A year ago as I write this, my husband and I moved to Lenexa, KS. Fresh off the presses of our new marriage, we found Lenexa as a suburban area that was the best of both worlds for both of us. My husband, being a small town boy, likes the wide open fields and long stretches around the edges of Lenexa, and I loved Lenexa City Center and being close to KCK.
There were tons of options for apartments around the City Center area, and little did we know just how walk-able the area was. Now that I am really focusing on my health, the ability to walk to places I want to go has become paramount to me. Here's a list of some of the best things about Lenexa City Center and all it has to offer.
Lenexa Public Market
The first place you should think of when you think of City Center, is the Public Market. The Lenexa Public Market is the go-to place for delicious local food, but also has event spaces, a demonstration kitchen, outdoor and indoor seating, an art gallery, and tourism tchotchkes and apparel. It was literally designed to be a community gathering hub, and has events centered around it often, especially in the summer. There's also an outdoor theater and a water fountain.
Just a few of those events include local bands, a Food Truck Frenzy, and Family nights. Pets are also welcome on their outdoor patios. Here's just a few pictures of the inside:
Other Dining/Grocery Options:
Not only is the Public Market a great place to find food, but there's also some other dining options. The Subway is in a convenient location, right near the edge of City Center, and Saints Pub & Patio is not far off. Saints is one of my favorite places to go for drinks and a jumbo pretzel. They have tons of other appetizers and delicious burgers on their menu, but also a huge patio with a community table and fireplace, outdoor TVs for football games, and lounge furniture for sitting outside.
There's also Revocup Coffee, which is has another comfortable patio area. Their coffees and smoothies are great for all weather - I've walked in the rain to get a coffee from them before. The Gomer's liquor store is another of my favorite destinations in City Center. It has a huge selection of wine, spirits, and beers and a really fun yearly event to celebrate their opening in November. They hold Happy Hours, tastings, and sometimes classes.
Fitness + Wellness
Not to be outshone by the food, the fitness options in Lenexa are limitless. Not only is the area really fun to walk around in and get your steps, but there is an OrangeTheory, a Lifetime Fitness barely down the road, a Massage Heights, and Yoga on the Slab (photos from the slab below are from @kansascitybucketlist). Most of these offer membership options if you choose to visit often! A Pure Barre Fitness Studio is going to open in the late summer. Follow their Facebook if you want to keep your eye on some sweet membership opportunities leading up to their opening day.
The Lenexa Rec Center is another great resouce as they offer gym memberships (that include use of the pool and fitness classes), events, and classes. They hold much of the events that we see on our City of Lenexa newsletters, and really hold the community together.
Library
The Johnson County Library was a frequent stop of mine last summer. Their building is two stories, has a parking garage attached, and a Pickup/Dropoff Lane for books (this was particularly cool to me, moving from a small town, but who knows? Maybe this is standard and I'm just a hick who hasn't seen a library that big).
They also hold a lot of community events, as well as providing people with a place to study, use their computers, their printer, or even borrow DVD's and games. They have large conference rooms and study rooms available for those who need them. Their seating, while eclectic, is very comfortable. I've lost a few hours in these rooms.
For those who are interested, anyone with a card membership also gets access to their online database, which includes thousands of audio books and the ability to request and hold books from your phone.
Up and Coming
Not only are all of the features I mentioned amazing, but the area is constantly moving and upgrading. From the lofts all through the area, to the office spaces and upcoming bridal stores, to the hotels for your family... there's so much to offer and do, and it is only going to get better.
One of my favorite things to tell my family about where I live is the upcoming Smart Roads project. There are plans in place to install smart pavement which would be able to relay traffic information, open parking spots, and smarter traffic lights that push traffic through the area in a more efficient manner.
Get familiar with it while you can, because it's going to change quick! For now, I'm walking daily - hitting the library, grabbing a coffee, getting in a workout, but you never know how much more will get added in the upcoming years.