Two Buildings. One Mission. Kansas City’s Getting Better.

Welcome Back MolzDev Squad!

Wanted to send out a full update from Molzer Dev HQ as we roll into fall. It’s been a huge couple of months; between construction progress, public events, national conferences, and major milestones online, we’re firing on all cylinders.

Here’s what we’ve been up to:

ALADDIN UPDATE: WE’RE AHEAD ON TIMING AND ON BUDGET (!)

This one's big.

The Aladdin Hotel redevelopment is one of the most ambitious adaptive reuse projects in Kansas City right now, and we’re proud to say we’re ahead of schedule and looking strong on budget. That alone deserves a shoutout in this market.

Here’s where we stand:

• Framing is DONE on floors 2 through 15; full structure rebuilt inside a 100-year-old building

• MEP rough-ins are complete on floors 10 through 14; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades are flying

• We have walls; yes, real walls. Our vision is getting closer to reality

• Basement water and sewer lines are in

• And yes, the old trash chute is officially gone

This thing is humming. Subs are working smoothly, timelines are holding, and we’re still targeting June 2026 for full completion. If you’ve walked by, you’ve probably seen the exterior elevator hoist and crane setup. Inside, it’s a different world; units are taking shape, layouts are real, and it’s no longer a dream on paper. It’s crazy to see our plans coming to life with walls in place!

HOLTMAN BUILDING: PLANS FINALIZED, PERMIT IN, ENERGY IS REAL

Over in the Crossroads, the Holtman Building is next in line for activation.

We’ve finalized all of our architectural, structural, and MEP plans for the building and officially submitted them to the city. We’re just waiting on permit issuance now, and then it’s go time.

Quick recap of the project:

• 8 beautifully designed loft-style residential units on the 2nd floor

• A rooftop bar + event space with skyline views

• Ground floor retail/office with floor-to-ceiling windows and massive street presence

But beyond the specs, the Holtman already feels alive. We hosted a launch event in the building recently, and the turnout was incredible. The community, neighbors, creatives, investors, city staff, fellow developers, even people who just follow the journey online all showed up and we couldn’t have been more pleased.

We had music, drinks, floor plans on the walls, and tons of activation (live muralist, massages, games, etc). I can’t tell you how energizing it is to see people feel the potential of a building. This neighborhood is ready. It wants places that are thoughtful, beautiful, and rooted in local history.

The Holtman is going to be one of those spots. From the ground up, it’s designed to add something real to the block.

CREi SUMMIT & RECONVENE: BUILDING IN PUBLIC, NATIONALLY

I also spent some time on the road these past few weeks at two major events:

• CREi Summit in Palm Desert

• Reconvene in Santa Monica

I went into Reconvene with a completely open mind on how to accomplish the following: how to grow and take my firm to the next level. So what did I learn? Without getting into too much detail, here are my biggest takeaways I am going to implement:

• Focus on like-minded, private capital that believes in my team & thesis

• Continue building what I am building: long-term success will come (great quote: “Profit is what's left after taking care of the buildings”)

• There are many ways to “play the game”. Know what you are good at and double down. For me? Kansas City development/ redevelopment

• Lean on others. If you are the smartest in the room, you are in a bad room. I felt like the stupidest person at Reconvene, and that means I’m doing something right.

I can not wait to be at Reconvene year after year, connecting with like-minded individuals & finding more ways to grow myself & firm.

I also had the chance to attend my 2nd CREi Summit, a conference built for commercial real estate professionals using digital tools to take their business to the next level.

I left CREi last year with the takeaway to start posting more on various platforms.

This year? I went into the event with just shy of 100,000 followers on Instagram, 13,000 on X, and 5,000+ on LinkedIn. The follower count? That doesn’t mean anything. The people? The connections? The relationships? The partnerships? The friendships? The investors? The opportunities? The support? Priceless.

While the implementation from year 1 to year 2 was absolutely unbelievable, I am so excited to see where things take us from now until next year. So what are my biggest takeaways?

1. Sharing something is better than sharing nothing.

2. The game has evolved. If you aren’t leveraging social media to build your brand you WILL fall behind

3. AI is just getting started. There are so many ways to use technology in your business that boost productivity immensely

4. Your team is your rock to being successful. Build a team of people who want to be leaders.

5. Surround yourself with great people, and the world is yours

Both events were powerful in different ways, and both reminded me that what we’re doing here in Kansas City matters well beyond city limits.

SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTUM: 100K FOLLOWERS & MILLIONS WATCHING

A couple of months ago, we wrote down a goal to hit 100,000 followers on Instagram before the end of the year.

Well — we hit it last month.
@molzerdevelopment is now over 100K strong, and we’re reaching millions of people each month across reels, stories, and posts.

I started posting just to show the behind-the-scenes of these projects; the good, bad, and fun. But what’s happened since then has been wild:

• We’ve had investors find us through social

• We’ve had brands reach out for partnerships

• We’ve gotten national media interest

• And most importantly; we’ve built community.

People want to see what it actually takes to build a city & these projects. They want to see the real numbers, the design decisions, the late nights, the wins, and the problems. That’s what we’re sharing. It’s not curated. It’s real.

And the fact that so many of you read, watch, DM, comment, and share… means the world.

We’re just getting started.

WRAP IT UP, KID!!

If you’ve made it this far, wow! You must’ve been bored! Seriously though, thank you.

Thank you for supporting what we’re doing, for believing in the mission, and for helping spread the word. Whether you’re an investor, lender, creative, tenant, contractor, city partner, or just someone who likes watching this ride unfold, we appreciate you.

We’re building more than buildings out here.
We’re building momentum, community, and a better version of Kansas City.

Godspeed,

Zach Molzer | Founder, Molzer Development
📱 Instagram – @molzerdevelopment
🐦 Twitter – @KCMolzer