Cowork Lee’s Summit to revamp old post office for entrepreneurs
February 17, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Lee’s Summit is set to receive a large, new coworking space to serve as the city’s entrepreneurial hub.
The founder of Community Buying Group, Ben Rao said he will soon close on purchasing the old Lee’s Summit Post Office to convert it into a 13,000 square-foot coworking space named Cowork Lee’s Summit. Without any nearby coworking options, Rao said he’s thrilled to create a destination for Lee’s Summit entrepreneurs to convene.
“I’m really excited about building out this space,” Rao said. “It’s going to be great for eastern Jackson County.”
Rao said the building — built in 1962 — has a tremendous opportunity. Eventually, the space will feature 30 private offices, about 5,000 square feet common space a coffee shop and a 2,000 square-foot event space. Eventually, Rao said Cowork Lee’s Summit will provide educational programming for entrepreneurs to learn and grow their businesses.
While yet to begin on refurbishing the building, Rao has ambitious plans for its design. In addition to a cafe and deli, the building will feature several sustainable design elements, including LED lighting, a green roof and an array of solar panels that should power about 70 percent of the space, Rao said.
“I’ve always had a passion for beautification and rehabbing spaces,” Rao said. “With this project, both worlds collide.”
Rao is currently seeking property tax abatements to help offset costs of the project, which should be nearly $1.7 million, the Lee’s Summit Journal reported.
Rao said he’s optimistic that the space will help elevate Lee’s Summit. He said that as of now, Lee’s Summit entrepreneurs are often forced to either work from their homes or travel to downtown Kansas City. Now, they’ll be able to create a community together.
“I had always wanted to do some sort of shared space or coworking studio to bring up Lee’s Summit,” Rao said. “There’s so much going on in Lee’s Summit. … Here, you’ll be a part of a community that’s walkable and in a downtown business district.”
Rao said he hopes to have the space open for a tour in June and available for rent in the fall.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
90 on the Clock with Cremalab
90 on the Clock with Cremalab By John McGrath, KCPT, and Bobby Burch, Startland News Ed’s Note: Flatland and Startland News have partnered to highlight Kansas City’s innovators and entrepreneurs, all in 90 seconds. This is the third episode in the five-part series. With a team of sharp, trendily-dressed bohemians, Cremalab is where speed meets creative dynamism. The…
3 local startups advance in national pitch bout
Three startups from Kansas are among the semifinalists in a competition to snag $10,000 from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Kauffman Foundation’s One in a Million contest announced Wednesday 15 semifinalists from 12 states. Semifinalists will travel to Kansas City during Global Entrepreneurship Week for a chance to become one of five finalists for…
KC’s ‘growth and excitement’ attracts Phoenix tech firm
Give yourselves a pat on the back, Kansas City techies. The Kansas City tech community has once again enticed an out-of-state firm to expand to the City of Fountains. Phoenix-based cloud computing company Inspire Data Solutions recently opened a downtown Kansas City office in hopes of tapping into the area’s burgeoning tech community. A former Kansas…
KU entrepreneurship program nabs award
The University of Kansas’ entrepreneurial education program recently earned a national award. The University Economic Development Association awarded the Entrepreneurs@KU program its “Award of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.” The commendation recognizes programs that accelerate economic development by supporting startups, high-growth companies and clusters within a region, and converting talent into wealth through innovation and…