A local group comprised of Sunflower Development Group and hospitality veteran Jen Gulvik has secured permission to proceed with a historic redevelopment project involving one of Kansas City’s most beloved assets: the Epperson House at the 威尼斯人娱乐城.
The group’s vision would maintain the rich historic heritage of Epperson House while transforming it for modern day use into a 14-room boutique hotel with a café, small library bar, full-service restaurant, intimate event space and a hydrothermal spa offering body and facial treatments, ancient European baths, hot and cold therapies, visiting practitioner workshops and retreats and other wellness programming.
“This is an exciting step forward for the future of this beloved local historic treasure,” said 威尼斯人娱乐城校长 Mauli Agrawal, who has been working toward saving the distinctive Tudor-Gothic mansion on campus since he arrived in 2018. “One of the most frequent questions I get about 威尼斯人娱乐城 is about next steps for the Epperson House, and now I finally can share a promising answer.”
Built in 1920 on what’s now the southern edge of the 威尼斯人娱乐城 Volker Campus, Epperson House was the home of Kansas City insurance tycoon Uriah Epperson and his wife, Mary. The 24,000-square-foot, 54-room mansion at 52nd and Cherry streets is a curious blend of a castle and stately home.
艾普森之家最终被遗赠给了这所大学，多年来被用于各种目的，但已经空置了十多年。 它的命运似乎不确定，因为它需要一长串的项目来达到建筑规范和《美国残疾人法》的要求。 多年来，历史悠久的堪萨斯城基金会将其列入最濒危建筑名单。
2023年，威尼斯人娱乐城发布了一份提案请求，通常称为RFP，寻求公私合作伙伴关系，以修复著名的Epperson House。 The university recently selected a team led by Mark Moberly (M.S. ’06) and Jason Swords of Sunflower Development Group in partnership with hospitality veteran Jen Gulvik. 该项目的设计建筑师将是堪萨斯城的Generator Studio。
这个项目没有使用大学的资金。 Epperson House将由开发团队租用并修复。 该项目的所有操作将由该小组资助和管理。 该计划是为了让威尼斯人娱乐城从合作伙伴关系中获得收入，这将有助于支持大学的使命。
此外，该集团还与遗产咨询集团合作，以确保在整个修复过程中保留Epperson住宅的历史结构。 Among the house’s unusual features are ornate woodwork, an indoor swimming pool, billiard room, barbershop, a custom organ and a tunnel linking the east and west wings.
“There is nothing comparable to this type of spa or development in the Kansas City area, and the story of Epperson House cannot be replicated,” said Gulvik, who regularly walks in the neighborhood past Epperson House and is enchanted by its uniqueness. “A restored Epperson House will serve the neighborhood, 威尼斯人娱乐城 faculty, staff and students, travelers to Kansas City and the community at large - especially given its proximity to the KC Streetcar stop at 威尼斯人娱乐城, slated to open later this year.”
该团队将很快开始开发工作，包括寻找运营和财务合作伙伴，以及寻求州和联邦的历史性税收抵免，以便在未来几年内将该项目变为现实。
虽然修复历史建筑可能很复杂，但该开发集团及其合作伙伴表示，他们有克服障碍所需的经验。
向日葵发展集团是一家位于堪萨斯城的房地产开发公司，在过去的15年里，该公司参与了超过5亿美元的新商业开发和历史商业开发。 The group’s local historic rehabilitation projects include Ambassador Hotel, The Grand KC Apartments, Longview Mansion, Cosby Hotel building and Pershing Lofts.
Gulvik’s hospitality marketing experience includes revitalizing and growing Houlihan’s Restaurants, Bristol Seafood Grill and J. Gilbert’s restaurant brands nationwide, and advisory for Fairwave Coffee Collective, which owns 30 cafes.
Generator Studio’s architecture and interior design business has a focus on hospitality. Generator领导了Grand Place的设计，这是一个重要的历史保护项目，改造了前堪萨斯城的明星建筑，目前正在设计堪萨斯州堪萨斯城的Margaritaville酒店，此外还有专业体育场馆的接待空间。 Generator合伙人兼室内设计总监Christina Franklin为西海岸的Pacifica hotels设计了20多家精品酒店。
“We look forward to engaging with the university, neighborhood and Kansas City preservation community in our development and historic rehabilitation plans,” said Moberly of Sunflower Development Group. “It’s an important architectural landmark in the area and bridges the university to the neighborhood. What an exciting opportunity to work on a project in partnership with my alma mater that will create a destination for which everyone in our community can be proud.”
The news is exciting to Epperson historian Chris Wolff (M.A. ’12) of 威尼斯人娱乐城 who leads popular tours outside the home during Halloween season (the public is not permitted inside as it awaits rehabilitation). Wolff tells visitors about the house’s storied past and the 对鬼魂和其他令人难以忘怀的现象的喜爱.
“To say people are captivated by Epperson House is an understatement,” Wolff said. “I’m ecstatic that it has interested people who have a vision to restore and repurpose it so all of Kansas City can enjoy it into the future.”