KC Condo Tracker

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora has paid the highest price per square foot ever for a Philadelphia condo--$1,377. Mr. Sambora bought a three-bedroom condo on the 52nd floor of Center City's tallest residential tower for $3.58 million.

Some perspective: The average sales price per square foot of a Manhattan condo, according to the latest Miller Samuel-Douglas Elliman report, was $1,442 by mid-year. In Brooklyn, it was $575.

Kansas City condos average $200 to $250 per square foot showing you don't have to be a headliner to live in Kansas City. But if you want prestige, the highest square footage condos in Kansas City are the Alameda at $270 per square foot and the Walnuts at $285 per square foot (average). 

Developers are throwing incentives at buyers like spaghetti at the wall. If you're a buyer in position to buy, check out these sweet deals...

• Quality Hill Condos is offering a 6% off sales price3 to anyone who works downtown and a Vespa scooter.
• Santa Fe Place condos are offering 15% of the sales price of their remaining 20 units.
• DeLofts is offering one year free HOA fees.
• Select resales at 21 Ten are paying the new owner's property taxes.
  

If you're looking to buy low and cash in high. Tis the season.

There's typically two types of business launches (1) a soft launch where you tip toe into the marketplace (2) a hard launch where you prepare like mad and open with all you've got. On Nov. 1, 2008, the Cosentino's family will open downtown Kansas City's first full-fledged grocery store in a third type of new product launch -- Balls out, bigger than life, and holding nothing back.

It's both courageous and impressive to watch a business not pussy foot around during volatile economic times. I applaud the Cosentino's for giving us their all and beg all downtowners to support the new big-ass store and it's 60 ft. salad bar, 1500 wine selection, two chef's and all with all your wallets have to give.

The store will have two entrances — one on 13th Street, another to the parking lot where it will have 136 spaces. Customers can get their parking ticket validated. Bring your appetite, debit card, and friends.

Move over Quality Hills, The Morgan Group of Houston is putting in the biggest downtown Kansas City residential project since Quality Hill with 326 upscale apartments directly east of the Broadway Bridge.

The parking structure is visible now with the remainder to be completed mid-2009.