Liberty council approves Water Street Lofts after public hearing on materials, parking and demolition safeguards

Council members unanimously approved final plans July 28 for Water Street Lofts, a two-story mixed-use building at East Kansas and North Water streets that will include about 11,000 square feet of commercial space and nine residential lofts in a 23,116-square-foot development. The project replaces a collapsed building at the corner and required a certificate of appropriateness because it sits in the city’s historic district.

Miss Sharp, city planning staff, told the council the application "meets our standards for review, and we do recommend approval" after the Historic District Review Commission and Planning Commission recommended the project. Architect Patrick Reuter of Clover Architects said pricing pressures prompted removing underground parking and reducing the building by a floor, which left the plan with "9 apartment units" and a smaller height than the earlier three‑story…