Proposal to turn old Tower Lanes bowling alley site into apartments squeaks by Planning Commission

Despite considerable opposition, a proposal to turn the old Tower Lanes bowling alley property into apartments passed the Kansas City, Kansas, Planning Commission 5-4 on Monday night.

A fire had gutted the old bowling alley in October 2007 and the former bowling alley has since been demolished.

Conrad Miller, an attorney who is one of the owners of the property, said at the Planning Commission meeting, on Zoom, that the project would have first-class apartments at market rates.

There would be 30 two-bedroom and 10 one-bedroom units in the Tower View apartment complex, he said. All of the five buildings would be two-story buildings. The project would retain a single-family home on the property that could be used as an office and a home for the manager.

Neighborhood group leaders and residents spoke in opposition to the project, which would add 40 apartment units at 5115 and 5125 Gibbs Road.

The project next will go to the Unified Government Commission for final approval at 7 p.m. Jan. 7.

State Sen. Pat Pettey, who lives about a half-mile from the proposed apartments, said at the Planning Commission meeting that she had been contacted by several people who are neighbors. She said a 40-unit apartment project would really not fit in with the area. Also, she said one of the biggest concerns has been about overpopulation of this area.

The area is adjacent to the Highland Crest housing development, built in 1951. While many of the development’s residents have maintained their properties, there have been a lot of issues over the years with other properties there, along with overpopulation and lack of resources in that area of the community, she said.

Mary Jean Grindel said she would prefer a nice cul de sac with a few homes to an apartment complex at that location. She asked a number of questions about security and crime, and if there would be occupancy limits in each apartment.

Dennis Grindel, with a neighborhood watch group, said he was concerned about the safety of children that may be playing nearby. Cars are speeding down Gibbs Road, and it might not be safe for kids, he believes.

Shari Johnson, who lives near the proposed apartments, said she has often asked for increased radar enforcement in the area because of cars going 50 mph, and not stopping for stop signs. She had fears for the safety of anyone in traffic there.

Alex Craddock, with the South Turner Association and Turner Community Connection, said their biggest concern was the density of the area and the number of people that would be coming out into the streets.

Barb Kill, director of the Turner Community Connection, said her main concerns were with the added amount of traffic, and probably more crime. They would prefer the area to remain a single-family area, she said.

Chandra Ward, an area resident who also is a Realtor, said her concerns were with traffic and safety. Also, she said this project will have an impact on property values on the homes to the south of the complex.

Miller said the tenants would be screened and would have jobs that were able to sustain the rents. The standard occupancy would be two people per bedroom, Miller said. He said there would be background checks on tenants.

As far as noise and traffic are concerned, Miller said the old Tower Lanes bowling alley had more noise and traffic, particularly on the weekends. He said this would probably be less impact than a bowling alley.

Planning Commission Chairman Jeff Carson said with an apartment complex, there probably would be coming and going 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Miller said there would be security cameras on site. He also said a facility manager would be living at the site. The complex also would have a security or privacy fence, he added.

Miller said they would keep in communication with the neighborhood watch groups and the community.

He also said, in answer to a question from Commissioner Karen Jones, that if the multi-family housing development was not approved, he would have to find another use for it, such as a commercial use. He said over the past decade they have had offers for development of other things that they didn’t think would fit into the neighborhood.

Sen. Pettey, who is also a past member of the Unified Government Commission, said she believes there is a good market for $250,000 single-family homes in that area, and a subdivision nearby is continuing to build these homes. She also said there was no public transit at the proposed apartment location.

The vote was tied 4-4 when Planning Commission Chairman Carson cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the project.

Carson said his vote to support the project was based on his real estate background and his knowledge that most people in apartments typically buy a home within several blocks of where they rented a property. He hoped that the apartment project would mean the new residents would become new homeowners in the future in the Turner neighborhood.

The master plan amendment, the change of zone and the preliminary plat for the apartment project all were approved on a 5-4 vote. They next go to the UG Commission for final approval.

Legislative committee prepares for next session

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by Murrel Bland

The Kansas Legislature will open its 2021 session on Tuesday, Jan. 13. The Legislative Committee of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce is focusing on major issues that are important to its members. The committee is preparing its Legislative Agenda which includes issues similar to past years.

The Legislative Committee, which met last Friday morning, Dec. 11, via Zoom, was briefed on what they might expect this session. One of the issues concerns property taxes. The chamber has favored a law similar to the one that affects agriculture — property taxes are assessed on the basis of a 10-year floating average.

The committee heard from Patrick Vogelsberg, a lobbyist for Kansas Gas Service. He said there is an effort in other states to exclude the use of natural gas as a source of energy. Vogelsberg said such a move could happen here and could substantially increase the cost of energy.

There will be a change in leadership in the Kansas Senate as its president, Susan Wagle, did not seek re-election. The new Senate president will be Ty Masterson of Andover near Wichita. He is a conservative Republican. Ron Ryckman of Olathe will be the speaker of the House. He is also a conservative.

The committee learned that the Legislature generally will be more conservative. That probably means a bill that would expand Medicaid to some 120,000 Kansans has little chance of passing during the next session. The Chamber’s committee has favored expansion of Medicaid.

The committee learned that Gov. Laura Kelly has appointed Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers, a former state senator, as the new state treasurer. The former State Treasurer, Jake LaTurner, has been elected U.S. Representative from the Second District of Kansas.

Speculation is that the new lieutenant govrnor may be David Toland, who is Kansas Secretary of Commerce. If so, Toland would continue to serve as commerce secretary.

State Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-33rd Dist., will speak to the Congressional Forum from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, via Zoom. The forum is a committee of the chamber. Rep. Burroughs is chairman of the Wyandotte County legislative delegation and also a Unified Government commissioner at-large.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is executive director of Business West.

60-year run comes to close at Frontier Steakhouse

The Frontier Steakhouse at 9338 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, has closed, and a liquidation sale is planned Saturday and Sunday.

Dennis Laffoon said these past few weeks have really been difficult as he and his family are permanently closing the Frontier Steakhouse, 9338 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

“It’s totally heartbreaking for me to have to sell the restaurant, and quit the business,” he said. “It’s really been hard on me and my brother going through all this. We have to thank all our customers, all our help for everything done through the years. Everything comes to an end at some point. It’s been hard, really hard.”

The customers were like family to them, he said.

This weekend, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, they will hold a sale of memorabilia, art, statues, plaques and items on the walls at the Frontier Steakhouse, plus some remaining kitchen equipment, he said. Anyone attending will have to wear masks, socially distance, and the number of persons inside will be limited, he added.

That liquidation sale also is being held online at https://www.estatesales.net/KS/Kansas-City/66112/2746773?fbclid=IwAR2VmPnjcHcn81uci2nWMqfBadPn0kVgoUb_dHvk1srineX1loMTAWy1Lw0, and people may contact him about the items without having to attend in person.

The Frontier restaurant was started by his father and mother, and the proceeds of the sale will be going to support his mother in a nursing home, he said. She will turn 100 later this month, is in a wheelchair and is in pretty good health.

Laffoon said the property is being sold and he can’t release the buyer’s name at this time. However, the building will likely be demolished and probably turned into a gas station, a fast-food place or something else on the corner of 94th and State. The Frontier Steakhouse site is located next to the Homefield project currently under development.

In a video posted on his Facebook site, Laffoon stated there were many reasons for the closing, including the need to pay for his mother’s expenses at the nursing home; the COVID-19 pandemic, where restaurants were closed to dining for some time; higher property taxes every year; and the expenses of an older building.

Although Dennis and his brother Ron are retirement age, he said they’re not wealthy enough to retire and will have to keep working.

Ron is working for his son, and Dennis will continue playing music. Dennis has some shows lined up starting in April. He’s hoping that COVID-19 will be under control by then. Probably, they will be outdoor shows, he added.

“Kansas City, Kansas, will never be the same without them,” Lou Braswell, a customer, said earlier this week when she heard about the closing.


“It’s a great loss because they’ve been there forever, and started out with a little building, and grew it into a very well-known restaurant, a much-loved restaurant,” Braswell said.

Dennis’ latest video, about the liquidation, is at https://www.facebook.com/dennis.laffoon/videos/10220611662859154.