OFFICIAL - Embassy Suites (former Federal Reserve)

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
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longviewmo
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by longviewmo »

It looks like they filed for bankruptcy before the city approved the plans? Why was the city approving plans with bankrupt developer?
kboish
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by kboish »

http://cityscenekc.com/two-major-hotel- ... ion-hotel/

Apparently, this project is still a go.
Progress also continues on the $98.4 million redevelopment of the former Kansas City Reserve Bank building at 925 Grand Blvd. into a 301-room Embassy Suites..
...
Attorney Doug Stone said the developer of the Grand Reserve project, Colorado-based Delta Quad Holdings, currently is doing interior demolition work in the historic 21-story Federal Reserve, and anticipates major work to begin this fall with an anticipated opening in spring 2018.

“They are putting the final touches on banking funding, it’s been complicated,” Stone said. “It’s a little behind schedule, but still on track.”
Also, it looks like Kevin Collison is getting back into the development tracking game with his blog city scene (linked above). His posting has become more frequent and it looks to go beyond just reposting his KCUR articles. Much appreciated and glad to have him back on the beat!
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

This place is disgusting. Today there were two dead pigeons on the sidewalk, among a billion pounds of bird poop and feathers. The garage (and building one presumes) are infested with rats.

Does the city not hold anyone responsible for anything? Like could I buy a building, do complete fuck all for 5 years, let rats, pigeons, and homeless drifters take up space, and ??????
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by kboish »

Have you reported these issues?
WoodDraw
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

kboish wrote:Have you reported these issues?
A few months ago. I just don't think anyone cares. The entire south wall is a pigeon home caked in bird shit. I walk over a dead bird at least once a week there, and it's not a street I walk every day.

I dunno how to post images here, it never works for me, but here's this mornings walk to coffee: https://imgur.com/a/huHBZ

Image
flyingember
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by flyingember »

http://webfusion.kcmo.org/coldfusionapp ... 2016071092

They reopened this case August 1st and sent notice to the owner again. Eventually they'll be taken to court if they don't make changes.

Report it again, two months is long enough to solve a problem. The city will send out notice again. The more reported dates on record the stronger the case to levy a larger fine on the owner.

Since it's bird droppings, please be sure to include saying you're worried about the public health risk of the dried droppings being kicked up. This puts the problem into a whole new category beyond maintenance issues.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

flyingember wrote:http://webfusion.kcmo.org/coldfusionapp ... 2016071092

They reopened this case August 1st and sent notice to the owner again. Eventually they'll be taken to court if they don't make changes.

Report it again, two months is long enough to solve a problem. The city will send out notice again. The more reported dates on record the stronger the case to levy a larger fine on the owner.

Since it's bird droppings, please be sure to include saying you're worried about the public health risk of the dried droppings being kicked up. This puts the problem into a whole new category beyond maintenance issues.
Thanks for sending that. I'll make another 311 report and do a better job tracking this time.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by smh »

There is presently a bloated dead pigeon floating in one of the planters.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by TheLastGentleman »

That parking garage is just soul crushing. I hope it gets demolished or reclad, especially with pickwick across the street there. It looks like something they would build in DC to sustain a truck bomb.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by flyingember »

The parking garage is key to the project as I recall.

It was supposed to sustain a truck bomb, it's a federal building after all.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

TheLastGentleman wrote:That parking garage is just soul crushing. I hope it gets demolished or reclad, especially with pickwick across the street there. It looks like something they would build in DC to sustain a truck bomb.
It really is. The garage isn't going anywhere but hopefully they can bring some light into it. Developing the surface lot next door would help too.

And I think any plan would call for taking out the concrete car barrier planters. I know the current one does.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by JBmidtown »

What happened to this?
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by DaveKCMO »

JBmidtown wrote:What happened to this?
still happening. no permit activity.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by FangKC »

This is by far the most frustrating real estate problem in downtown right now. I can't believe it's taking so long to do this. There are buildings that no one even thought about before that are now under construction, or renovation, that started well after this one was announced. This shouldn't be so hard. It's one of the most handsome buildings downtown, and the Federal Reserve left it in fairly good condition. It has on-site parking. Good lord! What is the problem?

For comparison's sake, look at the Pickwick Hotel. It's been renovated. When the Fed left 10th and Grand, no one would have ever guessed the Pickwick would have been renovated before the Federal Reserve building.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by flyingember »

FangKC wrote:This is by far the most frustrating real estate problem in downtown right now. I can't believe it's taking so long to do this. There are buildings that no one even thought about before that are now under construction, or renovation, that started well after this one was announced. This shouldn't be so hard. It's one of the most handsome buildings downtown, and the Federal Reserve left it in fairly good condition. It has on-site parking. Good lord! What is the problem?

For comparison's sake, look at the Pickwick Hotel. It's been renovated. When the Fed left 10th and Grand, no one would have ever guessed the Pickwick would have been renovated before the Federal Reserve building.
It took a decade to get a convention hotel figured out, 22 years from the first notable study saying to "build new" to a vote of approval for the airport. taking forever is the definition of large projects
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by FangKC »

The Fed sold their building in 2005--12+ years ago. That is plenty of time to plan and redevelop. The Commerce Tower renovation started well after that, and it's as big a project. The One Light Tower was built from scratch and started well after that time. Two Light will be be mostly completed before this hotel opens. The new, large hotel at 16th and Baltimore (and garage) was announced and finished in a much shorter time.

The TIF Agreement agreed to in June 2016 by the former Fed Reserve building developer and the TIF commission required that the building renovation and conversion would be completed by the spring, 2018. The project received approval from the City Council in May, 2016. The developer indicated that the renovation work would begin in August, 2016.

They don't appear to have much time left.

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... ement.html
flyingember
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by flyingember »

FangKC wrote:The Fed sold their building in 2005--12+ years ago. That is plenty of time to plan and redevelop. The Commerce Tower renovation started well after that, and it's as big a project. The One Light Tower was built from scratch and started well after that time. Two Light will be be mostly completed before this hotel opens. The new, large hotel at 16th and Baltimore (and garage) was announced and finished in a much shorter time.

The TIF Agreement agreed to in June 2016 by the former Fed Reserve building developer and the TIF commission required that the building renovation and conversion would be completed by the spring, 2018. The project received approval from the City Council in May, 2016. The developer indicated that the renovation work would begin in August, 2016.

They don't appear to have much time left.

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... ement.html
Look at how the Interstate Building was put on hold to finish another project. It should have been done quicker but the owner had other priorities.

The number of years doesn't match the number of years the owner gives to working on a project. For all we know they bought it to serve as collateral for another project and didn't take renovation seriously. And those 12 years overlapped the recession which stopped a lot of projects. Or they had a plan ready to go and their partner pulled out, or the bank's final terms were really bad, or construction costs went up too much so their financing didn't work. Or any number of reason they wouldn't start

Plenty of agreements end before work is done or come right up to the deadline. Look at the east village as a good example.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

If I start scooping up the dead birds and sending them to the city inspectors, would they start to care? Or are we just destined to live with this literal shit hole for years? There's been a dead one there waiting for them for a few days now.

It's even worse in the winter when the bird crap and feathers join together with the snow to create a slush that just sticks to everything.

Here's the whatever:

http://webfusion.kcmo.org/coldfusionapp ... 2016071092

If anyone can tell me what they're doing, I'm all ears.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by flyingember »

Owner isn’t responding, the city is holding hearings because of this.

Trick is to report it more often and get more people reporting. The process is stupid slow but it’s happening.
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Re: Old Federal Reserve (925 Grand)

Post by WoodDraw »

flyingember wrote:Owner isn’t responding, the city is holding hearings because of this.

Trick is to report it more often and get more people reporting. The process is stupid slow but it’s happening.
Every time I report it they just close it out. I assume because it's duplicate. I've never gotten beyond an initial inspection though.
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