20 apartments for rent in West Plaza, Kansas City, MO

West Plaza was unplanned. It grew piecemeal on the edge of Westport in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, without the codes and covenants that other communities enforced. Built on steep hills, the neighborhood is distinguished by the stone retaining walls that separate many front yards from the sidewalks.

West Plaza also boasts a wide variety of homes, mixed with small apartment buildings and businesses. Since there was no master plan, there is charming variety. West Plaza was a blue-collar community at first, but it also holds its share of elaborate outsized homes.

Home styles include Kansas City Shirtwaists, with stone or brick first stories and wood frame second stories. The majority of the single-family homes in the area are bungalows, but there are also Dutch Colonials and Prairie Homes. Mellow brick apartment buildings and storefronts dot many streets.

The northern boundary of West Plaza is Westport Road, once a segment of the Santa Fe Trail. On the east, the boundary is Madison Avenue, on the south is West Forty-Sixth, and on the west is State Line Road. The zip code for West Plaza is 64111.

West Plaza is very walkable, with storefront shops on Westport road and elsewhere. It is also centrally located in the metropolitan complex, close to everything. Country Club Plaza and Westport are just east of West Plaza, for high-end shopping expeditions, restaurants, and entertainment.

North of West Plaza is Roanoke Park. The centerpiece of this park is a wide grassy ravine surrounded by rock outcroppings and trees, and other segments offer play equipment, steep hills, tennis courts, and huge trees. Lovely homes surround the park, many built of local stone. South of West Plaza is Jacob Loose Park. Its rose garden and pond have fans, but the park is most popular with dog owners.

West Plaza is a quirky neighborhood with variety on every block. In the midst of the modern cityscape, it maintains its links to the independent past.