Black & Veatch LEED World Headquarters Renovation and Expansion Approved; Park Place Development Adds Two New Office Buildings

By Gabriel Circiog, Associate Editor

The Overland Park Planning Commission has approved the initial renovation and expansion plans for the world headquarters of Black & Veatch located at 114th Street and Lamar Avenue. Black & Veatch is the area’s 12th-largest private-sector employer, having 3,000 local employees.

According to The Kansas City Business Journal the engineering company will start the construction of the 12,300 square-foot innovation pavilion and entrance early next year. This will be the first stage of the project that ultimately will see Black & Veatch increasing to 850,000-square feet at the Overland Park campus.

Part of the project is the Bio Garden, which according to the official website will capture and collect water through descending pools, filter and recirculate it into the site’s environment. Black & Veatch was the first to have a corporate rain garden in Kansas City at the previous Ward Parkway location. The Solar Courtyard is another element that is meant to prove the innovation in sustainability practices. Apart from solar canopy there will be a facade screen element that will harness wind power.

In other news, The Kansas City Star reports that the development in Leawood has sealed the tenancy of Kansas City law firm Douthit Frets Rouse Gentile & Rhodes for their future $14 million office building.

The anchor tenant will rent 20,000 square feet out of the 46,000 square feet available. The four-story construction will include 4,000 square feet of retail space and is due for completion in July 2012. The project has been co-developed by Jeff Alper and Melanie Mann, who are currently building a second office building at the development at 117th Street and Nall Avenue.

Park Place development already has a 150-room Aloft hotel, three office and retail buildings totaling 140,000 square feet, shops and restaurants.