The Kansas City Star

Crandall to Oversee Gardner Project

March 7, 2007

The Allen Group has chosen an area real estate executive to oversee the development of Gardner’s big truck-rail center and other area projects.

William F. Crandall has been named president of Allen Group of Kansas, the San Diego-based developer said Monday. Crandall most recently headed his own real estate consulting firm, Crandall + Co. of Prairie Village.

Before that, he was with Zimmer Real Estate Services, where he led the development of Village West in Kansas City, Kan.

BNSF Railway chose The Allen Group last fall to develop the 1,300-acre, intermodal center. The railroad will deliver containers to the facility that will then be shipped by truck to their destinations.

The hub will be surrounded by warehouse and distribution centers.

The Gardner facility is expected to be operational in late 2008 or early 2009.

The Allen Group said it would be establishing an office near the truck-rail hub site.

The firm said Crandall would also manage development projects of Applebee’s International Inc. and Andrews McMeel Universal, as well as finding other real estate ventures in the area.