Wonder developers eye emerging businesses and creatives for Troost

Business is brewing at the former Wonder Bread bakery.

With a flurry of activity at 30th and Troost, the historic site is undergoing a transformation: from yet another vacant space on the corridor to an anchor for residential and commercial life on Troost.

“They’ve gutted the inside and they’ve done a ton of work,” said Chris Goode, owner of Ruby Jean’s Kitchen and Juicery, in early September. “They’re waiting to do the outside wow-factor, but the inside is completely different.”

Looking catty-corner across the intersection from Ruby Jean’s to Wonder, Goode described the space with excitement — 86 loft apartments with commercial space and even a brewpub. His own new Ruby Jean’s location is part of the Wonder developers’ effort to bring new life to Troost by partnering with local small business owners to help them grow with the neighborhood, said Caleb Buland, the Kansas City half of the development duo behind the Wonder project.

“That’s what we did with Ruby Jean’s. You know, we didn’t got out and put a Chipotle there, even though it would’ve been a great fit. We’re really happy that we got Chris there instead,” Buland said of the deal brokered by Goode’s tenant rep, Sheryl Vickers of Select Sites. “And we’re going to try to do that again.”

About 10,000 square feet of commercial space in the development would be a prime location for co-working, non-profits and those who provide needed services (possibly a spa, dry cleaner or other boutique operation) for members of the community, Buland said. It’s about finding the best fit — “emerging businesses and creative folks” — for building a new, self-supporting neighborhood, he said.

“The commercial tenants are what’s going to make Troost strong. We’re going to do a good job of finding local residents who want to live in the building, but we want to find the commercial tenants who have that creative flair to make people want to drive over to Troost to spend some money as well,” Buland said.

A brewpub tenant is expected to be announced in early 2018, said Ilan Salzberg, Buland’s Denver-based partner in the development.

The lofts themselves offer one- and two-bedroom offerings with trappings residents would expect from a historic building that dates back to 1915 when it opened as the Campbell-Continental Baking Company, Buland said.

See historical photos of the building below.

“Everything has that huge, industrial look with tall ceilings and big windows,” he said. “They’re going to be very livable. The spaces are designed so you can entertain in the building and you would want to be a longterm resident.”

Wonder’s brewpub, Exact Architects

A rooftop deck atop the Wonder building includes an event space to accommodate as many as 200 people and overlooks Crown Center, Salzberg noted.

The developers see Wonder as a cornerstone project that will help lead the seemingly abandoned, vacant corridor to new life, Buland said.

“This is smack-dab in the middle. We’re going to put about $16 million bucks here, and make this a catalyst project,” he said. “To do that, we’re going to make it a mixed-use project where we create activity on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Check out the rest of Startland’s six-part series on new development on Troost Avenue, a historic racial and economic barrier in Kansas City.

Part I: Transforming Troost
Part II: Troost Coalition
Part IV: Back to Troost
Part V: Food startup Village
Part VI: Troost Collective