A new kind of development is coming to the Parkville Commons this summer, but the identity of its owner is still a mystery. Last week the Parkville Board of Aldermen unanimously — minus Scott McRuer, who recused himself due to a conflict of interest — approved a planned district development permit to allow construction of a 16,340-square-foot medical clinic near Parkville City Hall.
According to the letter from project architects AECom, the clinic “will foster and create an exciting and energetic healing environment.” The facility will emphasize health and wellness in a spa-type environment and will feature a no-waiting concept and a demonstration kitchen complete with a chef. The architects and development team, as well as the City, are keeping the name of the company meant to operate in this space confidential.
Because of this no-waiting policy, the applicants asked for shared parking instead of the standard parking formula of five on-site spaces for every 1,000 square feet of development. The structure is smaller than the planned 20,000-square-foot building planned for the site and the plan to build a right turn lane on Highway 9 at Clark Avenue was also removed from the plan.
“This all seems a little mystical,” said Alderman Marc Sportsman. He wondered how feasible it was that patients would have no wait times at this mystery clinic and was concerned that parking around the facility would be inadequate if patients did have to wait.
Alderman Jim Werner shared Sportsman’s concern if the concept failed and in a year or two a more traditional tenant moved into the building.
Assistant City Administrator Sean Ackerson said the City staff had calculated on-site and nearby parking and believed the space to be adequate.
In reference to the planned turning lane, Thomas Fulton of Olsson Associates reported his firm had conducted a traffic count and study in the Parkville Commons and he believed with the smaller building and its planned use the construction of the turning lane would not be necessary at this time.
“Is it normal to approve a development like this before we know who will occupy the building?” Werner asked Ackerson. Ackerson said it was a common practice, and added that during development of other areas of Parkville Commons spaces were built before tenants were identified.
To read more, pick up the Jan. 25 edition of The Platte County Citizen.