Controversial demolitions of old single-family and multi-family buildings aside, KCLife might be ready to make a move on building something new in the Valentine Neighborhood.

On April 10th, Kansas City Life Insurance Company (KCLife) applied for a Development Assistance Team on CompassKC to replace two existing 6-family buildings (6-plex) with a new “colonnade court”. Based on previous reports where KCLife’s redevelopment project would start near Southwest Trafficway and Valentine Road, the site in mind for this particular project is located at 3623-29 Southwest Trafficway. The application explains that the new development will consist of five individual buildings, each of 3-stories and 6 apartments each surrounding a central courtyard. The buildings would be angled in such a way where the ones closest to Southwest Trafficway do not actually have their front doors facing the Trafficway. The net-gain of apartments is +18.

KCLife’s application explains that the new development will resemble the nearby “Roanoke Court” apartments and “would have new sound-proofing construction technology”. The total estimated cost of development is $8 Million. Incentives will be sought, but the application doesn’t specify what kind of incentive.

Per the application, the desire is for construction to start in July of 2026 with it wrapping up in July 2027.

KCLife recently released conceptual renderings of what their mixed-use development could resemble. Shown in the renderings were new single-family homes, duplexes, small apartment buildings, and large buildings designed to fit-in with the neighborhood.

Memphis-based LRK Architects is the architect linked to the conceptual master-plan design and is likely linked to the colonnade court plan. LRK designed the Meadowbrook development in Prairie Village, which features upscale homes and villas, a large apartment building (The Kessler) and a boutique hotel (The Inn at Meadowbrook).

In Valentine, neighbors have opposed KCLife’s demolition of existing buildings and under new city demolition rules, demolition applications aren’t automatically approved on older structures, slowing down the rate of demolitions seen in the neighborhood. Last fall, and into early 2025, Valentine neighbors protested the demolition of several buildings and called on KCLife to be transparent with their vision and plans for the neighborhood. In March, KCLife’s CEO, Walter Bixby, went public with their vision in a lengthy Business Journal article.