BOK Financial moves a step closer to groundbreaking for new Crossroads branch

BOK Financial has moved a step closer toward planting its flag with a new full-service banking center in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District.

The City Plan Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a special-use permit for a roughly 10,000-square-foot branch BOK looks to build southeast of 17th Street and Grand Boulevard, in the Grand Place remake of The Kansas City Star’s old newsroom.

The permit is required because of a planned drive-thru off 17th Street, triggered by the center being on Grand, a regulated boulevard. Although some in the public have questioned BOK’s need for a downtown drive-thru, market CEO Kevin Kramer said the lane will help the bank better meet customer needs. About 51% of transaction volume so far this year at BOK’s existing Crossroads branch, 125 Southwest Blvd., has involved its drive-thru, he said.

“It is a very important piece of our customers’ ability to do business with us,” Kramer told city planners.

The commission’s recommendation was conditioned on BOK considering a one-way traffic configuration onto Grand, in place of a current two-way design meant to also accommodate truck loading for Grand Place.

Beyond its branch, BOK’s two-story facility will include office space for the bank’s Corporate Trust division, a second-floor presentation room, pre-function space, and a cantilevered patio with skyline views.

“We felt very strongly that this was a great long-term fit for who we are, who BOK Financial is as a company, where our customers are going to be and what they expect from us,” Kramer said in April. “This is a way to give back to the community in a way, and to take a corner that’s been undeveloped and not used for quite some time and bring some life back into it.”

BOK acquired its corner site in January from 3D Development, as Grand Place’s first pad site occupant, and anticipates breaking ground in the summer. The center then could open in the second quarter.

The Board of Zoning Adjustment is scheduled June 28 to review BOK’s requested special-use permit. Separately, about $5.6 million in building permits were under city review for the new banking center as of Thursday.

This story is from the Kansas City Business Journal.