Husch Blackwell has entered into an agreement that will keep its Kansas City office at the Plaza Colonnade building through 2037. The firm will take space on three floors of the 11-story building, totaling approximately 95,000 square feet.
Husch Blackwell predecessor firm Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP first took space in the Plaza Colonnade building in the fall of 2004, when the building first opened. Plaza Colonnade is managed by Copaken Brooks.
“We played a key role in bringing this building out of the ground almost 20 years ago,” said Jeff Simon, Husch Blackwell’s Kansas City Office Managing Partner. “It was a unique opportunity then, and it remains an excellent location for our firm today. This sends a strong signal of our firm’s support and commitment to the Kansas City region—and the South Plaza neighborhood in particular.”
“Husch Blackwell’s recommitment to Plaza Colonnade is a significant vote of confidence in our property and team, and we are grateful for their continued partnership. Husch Blackwell is a leading provider of legal services, and their presence in our building will help to attract other high-quality tenants to the area,” said Ryan Biery, Senior Vice President of Brokerage at Copaken Brooks. “We are confident that this renewal will further strengthen our position as a premier office destination in Kansas City.”
Plaza Colonnade is an 11-story mixed-use development, including the Kansas City Public Library, office tower, parking deck, and adjacent retail center. The building also includes a 350-seat auditorium with meeting rooms, a tenant lounge, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Employees and employers can enjoy the many restaurants at Country Club Plaza and South Plaza and will soon have a KC Streetcar stop located adjacent to the building.
“We are excited to have Husch Blackwell remain our signature tenant for many years to come,” said Keith Copaken, Principal at Copaken Brooks. “They are committed to providing their employees a new modernized space while remaining in the central location of the Country Club Plaza. We are confident that Plaza Colonnade will continue to provide the additional amenities they need to succeed.”
Husch Blackwell’s Plaza Colonnade office will undergo significant refurbishment as part of the new lease agreement, including many of the amenities that have characterized the firm’s recent new office locations, such as a large café space, the extensive use of glass interiors that provide ample natural sunlight throughout the office, generous collaborative workspaces and conference rooms, state-of-the-art conferencing and network technologies, and an open terrace on the top floor, allowing both excellent client experiences and an alternative working space for Husch Blackwell attorneys and professional staff.
“Our new space will be designed in support of our modern, hybrid workforce and clients,” said Bret Chapman, Husch Blackwell’s Chief Operating Officer. “When complete, our updated office space will reflect our continued commitment to providing our attorneys, clients and business professionals, workspace designed with a focus on flexibility, technology, collaboration, wellness and inclusivity.”
“Our firm was founded in Kansas City, and our deepest roots are there. Our office location at Plaza Colonnade has become a very visible expression of our dedication to the city,” said Catherine Hanaway, Husch Blackwell’s Chair. “We are proud to be making a major investment in and commitment to Kansas City for the future.”
Husch Blackwell partnered with Colliers on the lease renewal and is very pleased to be continuing the relationship with Copaken Brooks and the building at 4801 Main Street in the South Plaza area.