Following One Light in 2015 and Two Light in 2018, Baltimore-based developer The Cordish Cos. has finished and opened Three Light, its third luxury high-rise in Kansas City, Missouri. All three properties are located in Cordish’s Power & Light District, a mixed-use development covering nine blocks in downtown Kansas City.
The 25-story glass tower, designed by Baltimore-based architect Hord Coplan Macht, mirrors the look of its sister buildings. Both the interior and exterior incorporate tributes to Kansas City’s jazz traditions, particularly musicians Count Basie and Charlie “Bird” Parker. Design features throughout the building evoke the look and feel of the musicians’ signature instruments, with a black and white gradient for Basie’s piano keys and brass tones for Parker’s saxophone.
Outside, a large, jazz-themed mural, originally painted in 2008, has been recreated on the outside of the building after being covered up during construction. Local artist Alexander Austin recreated the mural, which includes Basie, Parker, Mary Lou Williams and many Kansas City landmarks. A second mural on the south side of the building features the lyrics to the song “Kansas City.”
The property’s 288 units range from studios to two bedrooms, plus penthouses, with floor-to-ceiling windows, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, in-unit laundry and balconies in select apartments. Over 30,000 square feet of amenity space includes:
- An eighth-floor outdoor terrace, including an infinity-edge pool.
- A clubroom with a full-service bar.
- A seven-story parking garage and 7,600 square feet of ground-level retail space.
- An indoor-outdoor party room.
- A demonstration kitchen and dining room.
- A jazz-inspired theater room.
- A game room with fireplaces and billiards.
- Pet services, including grooming, walking and away-from-home care.
- A business center, conference room and coworking area.
- A fitness center and infrared sauna.
- Valet dry cleaning and laundry.
- VIP access to a number of Power & Light District events and venues.
“The preleasing momentum for Three Light has been remarkable and has exceeded our every expectation,” said Emelyna Aurich, director of property management for Cordish Living, in a press release shared with Multifamily Dive. “As we open our doors, many of our unit types are 90% leased, and we’re on pace to reach our target of 99% in the coming months.”
One of many
In the 15 years since The Cordish Companies began development, the Power & Light District has seen more than $9.7 billion in public and private investment, including more than 12,111 new apartment units, 5,326 new or renovated hotel rooms, and the KC Streetcar, a free street-level tram line that runs through downtown Kansas City.
Cordish has also had a hand in a number of historic restoration projects in the Power & Light District and the surrounding area, including the Midland Theatre, located within steps of Three Light. The district is also home to a variety of shops and entertainment venues, including Cosentino’s Downtown Market, Kansas City Live! and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
At the time of its opening, One Light was the first high-rise development in downtown Kansas City in over 50 years, according to the developer’s website. Both One Light and Two Light are currently 97% leased, according to the release.
Cordish’s next multifamily project, started this summer, is a conversion of the Power & Light District’s long-vacant Midland Office Building into the 135-unit Midland Lofts. Once this is complete in May 2024, Cordish will have added over 1,000 new units to downtown Kansas City between its four projects.
