Is Westport KC's Williamsburg?

[chaglang]

According to Gawker, Westport is KC's Williamsburg. We have no Bushwick.

http://gawker.com/this-is-the-williamsb ... 1460243062

[earthling]

Xroads is more like Williamsburg with all the galleries. W Bottoms is maybe next.

[KCMax]

Agree on the Crossroads. I'd say Westport is more like SoHo?

[bobbyhawks]

Agree on the Crossroads. I'd say Westport is more like SoHo?

Is Westport expensive enough in relation to everything else to be Williamsburg? Maybe Williamsburg 10 years ago, but I would assume urban-ish (for KC) trust funders are living around the Plaza and the Crossroads/Rivermarket if they haven't moved away from KC already. Perhaps that is one of the benefits of a smaller market. The people who are perceived to signal the end of a neighborhood's renaissance (trust funders, faux hipsters, yuppies) often move to a larger market like San Fran/LA/Chicago/NYC, then move back to KC to live in the burbs if they move back at all. This, along with the fact that a large geographical area is coming online all at once, sort of slows down the negative impact of gentrificiation. It probably prevents us from realizing some of the benefits, too.

[chrizow]

if KC has a W-burg, it's probably the Westside or Xroads.

KC's Bushwick is probably Northeast or the fringe parts of Midtown-East.

West Bottoms is probably the Gowanus of KC.

[earthling]

Williamsburg used to be defined by its growing galleries/aritists who couldn't afford Manhattan then it later gentrified as a hot place to be. Xroads is also gallery central, was cheap to live through late 90s/early 2Ks and then it became developed with condos and above avg rent (for KC). So similar in that sense.

NE Side might be comparable to Bushwick in the sense of ethnic diversity but in terms of where the artists/galleries are expanding to, E Xroads, W Side and W Bottoms might be better comparisons.

W39th reminds me of a scrappy version of Smith St. S of Downtown Brooklyn. Westport was a metro party zone with a history of a bohemian aspect but is becoming a functional neighborhood town center like any avg income NYC hood. So avg/below avg income 20-something 'hipsters' moving to KC might prefer Westport or w39th over most downtown areas that have generally higher rent, which I guess the list is alluding to.

[chaglang]

The Westside should be somewhere in this conversation. I'm just not sure where.

[AJoD]

That Gawker list is terrible. Wicker Park in Chicago? Huh?

My favorite, though, was Portland's: "The Williamsburg of Portland is Portland"

[bobbyhawks]

The term "hipster" probably jumped the shark a long time ago, but I have noticed it being used a lot lately by folks to describe anyone under 50 who lives in a semi-concentrated urban-ish neighborhood and isn't an obvious version of a frat boy/sorority girl. People now refer to themselves as "hipsters" like hot girls refer to themselves as "nerds." Last time I checked, you are not a hipster if you refer to yourself as such in the present tense.

[Demosthenes]

if KC has a W-burg, it's probably the Westside or Xroads.

KC's Bushwick is probably Northeast or the fringe parts of Midtown-East.

West Bottoms is probably the Gowanus of KC.

Yes this is the truth. Though I don't think Westport is a bad choice for the Williamsburg either. But yea the fact that they don't have a Bushwick listed for us shows they just aren't cool enough to know . You hit the nail on the head with northeast (including Columbus Park) and Midtown-East. I would like to throw inner KCK into this list as well (IDK Strawberry Hill or whatever), lots of hipsters and weird, drugged up, underground shite going on over there.

[warwickland]

I don't know how Williamsburg is now, but it seemed to be rapidly gentrifying the last time i was there way back in '08...

westport seems like it's sort of skewing yupster. i'm guessing that's what Williamsburg is. it kind of feels like a tiny wicker park or even logan square.

im probably alone in thinking this but i never really considered most of the x-roads to be a neighborhood, so much as a destination. sort of the litmus test being "dp you see people walking their dogs and drinking coffee on a saturday morning?" much of it is so desolate ...granted im really thinking of x-roads east here but most of it is pretty quiet most of the time from a residential standpoint, with the notable exception of the area south of 20th

Hilarious. CWE for St. Louis/ The Grove.

it would be Cherokee Street, obviously, if we are referring to the classic "hipster williamsburg." derp.

the grove is more of a destination district with a neighborhood around it.

[Demosthenes]

Yea the CWE in St. Louis is definitely no Billburg haha. Weird of them to say so.

As for the Crossroads not being a neighborhood, maybe it was more of a destination in past years. Any more though I would definitely consider it to be a neighborhood. More people have moved in, and even more apartments are being built. There are at least two popular coffee shops on the west side, and you can often see people walking dogs. The east side is certainly more desolate, but the west side feels very much like a neighborhood. The residential density definitely needs to increase though.

And you're right about Westport. It feels quite a bit like Wicker Park or Logan Square, on a smaller scale.

[Demosthenes]

Agree on the Crossroads. I'd say Westport is more like SoHo?

Definitely don't think Westport is like SoHo. Soho anymore is one of the lamest parts of New York. Super yuppie with stores like GAP and what not. Westport is way more edgy and hip. Probably more like Soho in the 80s (though this is only based on what I hear, as I was a lil one back in the 80s ).

[loftguy]

Agree on the Crossroads. I'd say Westport is more like SoHo?

Definitely don't think Westport is like SoHo. Soho anymore is one of the lamest parts of New York. Super yuppie with stores like GAP and what not. Westport is way more edgy and hip. Probably more like Soho in the 80s (though this is only based on what I hear, as I was a lil one back in the 80s ).

Yup, pup.

[warwickland]

fountain square for indy??? seems like a whitebread version of the grove. nothing hipster about it.

marigny and bywater for new orleans sort of makes sense.

[earthling]

My younger brother was in town over long weekend from now Williamsburg (priced out of Brooklyn Heights, where he lived for 10 years). Lived in River Market for several years coming from Philly, leaving for NYC about 10 years ago. We spent weekend in mostly Xroads and he definitely thinks it's closest to a Billyburg and wished all of this were here when he lived in KC, saying he may have never left (though his job took him to NYC).

We hit Anton's twice (he wanted to go back next day so we did), Manifesto (his favorite for one drink - said NYC speakeasy bars try to be this and fail), Green Lady Lounge (blown by tastefully swanky feel of place), and a couple of the makeshift bars like Tank Room (which makes the area justifiably Billyburg in addition to all the galleries). Also hit Milwaukee Deli, Harry's/Westport, Martini Corner, Missie B's. Bfast at Chez Elle, Farmhouse (he also likes Succotash, You Say Tomato from other visits). Said KC has the complete package now and streetcar will only seal the deal for those who want the Williamsburg type vibe - he hasn't even been to a summer First Fridays. Edit: He just texted me from airport while I was posting this about what a great time he had in KC and that he'll try to bring friends next time. I kinda wonder if he's thinking about coming back.

Noticed that Anton's has a piano in rear of bar room. I mentioned to them they need to hire a trained pianist who appears s/he's coming from the street in hoodie and cycling gear, arrives on bike and places inside, speaks to no one. Plays only a few tunes and then leaves. I've seen this in SF and is clearly a hired gig but still works even for those who know it's manufactured serendipity.

[kboish]

blown by tastefully swanky

Nobody beats it like the Green lady...
Green lady lounge ...playing the rusty trombone all night long!