A tour of 222 Waldo Flats: living life in the heart of downtown Waldo

By Kathy Feist

It takes a woman developer to know how to properly design apartments with her fellow sisters in mind.

Diane Botwin, owner of Botwin Development, demanded more bathroom and kitchen counterspace and deep walk-in closets at 222 Waldo Flats, her new five-story multi-use complex being built off 75th and Wornall. 

The complex, located in downtown Waldo, is just steps away from a grocery store, coffee with a fresh cinnamon roll, St. Louis-style pizza as well as yoga, wine-tasting, biking and  numerous other services, restaurants and retailers. It’s life in the big city, but in south Kansas City.

Already, tenant have begun moving in. 222 Waldo Flats features 44 apartment units atop commercial space on the ground floor. Littlefield Eye Specialists is leasing most of the ground level space, leaving 800 square feet for a future retailer.

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Apartment sizes vary from studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The units offer different sizes and other variations, depending on which side of the building or floor you prefer. 

On the south and east sides, tenants have balconies large enough for patio seating. On the north and west sides, there are floor to ceiling sealed windows. (Mecho Shades keep out the sun and heat while preserving the view.) Studios have windows that open. 

All units have a bright and airy feel, including some windowless bedrooms that obtain natural light from a translucent hallway wall panel.

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Cabinetry styles vary floor to floor. Floors 3 and 5 feature dark cabinets while floors 2 and 4 feature white. 

Kitchen counters are spacious. An alternating matte and polished white subway tile backsplash intentionally mimics the exterior of the building, according to Botwin.

All bedrooms can fit a king size bed.

The studio apartments feature a semi-private bedroom. The room is partially walled off by two side by side hallway closets. 

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The flooring throughout the units is gray engineered hardwood flooring. Walls are painted white.  

All units have a washer and dryer.  

The hallways are a trendy serious gray,  highlighted by backlit apartment numbers. 

“I think hallways shouldn’t just feel like a hotel,” says Botwin.

To that end, bright yellow exit doors and staircase liven up the cool gray colors on each floor, providing not only a fun, but eclectic feel that fits its neighborhood.

The building offers offstreet parking at the north end of the building. All outdoor entrances require a fob to unlock the doors. 

Botwin likes to incorporate artwork from local artists. She plans to install an art piece from fiber artist Sonie Joi Ruffin. 

Botwin Development owns much of the property along 75th Street, including the highly esteemed Botwin Building at 508 W 75 St. which houses Crows Coffee and Summit Grill. However, Botwin says this is her largest residential project built from the ground up. The other residential facility developed by Botwin, is a 14-unit apartment building off 75th and Washington that houses foster children aging out of the system. 

222 Waldo Flats was developed in cooperation with Slaggie Architects and Linden Street Partners. For more information, go to Waldoflats.com.