3435 Main – Kansas City – Construction Blog

For the past 9 years,  Mac Properties has been known for taking historic Kansas City buildings and restoring and refurbishing them to a whole new life.  We take a lot of pride in making something old new again and we are venturing into new and exciting territory not yet seen in Kansas City. Located at 3435 Main Street, just behind the newly opened Interstate Flats building, we, along with Centric Projects and El Dorado Inc, will be constructing our very first property from the ground up; albeit with a twist. While many buildings are constructed in their respective lot, for 3435 Main, we are building the foundation and certain structural elements, but having the actual units themselves manufactured in York, Nebraska! Informally called “modules”, these units are being built in York and then being transported by semi-trucks to Midtown. Doing so allows for a quicker and more efficient project, one that can be completed in a much more timely manner. The result will be an 80-unit apartment building featuring studios, 1 and 2-bedroom apartments as well as retail space. To skip the construction progress and check out our prices and floorplans, visit: 3435 Main Floor Plans

The Foundation

Beginning in May, construction at 3435 was challenged by unforeseen circumstances not uncommon in the construction world. First was the notorious Midwest weather. This often crept close to the triple digits, all the while switching between threats of unbearable heat and dangerous thunderstorms that would shut down construction for a good part of the day. Aside from this, construction crews had to dig out all of the old foundations, including some unexpected concrete structures deep in the ground. While this may sound typical for any construction site (and it is), 3435 is located just feet away from Main Street, one of the busiest streets in the greater Kansas City area. Working at 3435 often meant bringing trucks in and out during heavy traffic and even closing down a lane (or two) to make sure things were taken care of properly.

Autumn arrived and progress was beginning to become visible. Around September, Kansas City Power & Light (the utility company, not the bar conglomerate) decommissioned the power lines that ran overhead from 12 East to 34th Terrace so that construction could remove them. This was needed as 3435 is to be five stories high, and would have run right through the lines.

It was around this time that the final concrete structures of the building were ready to be completed. In October, the concrete framing was ready to be poured. Due to the amount of concrete necessary, the contractors thought it would be best to pour in the early morning hours.  This planning kept Kansas City motorists flowing down Main Street without slowing for the massive amount of construction vehicles. So, one night from 1 AM until 10 AM, over 60 concrete mixers came in to pour the required concrete to build the structure.

The Modules

While all of this was going on in Midtown Kansas City, about 250 miles Northwest in York, Nebraska, construction of the units themselves began. Much like the production of an automobile, these “modules” were built in a systematic fashion which led to a more efficient and streamlined process. Thanks to this, an apartment unit can be completed in approximately 9-10 days from start to finish, with 2-3 units being completed a day. The modules are also independently built, which means each one has its own structural integrity and sound proofing. To give you an example, one module has interior walls, then heavy insulation, then exterior framing, and then 2 ft of dead space – all before it connects to the next module that has the same exterior framing and insulation. 

Once the modules are completed, they are transported to Kansas City by semi-truck. From there, much like legos, they are then locked into their respective spot (see the short clip at top of the page for a more visual demonstration). The benefits of the modular approach are plentiful! Thanks to the streamlined execution and controlled construction environment borrowed from the automotive industry, a higher quality unit is produced. With that, the assembly-line construction of walls and floors help to create superior acoustics within the units than would normally be found in a conventionally framed construction project. It also means that the project itself is more sustainable, as there is significantly less waste produced than in a “normal” construction project.

As the modules start to take form, we begin to see what looks like the kitchen cabinets, flooring, windows, and doors. By the time the units are ready for assembly, they will almost be move-in ready with appliances, toilets, showers, washer & dryers, and countertops.

The Assembly

[fvplayer src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSiGJtgznrw”]

It was so exciting to see the first modules being placed and everything went smoothly. They got to a point during the assembly where they were erecting 4 apartments/day. The groundwork, foundation, and platform took about 3 months to build, which is standard for winter weather in the construction industry. After the platform was built, the 80 apartment modules took about 4 weeks total! After all the modules were in place, Centric Projects was tasked with the exterior waterproofing and casing, stairwells, elevator construction, retail space build-out,  hallway finishings, and connection points of the modules. We asked Centric what the most challenging part of the process is and got this response: “This is the first time this has been done in Kansas City, so everything is new. Once all the modules were in place, the building was 80% complete, so everything became a priority at once.”

03/07/2017 Update

We have started to encapsulate the building in the decorative facade, and as we are nearing completion, we will have more information for you. Please visit our Floor Plans and Pricing page to see all the available prices. We are finalizing the first move-in date and first dates we are allowed to show the building in person. Please reach out to us on the Floor Plans and Pricing page to be the first to see it. We will have a grand opening date coming soon as well.

Studios: 411-439 sqft

One Bedroom: 618 – 697 sqft

Two Bedroom: 850-900 sqft

There will be a lobby lounge, bike storage, and 50 parking spaces in the building. The WiFi lounge, communal grill, and fitness center will be a shared amenity with Interstate Flats (Interested Flats is the neighboring property and the virtual tour of the shared amenity space is below).