The Kansas City Kansas Community Education, Health and Wellness Center Association, which includes Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC), Swope Health, and CommunityAmerica Credit Union, has chosen McCownGordon as the Construction Manager at Risk for the new 100,000 square-foot, KCK Community Education, Health and Wellness Center to be located in downtown Kansas City, Kan.
KCKCC, Swope Health, and CommunityAmerica Credit Union have partnered to build a comprehensive center that meets the holistic needs of those living in downtown Kansas City, Kan. providing access to educational programs, health services, financial literacy, and more.
“This center is a national model for nonprofit collaboration across the country,” said KCKCC President Dr. Greg Mosier. “It will offer programs and services desperately needed to create a self-sustaining economic solution for the downtown KCK community that will help end many social and economic inequities that have prevailed for decades. The college looks forward to returning downtown, just two blocks from where the college began a century ago.”
Other key partners include KCK Public Schools and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County. The Unified Government is providing land owned by the government and the Unified Government Land Bank for the project.
KCK Public Schools has partnered with KCKCC for programs that will be offered to high school students as well as traditional-age and adult college students at the new site.
Groundbreaking for the new center is planned for September with completion anticipated June 2025.
McCownGordon was selected as the construction manager at risk/general contractor for the project after a competitive process.
According to Dr. Mosier, the company was chosen based on its vast construction experience in the Kansas City region, including in building educational, health care and banking facilities. The company also demonstrated proven success as a construction manager at risk, which ensures the project is completed on time and on budget.
“The downtown Community Education, Health and Wellness Center will provide immeasurable benefit to the Kansas City, Kan. community for generations to come, and McCownGordon Construction is thrilled to be a partner on this transformational project,” said Pat Contreras, vice president for business development at McCownGordon.
As envisioned, the “partner building” building will have four floors. The first floor will be home to Comunity America Credit Union for a community access center as well as a KCKCC welcome center, art gallery space, community meeting rooms, and a shared public lobby.
CommunityAmerica Credit Union will create a community access center, which will offer financial literacy support as well as access to financial services including financial coaching, job assistance, and financial education courses. This will be the first community access center in Kansas with CommunityAmerica Credit Union.
“This project was a great fit for CommunityAmerica and our mission to deliver financial peace of mind to all of Kansas City,” said Lisa Ginter, CEO of CommunityAmerica. “Our collaboration with KCKCC and Swope Health will improve access to higher education, workforce development – and with our full commitment, access to a full suite of financial resources for local students and businesses alike.”
The remaining space on the first, second, and third floors will be dedicated educational classrooms and labs, offices, and public meeting spaces for KCKCC. KCKCC plans to offer admissions/financial aid support spaces, general education and science courses, biomanufacturing, art, commercial construction technology, Automated Engineering Technology, and administrative office professional programs at the site. Additional offerings include English as a second language (ESL) and general educational development (GED) classes.
The fourth floor will be dedicated to Swope Health as a health and wellness space, with medical and dental clinics.
“Swope Health is honored to work in such strong collaboration with KCKCC, CommunityAmerica Credit Union, PGAV Architects, and McCownGordon Construction,” said Jeron Ravin, J.D., president and CEO of Swope Health.
“As we reflect on this partnership and our role in it, providing a new medical and dental clinic in downtown KCK and offering education and internships that will connect students to meaningful careers in community health, we believe the Kansas City, Kansas Community Education, Health and Wellness Center will fill service gaps in our community and become a national model for achieving collective impact,” Ravin said.
In March 2023 PGAV was selected as the project architect after a competitive selection process. PGAV has partnered with KCKCC and Swope Health on previous projects and was selected due to its extensive experience working with colleges and universities, health agencies, and banking institutions.
“PGAV has enjoyed working with the college, Swope Health, and CommunityAmerica on this uplifting project. The combining of education, physical and mental health, as well as financial support into one location, is a great way to build community,” said Steve Troester, principal at PGAV Architects. “This project will have the ability to meet individuals where they are at in their life’s journey and provide solutions in three critical ways to improve their lives.”
He continued: “At its core, a building becomes a tool for those that use it. Buildings are often a tool that allows people to work, learn, play, heal, gather, and transact. This groundbreaking project will serve many of these essential roles to improve the lives of others. PGAV is thrilled to be part of it.”
Design is underway and demolition will begin in early fall. Construction will commence this winter with the target of June 2025 for completion of the KCK Community Education, Health, and Wellness Center.
