New Apartments For Rent in Waldo

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

As I drive along Main Street in Waldo, I’ve watched the new construction going on at the SW corner of 77th and Main. The builder has been working on this project for over a year…and the units are finally finished. So, I went by last week to snap a few photos and find out the details.

First up, you should know that John Notblit and Rick Didier are the builders. They have built several single family homes in Waldo–and these sell pretty quickly when they come up for resale. On the 77th and Main corner, there was one house on the large lot, and Noblit Didier had their office next door. When the homeowner told John he wanted to sell– a deal was made. It took over a year and a half to plan the buildings and another year to build them.

Why so long you ask? John explained these are the first units built under KCMO’s new 2021 energy conservation code. Noblit Didier hired Midwest Energy Consultants to model each unit to meet the new requirements. Insulation inspections, duct leakage tests and blower door tests had to be performed in order to meet the updated city requirements. These are very energy efficient units!

Three separate buildings were constructed; each are two story units with a bedroom and full bath on the first level (plus a 1 or 2 car garage in back), and a second bedroom with full bath on the upper floor, in addition to the kitchen, living area and outdoor deck. Each apartment comes with appliances, including the washer/dryer, and are all electric. Internet access is paid for and management takes care of yard maintenance and snow removal. Noblit Didier has designed and remodeled homes for since 1999, and John included the special features tenants would appreciate: walk-in closets, a pantry with electrical outlet, quartz counters, custom cabinets, stylish light fixtures and sturdy manufactured decks. Rents for the two car garage units are $2900 per month; the one car units are less.

“Rick Didier and I have been building and remodeling in Waldo for 25 years and we are proud to be part of the area and community and we look forward to continuing redevelopment opportunities as they arise”, says John. If you are interested in seeing one of these townhomes for yourself, contact Ellis Real Estate Services. They are move in ready now!

Waldo Fall Fest–Happening Tomorrow!

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

Attention neighbors and friends!! The annual Waldo Fall Fest is tomorrow, Saturday October 11 from 10am-6pm.

This is a free, family friendly event, happening at the parking lot on the northeast corner of Gregory and Wornall. Several vendors are participating: locally made jewelry and crafts, clothing, services and businesses. Of course, there will be food trucks, kids’ activities and music.

Help support our unique Waldo community and join in the Fall Fest fun tomorrow–see you there!

Community Discussion over Bryant School Reuse Continues

Posted on October 8, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

On September 25, KCPS hosted another meeting to discuss options for repurposing the former Bryant Elementary School at 319 Westover in Brookside. I was reading over my blog post about the meeting KCPS hosted about this same topic in May 2024…and last week’s meeting was very similar to the 2024 meeting. The school district wants community input on reproposing the site and ultimately, it’s up to the school board as to what will happen.

It seemed clear to me that KCPS would prefer to use this site for teacher housing; and based on current deed restrictions, the land can be only be used for a school or single family homes (see chart above). Through “condemnation authority”, teacher housing could be an option. KCPS has no plans to reopen the building as a school; nor are they considering other “school purposes” allowable such as a school library, warehouse, museum. As at the previous meeting, Shannon Jaxx (former KCPS employee, now a consultant) said about 25-45 apartments could fit on the site; rental rates would be well below market value for the teachers. It also seemed those in attendance, at least 100 persons or so, would prefer to use the land for new single family homes. Concerns expressed about the teacher housing included: the impact on nearby homes regarding traffic and home values; adding too much density to the area, and KCPS’ ability to manage and maintain the apartment building.

After several questions and comments from the audience, each person was able to indicate, based on two different colored dots, their preferences for how the site could be used and possible concerns. Because of the current (to me, confusing) land restrictions, it wasn’t clear if KCPS would consider asking for a rezoning of the site to use for another purpose (for example, a park or senior center/senior housing). Also there was no discussion how something like the teacher housing idea would be paid for. I suppose they leave that up to the potential developers!

The next steps are for KCPS to solicit proposals for the site over the next several months and then present options to the community next summer. After a proposal is chosen, negotiations would begin and additional community meetings would be held. The final decision on what happens to the site is up to the KCPS school board; 5 of the 7 members must agree for the project to move forward.

If you would like to give your comments on the project options, take this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bryantreuse

There are also more details at the KCPS website.

Thirsty?? Try Local Liquid–Beverages Delivered to You!

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

Forward thinking entrepreneurs who start businesses are the people who power our economy. You may have thought about starting a business, being your own boss…then, due to logistics and money and assorted other reasons, decide against it. Fortunately Brookside and Waldo have several risk takers, bringing new and different businesses to our area: think Cafe Corazon, Betty Rae’s, Goofball Sk8boards…and now, Local Liquid.

“Nobody is doing this anywhere in the country,” says owner and founder John Couture. You may remember that name from his former Brookside business, Bier Station (now City Barrel Pizza and Patio), which focused on offering local craft beers — at the bar and to go–while also promoting community engagement through various special events and fundraisers. After ten years, John decided it was time for a change and sold the business to City Barrel. The new venture, Local Liquid, is “almost like Bier Station for your home–we are introducing people to different locally sourced beverages”. Local Liquid brings regionally made beer, wine, spirits, coffee and more to you, delivered by a friendly driver who doesn’t accept tips. (The company believes in paying a living wage). Look at their website and scroll through over 50 local makers offering alcoholic and NA beverages, sparkling water, cocktail garnishes and syrups, kombucha, THC infused drinks and gift boxes of goodies. The most popular option right now is the subscription coffee delivery–every week (or two weeks, monthly, it’s up to you) Local Liquid brings freshly roasted coffee delivered to your front door! “We are doing a lot of community building here” John explains, “elevating the local beverage community and promoting fresh new tastes to discover”. It’s a different business model, boosting local makers, and customers love the convenience and choices.

Local Liquid is a simple service to use: sign up for the items you want on the website, and the purchase will be dropped at your door–the van makes deliveries Wednesday through Friday each week. You’ll get a text with a drop off time frame and again at delivery. (Note: alcohol requires an at door personal exchange). There are no subscription fees–you can schedule regular delivery or a one time purchase. Gift cards are available too–the perfect present for someone who is a challenge to buy for!

Want to learn more? Stop by the Pre Game Pour event (in conjunction with the Caffeine Crawl) at the Local Liquid headquarters, 6500 Troost, on Sunday Oct 12 from 1-4pm. There will be samples of various beverages, mini games and prizes, plus the German Shopping Cart Archery challenge! You can purchase tickets here. (Chiefs play that evening FYI!).

Local Liquid–another unique, innovative business for Kansas City, homegrown via Brookside. Check it out and thank you for supporting our local entrepreneurs!

**Some of the items offered via Local Liquid**

KC Public Schools Soliciting Community Input for Another Vacant School Site

Posted on September 23, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

A week or so ago, I attended the Waldo Tower Neighborhood Assn meeting, which included a presentation from Jesse Lang and Shannon Jaxx from the Kansas City Public School district regarding the former Bingham school location, now a vacant lot. Does this sound familiar? In May 2024, I attended a similar meeting regarding the empty Bryant school building in Brookside (319 Westover). This meeting was very similar to the Bryant meeting; KCPS is soliciting public feedback for the reuse of these two sites. Here’s a brief summary below:

You may remember at one point Walmart wanted to build a neighborhood market at this site; homeowners nearby rejected that idea. One of the main issues here regarding redevelopment is the lot, bounded by Wornall, Wyandotte and 77th St has no direct access off Wornall. Vehicle access from Wyandotte can be tricky as it’s narrow residential street, in terms of parking, additional traffic, construction vehicles and supplies going in and out of the area. Still, the land could be used productively, and KCPS would like to repurpose it for teacher housing (as originally suggested for the Bryant location). Other ideas mentioned include housing for seniors, tiny homes, a mixed use of residential and commercial; community amenities such as a public pool, dog park, athletic fields or community gathering space, a hotel or homeless shelter. There has also been a discussion of relocating the Waldo Library to this site. Jaxx and Lang indicated there are developers interested that would submit proposals and specific costs once the options are narrowed down. How any project would be paid for was not mentioned that I recall.

KCPS wants community feedback; I think there may eventually be a survey posted on the website for input. Formal next steps are:

November 2025: Marketing Bingham and other sites

February 2026: Proposals Due

Spring 2026: Reuse Proposal Presentations

Fall 2026: Select a Proposal / Contract Negotiations

Prior to Sale: Finalize the Community Benefit Agreement

A couple of other notes to share: The former Southwest high school will eventually reopen as a middle school. As for the Bryant repurposing project, an update will be provided at a community meeting Monday Sept 29, 6pm, at the Country Club Methodist Church, 400 W 57th St.

(Disclaimer!! I am not a trained reporter and information here is based on my personal notes! There may be a few errors.)

Brookside Sip & Shop Happens Tonight!

Posted on September 18, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

Just a quick reminder….

Brookside is hosting another Sip & Shop tonight, Sept. 18, from 5-8pm…looks like the rain will be finished up way before then! Stroll along 63rd St and browse through the shops, sipping drink samples and checking out the in store specials. Be sure and stop at one of the food spots for a bite or leisurely dinner while you are out! Thank you for supporting our locally owned Brookside businesses!

New Mexican Restaurant Opens in Brookside

Posted on September 17, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

You may have heard a new restaurant has opened in the former Brady and Fox space at 751 E 63rd St…the cuisine is Mexican, it’s locally owned and operated and I stopped by recently to find out more. Welcome to Brookside Muy Caleinte Mexican Grill and Cantina!

Two families have teamed up to open this place..actually it’s two father/daughter owner- operators: Fredy and Alexa Rivera, and Noel and Gepsivos Ramos. The Ramos team also owns El Plato in Lees Summit. Alexa and Gepsivos told me they considered a few locations for Muy Caleinte, but decided on this spot because they “wanted to bring something to the community that’s homey and welcoming. People in this area are very supportive of small businesses”. The name they chose means very spicy and flavorful…and you’ll find some unique items on the menu that back up that claim.

The tamales are homemade, “made with love” as Alexa says, and come stuffed with chicken, pork, or rice and beans. You can also purchase them by the dozen. Tacos are deep fried with meat inside and pinned together with toothpicks. Margaritas, queso and guacamole are made in house and the huge, one pound Caliente burger is served on artisan bread imported from Mexico, with fried jalapenos and a special dressing. On weekends, you can order the quesabirra: shredded beef and cheese dipped in a special broth, cooked inside a crispy tortilla on the flattop grill. Or try the menudo, a type of spicy soup with cow’s tripe and hominy. Breakfast is served all day.

Muy Caliente Mexican Grill and Cantina is currently open Monday through Saturday from 10am-9pm; eventually they will open Sundays and add happy hour specials. Right now they are getting adjusted to the new space and working out the hundreds of details involved with opening a restaurant…still, Alexa and Gepsivos invite you to stop in soon and enjoy a meal on the patio or have a beverage at the bar. Muy Caliente is at 751 E 63rd St; at the corner of 63rd and Rockhill.

Cafe Corazon Offers New Tastes and Flavors in Brookside

Posted on August 13, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

There are many, many places to get coffee and other beverages in the Brookside/Waldo area, so what’s different about the newest spot, Cafe Corazon? This is a cafe where you experience “cultural coffee”–a wide variety of blends and flavors based on the owner’s Latin American roots. Here you can try unique, tasty drink combinations not available in the usual spots. We all love our homegrown coffee cafes in the neighborhood–here’s another one with a twist to try!

Owner Dulcinea Herrer says the company chose Brookside for its third location (after Westport and the Crossroads) because the neighborhood supports locally owned businesses. “The Morningside Shops have the same landlord as our Westport cafe, and when we found out about this spot we knew we would get a lot of neighborhood business. And we wanted to bring something different to Brookside”. One of those distinct drinks is the Yerba Mate–Dulcinea watched her grandfather drink it as she was growing up in Argentina. The flavor comes from a loose leaf plant, often used for digestion. It is served in a special cup with a specific way to drink it – using a spoon, and is served hot or cold. Other frequently ordered items include a latte flight, the expresso martini, and the high tea service. Dulcinea notes that 100% of their coffee beans are ethically sourced, and are roasted on site at the Crossroads location. Breakfast burritos are served all day, and the tamales and empanadas come from Pinole Blue, a Kansas based company. You’ll also find breakfast sweets and cookies at the shop, plus a chocolate box based on a collaboration with Christopher Elbow chocolates and coffee; there are specialty cocktails and wine available too. Cafe Corazon offers full service catering and an expresso cart that will travel to your location!

If you want to try something a little different than your normal coffee or cocktail routine, stop by Cafe Corazon at 5911 Main in the Morningside Shops. They are open seven days a week. “We want people to come by and experience something outside of normal…while you are here try something fun and new!” says Dulcinea.

It’s An Eyesore Now — But Upscale Apartments Coming Soon!

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

You can’t miss the big gray box at the northeast corner of Broadway and 74th St–where The Well was located. Are windowless apartments going in there?!? Nope, that’s just the 5 story parking garage that confronts your eyes when driving by. The apartments, formerly known as 74 Broadway, will be wrapped around this garage. Interesting concept!

It’s been a very slow process getting the project moving along; if I remember correctly, the former building and car wash next to it were demolished in early 2024. Developer EPC Real Estate now says the complex will open in phases, with the first units available later next year. There will be 284 units: studios, one and two bedroom apartments, and 20% classified as “affordable”. Originally referred to as the 74 Broadway apartments; the official name now is Oberon. Upscale amenities will include a pool, pet spa, human steam room and sauna, whiskey and wine bar plus a fitness room. The Well plans to reopen on the ground level, with more space for additional retail and services. Estimated cost: around $90 million.

At the developer’s website, you can see a rendering of the exterior of the project. This is the same developer that recently opened Leawood Village on State Line Road across from Ward Parkway Shopping Center and several apartment buildings near downtown Overland Park. No pricing has been determined at this point. The area around 75th and Wornall, the heart of Waldo, is undergoing a totally new look with more parking, streetscaping, road paving and now, a high rise apartment building added to the view.

KCMO Considering a “Road Diet” for Wornall Road

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Mary Hutchison

Last night I stopped by the public meeting regarding proposed safety improvements along Wornall Road. The City is considering reconfiguring the lanes along Wornall Road from 63rd St to Gregory.

The “road diet” would shrink the lanes along this stretch of Wornall from four lanes to three–one lane going north, another south, and a center lane for turning. I believe bike lanes would be included. The graphics were not very specific in my opinion! The meeting room was packed with people, and the main speaker, Uday Manpalli of the KCMO Engineering Division, was not speaking with a microphone so it was difficult to hear the presentation and questions. However, I did get the impression many people were opposed to the road diet, saying it would reroute traffic to the residential streets, especially Brookside Road, and create delays when vehicles were following buses. The goal is to reduce vehicle crashes and improve traffic and pedestrian safety.

Mr Manpalli explained there are three options to consider:

*keep this stretch of Wornall Road as is.

*reduce the lanes as proposed.

*do either of those options AND improve pedestrian safety by installing more pedestrian crosswalks with flashing lights along the route.

You can find out more about the road diet proposal and give your feedback, it is a very short survey, at this link. Whatever is decided, this project is years away from completion!

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

What's Happening In Brookside and Waldo (Kansas City, Missouri)

Category Archives: Waldo Community News