River Market Hotel

A four-story 1880 building on Delaware Street is being converted into River Market's first hotel, an independent boutique project from local developers 415 Delaware, LLC with architecture by BNIM and interiors by Populous. Room count and opening timing still vary by source as of August 2026, but the roughly $18 million conversion was under active construction with a 2026 target.

The place

The hotel occupies 415 Delaware Street (also cited as 415-417 Delaware) in River Market, the historic warehouse district north of downtown Kansas City that has never previously had a hotel of its own despite hosting the City Market farmers' market, the streetcar's River Market West stop directly across the street, and easy walking access to the Power & Light District, the Crossroads Arts District and Union Station. The building itself dates to 1880 and most recently housed the landscape architecture firm Confluence before being gutted for the conversion.

The concept

River Market Hotel is an independent project led by developer 415 Delaware, LLC, formed by Mike and Susan Heitmann along with Paetra and Gino Serra, financed in part through Silver Lake Bank and historic tax credits rather than city incentives, at a reported project cost of roughly $18 million. BNIM handled the architecture of the adaptive reuse and Populous the interiors, pursuing what the developers describe as an Italian mid-century design sensibility layered with local River Market references rather than a generic boutique template.

The positioning targets travelers who want a walkable, design-forward alternative to the chain hotels clustered downtown and around the Convention Center, betting that River Market's market-hall, streetcar-served character can support its first standalone lodging property. General contractor Cerris Builders broke ground on the project in 2025, with the shell under active construction as of mid-2026.

Dining & wellness

Local reporting describes plans for an Italian restaurant named Con Amore in the basement with alley access, plus a small lobby cocktail bar and a fitness studio/gym; none of this has yet been confirmed on the hotel's own website, which as of August 2026 lists only the Italian-heritage design concept without naming any specific venue.