Residents urge council to preserve Old City Hall and convert it to community space

Dozens of residents pressed the Leawood City Council to preserve the Old City Hall buildings on Lee Boulevard and convert them into community space rather than demolish them.

Speaking during the public-comment period before the council took up the rest of its agenda, residents described petitions, private funding offers and neighborhood support for restoration. “We have a plan that is fiscally responsible, publicly supported, and civically minded,” Jacqueline Penn told the council, noting a petition with “over 650 signatures.”

Speakers urged the council to avoid what they described as a default plan of more parking and “wasted space.” Kylie Markey, Chad Morley and other residents said restoring the buildings would create walkable, family-friendly amenities—coffee shops, small-business pop-ups and gathering spaces—that the Old Leawood area currently lacks.

Several commenters offered specific proposals: Jacqueline Penn said a group would offer $300,000 in private funding and a first-right-of-refusal clause so the city could reclaim the property if the private use ceased; Shelley Staten and others suggested inclusive playground features and garden concepts maintained by Johnson County master gardeners.

Council members did not vote on the property during the public-comments segment. Mayor Mark Elkins referred the comments to staff for additional information and asked that the city consider the resident materials and return with a recommendation.

Why it matters: The property sits inside a long-standing neighborhood and has been the focus of multiple council work sessions. Residents said preserving the buildings would add walkable civic space and avoid demolition expenses; the council’s staff review and any future formal agenda item will determine whether and how that can proceed.