Westport Commons

A leading example of urban acupuncture that is the largest co-working facility in the world

Information

Location Kansas City, Missouri
Size 372,000 SF

Plexpod Westport Commons is the transformation of Kansas City, Missouri’s first ever junior high building, Westport Middle School, and Westport High School into a community resource that immediately became a regional hub for innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship. The Westport Commons redevelopment is located in Midtown Kansas City, and intersects three local neighborhoods – Old Hyde Park, Hyde Park and Southmoreland. The project has positively impacted entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, non-profit organizations and others in in Kansas City. In addition to providing lower cost solutions for office spaces, Westport Commons also provides community resources for education and development. The campus includes: unique coworking and co-living environments, an early learning center, health and wellness programs, a local healthy food system including urban agriculture, a restaurant, and a coffee gallery. New glazing, mechanical, electrical and lighting systems were utilized to improve human health and productivity while reducing energy and resource use.

Impact + Innovation

Plexpod Westport Commons was designed as one of the largest co-working facilities in the world. This ambitious, innovative development is a leading example of urban acupuncture — a design and financial intervention in an abandoned community asset that sparks the revitalization of the community surrounding it. The restoration and reuse celebrates the beautiful and unique character of both schools, including historic architectural components and the historic auditorium (now a state-of-the-art meeting and performance space) and the restoration of historic murals painted by students during the school’s history.

Process

Sustainable Development Partners Kansas City utilized a combination of historic and new market tax credits to finance the rehabilitation of this space. Westport Commons is a perfect example of how creative financing and a strategic approach to funding can bring new life to both a historic building and its community, spurring economic growth in areas where it is needed most. In addition to providing lower cost solutions to small business owners and entrepreneurs of Kansas City, Westport Commons also provides community resources for education and development. The development team also worked with Rosin Preservation, a Kansas City historic architecture and building preservation consulting firm, to ensure they were creating a space that would not only be functional but one that would keep the historic character of the space intact as much as possible.