Revised Apartment Project at McPherson and Kingshighway is Moving Ahead

A rendering of the Reliance Automotive Building at McPherson and Kingshighway.

Pier Property Group's planned multi-family development at 490 North Kingshighway (former Reliance Automotive building) is moving ahead, just with a change in scope.

Gone is the 5-story addition on top of the existing structure, which would've yielded 144 apartments. In is the redevelopment of the existing building into 50 apartments and amenity spaces for the residents (such as a lobby lounge and rooftop deck). A single-story penthouse is planned to be built on the building's roof, but it'll be setback far enough that it won't be visible from Kingshighway or McPherson. 25 parking spaces will be located in a climate controlled garage and another 25 will be in surface parking lot to the building's east. Overall, the Reliance Automotive building will appear brand new when the project is completed.

The change in scope comes after a sharp increase in construction costs made it to where the larger project was no longer financially feasible. Pier Property Group assessed their options with moving forward with this project and decided that a proper redevelopment was appropriate. Additionally, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year, opening up the ability to receive Historic Tax Credits (HTCs).

Apartments will range from one-bedroom to two-bedroom units and from 770sf to 1500sf in size. Rents are expected to range between $1800 and $3000 per month. Pier Property Group hopes to have the project, named "The Flats at Forest Park", completed by the summer of 2027.

The building was slightly damaged in the May 2025 tornado with portions of the brick cornice and metal awning falling off the building.

The redevelopment's 50 new apartments will add to the steady stream of new housing options that have come about in the Central West End over the past decade. Other recent additions include the Marlowe, One Hundred, and Albion West End (under construction). I'm also aware of a new apartment proposal in the works for the Optimist site at Lindell and Taylor in addition to the known proposal at the Boy Scouts site near Euclid and West Pine.

The gallery below features pictures of the building on April 1st 2026 and renderings of the interior from the Arcturis website.