PARKVILLE, Mo. — The Parkville Board of Aldermen approved the preliminary development plan for a “super deluxe” apartment development at The National at its regular meeting Tuesday evening. Bella Vista at the National will consist of 302 apartments in three buildings built into a hillside off Highway 45 west of the Bell Road industrial park. The buildings will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in four floors over a lower-level parking garage.
Other amenities proposed include walking trails, a dog park, vehicle rinsing and vacuuming station, pool and outdoor entertainment area. The plans also include common amenities rooms on three floors, including a gym, group fitness room, massage room, conference rooms, media room, lounge and concierge-type service room.
The applicant is J3-Pandi — a subsidiary of Five Star Lifestyles, the developer of the National, which aldermen believed was a selling point for the project. Parkville alderman David Jones noted that the planning process had gone very smoothly and attributed that to The National’s reputation.
“I think one of the reasons you don’t have opposition to this plan as we’ve gotten with some others is because you’ve come prepared and you’ve kept your promises,” Jones said, noting resident satisfaction with other area Five Star developments.
However, this isn’t the first attempt to develop the property.
Community development director Sean Ackerson outlined plans for the area going back to 2000 with the proposed Eagle Pointe condominiums. In 2005, the Villas at the National were approved for the same property and included two apartment buildings with 153 apartment units and 92 townhome units. An amended plan for the southern portion of the site was approved in 2007 as the Townhomes at The National.
J3-Pandi representatives present told the board they were prepared to move dirt on the newest development as soon as possible after approval with leasing set to begin by Christmas. Barring delays, the complex should be open to residents by early next summer.
The plan also includes a new location for the Parkville Veterans of Foreign Wars, although the membership of the VFW must approve any relocation plan.
Also at the meeting, the board unanimously approved the rezoning of 43 acres off Brink-Myer Road, west of the existing Thousand Oaks subdivision, from agricultural to single-family residential. Developer
David Barth submitted the rezoning request, as well as a preliminary plat, both of which were approved by the Parkville Planning and Zoning Commission.
Although the board’s action at that meeting was only to approve the rezoning, members did discuss resident concerns. Some existing Thousand Oaks homeowners have objected to the loss of cul de sacs through the proposed extension of the roadways for the new development.