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A New Look at Old Town

In 2015, we received a grant to work on an action plan that highlights redevelopment opportunities in Old Town while building on the area's history and character. The project was funded with $41,000 from the Mid-America Regional Council's Planning Sustainable Places program, as well as a city match of $20,500.

Project goals included:

• District appearance: Enhance the district’s identity and sense of place by establishing meaningful district boundaries, updated design guidelines, and improved gateways from the 95th Street corridor.

• Connectivity: Improve connectivity throughout the district and surrounding neighborhoods with enhanced pedestrian amenities, improved railroad crossings, integrated bicycle facilities, and interpretive features to reflect the area’s unique history.

• Destination/events: Strengthen and expand the district’s role as a destination for community festivals and events through public-private partnerships, improved district branding, and coordinated promotions.

An Advisory Committee made up of property owners, residents, business representatives, Lenexa Planning Commission members and city staff provided input as part of the public participation process.

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Final recommendations

The Lenexa City Council accepted the "A New Look at Old Town" final plan in July 2016. Ultimately, it will provide direction for future enhancement of the area. The document includes a site concept for Old Town and a list of recommendations that involve private property owners, merchants and the city. Each of these partners has a role to play in ensuring the area’s future success. There is no funding currently identified to help implement the plan.

While many of these recommendations will need to be undertaken by private business and property owners, city staff continue to take an active role in providing guidance and information to help stakeholders accomplish these goals.

A New Look at Old Town Final Plan

Short Term= less than five years; Long Term= more than five years

*Partnership with city and/or other entities (e.g., business owners, railroad)

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Progress update

The plan's final recommendations are designed for the city, property owners and business owners and separated into short-term (less than five years) and long-term (more than five years) goals. Many of the report's key recommendations have already seen encouraging progress.

Install signage at key gateway locations to guide people to Old Town.

Lenexa obtained federal funds to make improvements to the intersection of Santa Fe Trail Drive and 95th Street. As part of this project, we included a gateway monument sign for Old Town. Additional improvements included right turn lanes for each direction of traffic, an extended eastbound left turn lane, realigned driveways, ADA ramps, accessible pedestrian signals and storm drainage improvements.

Create flexible park space at current Senior Center location.

City staff are in the process of selecting a firm to analyze and identify opportunities for reuse of the Community Center, Senior Center and adjacent property.

Establish a merchants' and property owners' organization to serve as an organization and marketing tool.

City staff prepared a significant amount of research into the establishment of merchants associations, which was provided to Old Town representatives as a resource for them when they decide to move forward.

Merchants association presentation

Explore the establishment of a quiet zone with the BNSF Railway.

With two railroad crossings at Pflumm Road and Noland Road, reducing the deafening sound of trains crossing through Old Town was a critical piece of this plan.

Installing a $2 million quiet zone presented numerous challenges given the location of the rail line and intersections. So, staff researched a new option: wayside horns. These stationary horns are mounted at railroad  crossings that warn motorists by projecting sound down the roadway instead of the track, eliminating noise  pollution in neighborhoods.

At its Oct. 6, 2020, meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution to allow for project budget increases and change orders to allow the wayside horn project to move forward. On Oct. 5, 2020, BNSF notified City staff that, once all contracts are finalized, they would complete the equipment upgrades within 180 days. Once that work is complete, the City's contractor will need about two weeks to install the horns.

Learn more about the wayside horns project

Establish citywide approach for bicycle, pedestrian and transit accommodations.

City staff contracted with Olsson Associates in summer 2018 to develop a Complete Streets Plan that would help guide future transportation infrastructure improvements and policy. The final plan was accepted during the City Council's Dec. 17, 2019 meeting. 

About the Complete Streets Plan