Interest in live/work housing units increasing in Midtown

Professionals such as attorneys, insurance agents and accountants are increasingly interested in “live/work” building options, where they can work on the first floor and live on the second. This week Greg Patterson & Associates is showing a live/work property in the West Plaza neighborhood, which features this office/retail space on the first floor and a second floor loft.

For professionals and entrepreneurs across the country, the opportunity to live and work in the same building is gaining in popularity. In Midtown, the interest is beginning to build, especially as people transfer into Kansas City from other parts of the country where live/work is more prevalent.

This Thursday, Oct. 11, Greg Patterson & Associates, a firm that provides commercial real estate services in Midtown, is hosting an open house at one of its several available live/work properties. The building at 1414 W. 47^th Street will be open for realtors and others to tour from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“There is a lot of interest in live/work opportunities, especially from out-of-towners,” Susan Scott of Greg Patterson & Associates explained. “We often get calls, and sometimes it’s hard to find just the right place.”

Scott’s colleague George Bukaty said demand is increasing especially among small business owners who would like to find a live/work opportunity. “There are a lot of people who would like to do it, but the key is finding the right property. Typically the old shirtwaist houses in Midtown are not very well suited for live/work.”

Of course, the live/work idea is not new at all. A decade ago in Midtown, families often lived above their grocery store or other business. Many people in Midtown have maintained offices within their homes for decades. But creating a retail or business space on the first floor can be tricky today,  since a live/work property has to comply with both commercial and residential codes. Bukaty said it is often easier to build a new property to meet live/work standards than trying to retrofit an existing home or commercial building. But as gas prices rise and people become more concerned with energy efficiency and avoiding commutes, realtors expect interest in live/work properties to grow.