The opening of the La Quinta Inn & Suites marks a new chapter in the long process of redeveloping Beacon Hill, a neighborhood on the east side of urban Kansas City. The hotel is the first commercial development along Troost Avenue in over 50 years and signals future new amenities in the neighborhood. The 93 room hotel fills the overnight lodging gap that was necessary to serve the hospitals, 18th and Vine Jazz District, sporting events and concerts.
Kansas-City based Sunflower Development Group hired Generator Studio to analyze the feasibility of the site and then design a medium-service hotel. The hotel is located on the southwest corner of the site to continue the adjacent density and maintain a pedestrian friendly streetscape. The ground floor includes future commercial space to service the community going forward.
The client required a contemporary design that was conscious of both cost and context. The adjacent neighborhood has a distinct character and material palette that was strategically leveraged to create the façade for the hotel. To control cost, the building is primarily a simple stucco façade that uses a series of metal + horizontal slat screen elements to add interest, shadow, a contemporary touch, and tie into the neighborhood’s unique architecture.