westridge at Weatherby Lake; James Engle Custom Homes, Wilshire Farms, Overland Park; Koehler Building, Watersedge, Overland Park; and Don Julian Builders, Forest Ridge Estates, Kansas City.

Free website helps homeowners with protection issues and more

It’s been five years since Hurricane Katrina came roaring into the Gulf Coast, and while there’s very little homeowners can do when facing a natural disaster like that one, it’s an important reminder that with a little planning and preparation, homeowners can better protect their home and family from a disaster, according to the experts at HouseLogic – a free consumer website about all aspects of homeownership. “Families build their futures through homeownership, and HouseLogic should be a homeowner’s first stop when it comes to increasing, maintaining, and protecting the value of his or her home,” said National Association of Realtors President Vicki Cox Golder.

In our area, one of the largest risks to many homes is flooding. Leaky roofs and foundation cracks can let water into a home more readily and weaken the structure, so it’s important to make repairs quickly. It’s also good to clear gutters and drains, invest in a battery-powered sump pump, and prevent sewer backup by installing a check valve, which allows waste to only flow one way. It’s also smart to catalog all of your possessions using a digital camcorder or camera and move expensive items to a higher location such as a second floor or attic. If flood waters do make their way into a home, HouseLogic provides advice for the important first 24 hours at houselogic.com.

Parade of Homes winner has all the right extras

We caught up with one of the big Parade of Homes winners: Willis Construction. Their 2010 Grand Award Winner (above) is located in White Horse Villas – 5444 W. 150th St. Willis Construction, Inc. has been an award-winning builder and remodeler in the Kansas City area for over 40 years. Bob Willis and his son, Patrick, together build homes specifically tailored to their clients’ wishes. Over the years Willis Construction has been recognized by Kansas City’s high-quality housing market as leaders in the industry. They have won the Pick of the Parade and Distinctive Plan and Design Awards several times in the Greater Kansas City Home Builders Association’s Parade of Homes contest. They have also been awarded the Kansas City Homes and Garden’s Home of the Year Award on several of their homes. Below, the home’s closet of your dreams!