When a developer snaps up a cluster of houses in Kansas City’s urban core, especially from a major institution like the University of Missouri–Kansas City, flashy renderings of glassy mixed-use projects seem to follow.
That’s not the plan in Rockhill Crest.
Local firm CORE Urban Renew is purchasing 10 homes from UMKC along 53rd to 55th streets, between Troost and Holmes, just south of the Volker campus. Instead of demolition, CORE intends to restore the century-old houses, many of them Craftsman style, and return them to the market.
The sale follows a process that began in 2023, when UMKC’s Neighborhood Advisory Council explored options for several properties the university had acquired over time through alumni and supporter donations. Community feedback favored owner-occupied homes over rentals, and neighbors helped shape language in the university’s request for proposals.
The homes sit near Troost’s growing commercial strip, including the popular Tiki Taco and Gaels Public House & Sports, across from Rockhurst University’s entrance.
“We’ve seen the worst of the worst in many cases,” says Karen Reilly, a partner at the Kansas City-based firm, which has redeveloped 48 houses since its founding in 2021. “And we haven’t torn anything down.”
CORE, co-owned by Reilly and Steve Cook, more often than not takes the structures they work on down to the studs. Renovations include more than a new paint job and landscaping; often, there are new plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems before they put them back on the market.
CORE’s experience with aging housing stock and its relationships with contractors who specialize in foundations and sewer lines make that level of rehab possible, Reilly says. RK Contractors and Nueva LLC are both assisting with the UMKC homes. “We work with people and try to create really affordable housing in some cases, and affordability comes in all shapes and sizes,” Reilly says. “Sometimes the efficient thing to do is to take the house down to the studs and really replace the systems.”
Construction will move quickly. The first phase runs from March through August, with a second phase scheduled from September to May 2027. CORE does not plan structural additions, aiming to preserve the homes’ character and fit within the surrounding neighborhood.
Reilly expects a broad mix of buyers: singles, couples, small families and downsizers looking to remain in a central city neighborhood.
The CORE deal stands in sharp contrast to another institutional landowner’s actions just north in Midtown. There, Kansas City Life Insurance demolished several historic homes near 35th Street, saying they were no longer habitable—a move that drew criticism from some residents. Disputes over remaining properties in that area continue.
