[Updated Oct 2020] A guide to executive suites and office space to rent in Kansas City MO as well as general information that may be useful if you are thinking of renting offices in Kansas City MO.
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History & Geography
Kansas City is the largest city in the Midwestern US state of Missouri and has played a vital role in the history of the region. The city is located at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers and is mostly situated on the bluffs overlooking the rivers. Kansas City lies almost in the direct center of the North American continent. The first European to explore the area was Etienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont, who extensively hunted and trapped on the lower reaches of the Missouri River. The area continued to be visited by explorers and settlers, including the famous Lewis and Clark and a group of Mormons from New York. Eventually, a group of investors called the Kansas Town Company settled the area. In 1850 the Town of Kansas was incorporated. In 1853 it was transformed into Kansas City and incorporated again. In the years preceding the Civil War Kansas, including Kansas City, was a major site of strife between abolitionists and those who believed in slavery. Many were against Kansas becoming a free state. During the Civil War, the city was the site of several major battles, though it was never occupied by either army. After the war, Kansas grew rapidly, especially when it was selected to be the site of a major railway bridge over the Missouri River. Suburbs were built on the outskirts of the city as it continued to expand, and by 1900 it had almost 200,000 residents and was the 22nd largest city in the country. In the early decades of the century, streetcars were built and Kansas City continued to prosper. After WWII many of the more wealthy residents of the city moved into the outer suburbs and inner-city Kansas City’s population diminished. By 1970 the city was five times as large as it had been in 1940. Today it is the major cultural and economic hub of the region.
Economy
Kansas City is the most dynamic city economically in its region. Traditionally Kansas City had always been a center of the cattle and beef industry. Additionally, it played a vital role as a rail and transportation hub. However today it has a fairly diversified economy. Some of the largest companies in the city are H&R Block, Interstate Bakeries Corporation, Great Plains Energy, DST Systems, AMC Entertainment and Aquila Incorporated. However, the largest employer in the city is the US government. Over 146 federal agencies have a presence in the city and the IRS has a service center of over 1,400,000 square feet and employs over 4,000 people. The Social Security Administration is also a large employer in the area, as is the National Nuclear Security Administration. Kansas City is also home to one of the largest drug manufacturing plants in the US in the Sanofi-Aventis plant. Ford is also a large employer in the area because of the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant which builds the Ford Escape, the F-150 and the Mariner. The gross metropolitan product of Kansas City is on average close to USD 50 billion every year.
Tourism & Culture
Kansas City, like many Midwestern cities, does not have a thriving tourism industry. However, the city has a culture all its own and a range of activities and sites for visitors to go to. The city is renowned for its parks and long wide boulevards crisscrossing the city. Kansas City has over 200 urban parks, 49 ornamental fountains and five golf courses. Swope Park is the largest in the city and is more than twice the size of New York’s famed Central Park. It has a complete zoo, two lakes and an amphitheater. Kansas City is also known for its casinos, which make USD 150 million in revenue every month. The four largest casinos in the city are Ameristar Kansas City, Argosy Kansas City, Harrah’s North Kansas City and Isle of Capri Kansas City. Irish culture has a large influence on the city as there are more than 250,000 Irish-Americans residents in Kansas City. The community is centred on the popular Irish Museum and Cultural Center, a popular tourist attraction. Kansas City has its own brand of cuisine, mostly based around barbecue and steak. The city is best known for Kansas City strip steaks, with the most famous steakhouse being the Golden Ox in the West Bottoms neighborhood.
Transportation
Kansas City International Airport is located approximately 15 miles from the centre of the city and serves over ten million passengers annually. The airport serves 48 destinations and is ranked in the top five airports in the US for passenger satisfaction. Kansas City itself has a bus rapid transit line, named MAX (Metro Area Express) but currently has no light rail system or subway. A streetcar for the downtown area is currently being planned.
Office space for rent in Kansas City
Currently, the vacancy rate in Kansas City is approximately 20 percent. Downtown Kansas City has a rate of 19.28 percent which drops to 16.4 percent for midtown. The average rental rate is approximately USD 18.16 per square foot. The financial crisis and following recession hit Kansas City fairly hard but it is now starting to show signs of recovery. The total market is approximately 40 million square feet and currently there are few new projects in the pipeline, however, analysts have predicted that this will change in the next year as more capital becomes available and investors gain in confidence.
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