Houston-based fund leads effort to restore KC’s iconic Garment House with $3.2M already invested
January 14, 2025 | Startland News Staff
A strategic investment in Kansas City history is expected to bring new purpose to a downtown building known locally as The Garment House — creating what developers envision as an eclectic, but contemporary experience.
Revitalization Unlimited — a fund dedicated to preserving historically significant U.S. real estate and legacy industrial businesses in local communities — recently announced its latest investment effort in Kansas City: a multimillion-dollar deal with 10 Broadway, LLC, the property owner of The Garment House, which shuttered during the pandemic.
A historic Garment House as seen in a photo dated 1950 within the Robert Askren Photograph Collection at the Kansas City Public Library
The Houston-based fund already has committed $3.2 million to the restoration with an additional $3 to $4 million allocated for renovations. The iconic building at 1000 Broadway was once a thriving hub of clothing-related businesses and key piece of Kansas City’s famed Garment District, which made KC the epicenter of fashion in the early to mid-20th Century.
(The Garment House’s most recent incarnation was billed as a “multi-level entertainment district with a speakeasy, made-from-scratch restaurant, arcade, and live music venue all under one roof.” It closed in 2020.)
Plans for the building include modern upgrades and the creation of a diverse tenant mix featuring restaurants, bars, catering services and entertainment venues. Targeted rents are projected at $20 per square foot (full service), with $1 million in tenant improvement allowances available for qualifying tenants.
Revitalization Unlimited — in collaboration with 10 Broadway, LLC and Haith & Company, Inc., a commercial real estate brokerage in Overland Park — remains committed to investing in properties with strong growth potential and high returns on investment, said Dustin Webber, COO of the fund.
“This partnership demonstrates our ability to bring the capital, expertise and determination required to make timely and transformative investments,” he added.
Kansas City’s commercial real estate market presents strong growth opportunities, Webber said, noting the partners on the project are positioning The Garment House to capitalize on that upward trajectory — while adhering to Revitalization Unlimited’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding America’s historic assets and creating lasting value for investors and local neighborhoods alike.
“This project will help preserve Kansas City’s heritage while providing a vibrant, modern experience for the community,” added Josh Haith, managing principal of Haith & Company.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
On the agenda: What are GEW’s 10 most popular events so far? Practical workshops
With more than 170 events planned, organizers of Global Entrepreneurship Week already are seeing registration trends from those building their weeklong agendas at GEWKC.org Topping the most popular are GEW’s kickoff breakfast — set to explore the future in terms of emerging Latino markets, transportation and the Hyperloop, and sports technology — and Marquita Miller’s…
BlackTech Week curating GEW conversation between founders with ‘true experiences’
Bringing BlackTech Week to Kansas City for a day — and debuting the event series during Global Entrepreneurship Week — seemed like a natural fit, said Denayja Reese. The Miami-based festival draws together black entrepreneur leaders who already are championing the startup hustle of their communities, she said. Powered by Code Fever, which was founded…
Saudi Arabian investment pushing KC’s WISE Power into Nigeria, Japan, Middle East markets
The multimillion-dollar investment from a Saudi Arabian accelerator and capital firm is pushing WISE Power from the West Bottoms to global growth, said Kevin Williams. “The injection will allow us to expand quickly to get this technology out to the world, which was what our original intent was with WISE Power,” said Williams, founder of…
Fund Me, KC: ‘Rise Up, Get Started’ competitions give spotlight to formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs
Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like startup community leader founder Kyle J. Smith’s Rise Up, Get Started campaign— to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Who are you? I am Kyle J Smith, founder of…