OFFICIAL - East9 (former Pickwick Plaza)

[ignatius]

Grid, say what?  There are many new residential developments along the primary MAX line, probably at more than half the stops.

Grid, I somewhat agree with many of your desires for improvements for KC but 1, you often take a half-glass-empty view (IE, thinking this project will get nowhere without any key evidence) and 2, you want _everything_ you see in cities you visit.  KC is doing many things other cities are not.  KC is not succeeding in other things.  So it goes.  The net result is that KC is doing quite well considering it doesn't have a bottomless pit of investors or other resources that other cities have.

[voltopt]

After thinking about it.  The Cold Storage Lofts is probably the closest thing KC has to a residential development where many residents might have really looked at the proximity to transit because of the north end of the MAX line.  But I would still consider MAX as more of an “option” than an alternative to having a car and would guess that over 95% of the people that live their own cars and commute with them.

Its still nice to have that option - I'm certain a fair amount of people like to have that "option" as well.  Unfortunately, there are still many who require a parking space adjacent to their living quarters.  But the local perception is slowly changing.  

[GRID]

Grid, say what?  There are many new residential developments along the primary MAX line, probably at more than half the stops.

Grid, I somewhat agree with many of your desires for improvements for KC but 1, you often take a half-glass-empty view (IE, thinking this project will get nowhere without any key evidence) and 2, you want _everything_ you see in cities you visit.  KC is doing many things other cities are not.  KC is not succeeding in other things.  So it goes.  The net result is that KC is doing quite well considering it doesn't have a bottomless pit of investors or other resources that other cities have.

Transit is definitely one of my “glass is half empty” issues.  Sorry.

Other than that.  I think KC has a lot going for it….so long as we can get focused again make having a vibrant urban core a priority.

I got about another 8-10 years and I will be in the market for one of those downtown condos.  I was really hoping that KC will be a no-brainer decision at that time.  I want to stay in KC.  But have already done my time in a subpar urban city.  Life’s too short.

So I will push for the things that I think KC lacks and continue to promote the hell out of things that KC has going for it, which are numerous as well.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I got about another 8-10 years and I will be in the market for one of those downtown condos. 

I am just having some fun so don't run off and say something harsh.

Maybe, just maybe, GRID will be just so disgusted with KCMO that instead of going dt he will end up out in the countryside living on five or so acres with a big fishing pond to spend his days on.  He will develop a big wooden play area for his future grandkids and have a little green area set aside to practice his putting.  And a hammock will hang between two big trees for his afternoon naps in the cool shade.

[voltopt]

I am just having some fun so don't run off and say something harsh.

Maybe, just maybe, GRID will be just so disgusted with KCMO that instead of going dt he will end up out in the countryside living on five or so acres with a big fishing pond to spend his days on.  He will develop a big wooden play area for his future grandkids and have a little green area set aside to practice his putting.  And a hammock will hang between two big trees for his afternoon naps in the cool shade.

Or maybe he will do all of those things in the city. 

[GRID]

I am just having some fun so don't run off and say something harsh.

Maybe, just maybe, GRID will be just so disgusted with KCMO that instead of going dt he will end up out in the countryside living on five or so acres with a big fishing pond to spend his days on.  He will develop a big wooden play area for his future grandkids and have a little green area set aside to practice his putting.  And a hammock will hang between two big trees for his afternoon naps in the cool shade.

You never know AKP, but I highly doubt it .

[aknowledgeableperson]

GRID, I forgot to add that you had a minor career change.  Instead of development pictures you develop a career as a nature photographer.  In fact, you will host a few exhibits and publish a book or two.

[GRID]

GRID, I forgot to add that you had a minor career change.  Instead of development pictures you develop a career as a nature photographer.  In fact, you will host a few exhibits and publish a book or two.

But why would you want that?  Then there would be one less person doing what I enjoy doing and I think I'm pretty good at it and I would be doing something I wouldn't enjoy doing as much nor be as good at it.



Does it really bother you that much that I want to move back to the city asap?  It may or may not be KC, but I will live in a city when my kids move out...

[aknowledgeableperson]

Nah, it does not bother me.  To each their own.  If the city life turns you on more power to you.  Even for me, sometimes it is neat to look at the city skyline (afterall I had a window office for 8 years downtown and walked around downtown for 20 more) but to see it everytime I look out the window is not the way for me to live the rest of my life.

[DaveKCMO]

this project is on the agenda for tomorrow's housing committee meeting (@ noon).

[KC_JAYHAWK]

I was walking by the building over lunch today and found this thread.  Anybody have any new updates?  It's such a fantastic building and as I was walking past it I couldn't help but keep looking back and wondering "why is this building not being renovated"?.

[zonk]

$$$$$

[PumpkinStalker]

The historic clock is home to a rare pigeon variety that is protected by law.  Rennovation would disrupt their mating habits.

[Pork Chop]

Let's get this started.....

Developer buys former Pickwick Hotel, devises redevelopment plan

The developer, Tom Smith of Gold Crown Properties, has acquired the former Pickwick Hotel and is negotiating to buy the rest of the vacant complex, considered one of downtown?s biggest developments when it opened in 1930. It faces McGee Street from Ninth to 10th streets.

His plan is to convert the 10-story hotel on the south end into 219 affordable apartments, and the seven-story office building at its north into 59 units of senior housing. Rents would range from $600 to $900 a month.

There are no plans yet for the old Union Bus Terminal at the center of the block, but its clock would be repaired

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/16/22 ... z0zmwxANYM

[DaveKCMO]

street-level retail!

also, this is an excellent use for every incentive in the book.

since mcgee is pretty much useless for transit purposes, any ideas on uses for the bus terminal section? sorry, but greyhound belongs in a location that can offer intermodal connections with local transit (i.e. union station or 10th/main).

[KCMax]

Very cool news. Agree on the use of incentives. I'm also encouraged they're preserving the clock. Seems like they have the propensity to preserve as much of the historic portions as they can.

since mcgee is pretty much useless for transit purposes, any ideas on uses for the bus terminal section?

Well, if there's a senior living center, probably something catering to them? Medical clinic? CVS/Walgreens? Furr's Cafeteria?

[bobbyhawks]

Very cool news. Agree on the use of incentives. I'm also encouraged they're preserving the clock. Seems like they have the propensity to preserve as much of the historic portions as they can.

Well, if there's a senior living center, probably something catering to them? Medical clinic? CVS/Walgreens? Furr's Cafeteria?

Great news.

[KCMax]

So the TIF is going towards plutonium? 1.21 jiggowatts!??!?

[FangKC]

I wish this developer would also buy that vacant building on the NW corner of 10th and Oak that Nick Abnos owns and hasn't finished, and incorporate it into his development plan.

Renovating the Pickwick complex would also help a great deal in making the surface lot north of it at 9th and Oak more desirable to a future developer--possibly for a law firm since it's close to the court houses and federal, city, state, and county buildings.

KCMax's idea of converting part of the ground retail into a medical clinic is a good idea. Especially if it was one of those Quik-Clinics that would take walk-ins and serve the downtown office population--like a lot of the drugstores are operating now.

[mlind]

KCMax's idea of converting part of the ground retail into a medical clinic is a good idea. Especially if it was one of those Quik-Clinics that would take walk-ins and serve the downtown office population--like a lot of the drugstores are operating now.

In the financial district of San Francisco, I swear there is a Walgreens on every block.  So they would seem to be inclined to go into the area you're suggesting.

Also, every new condo/apartment/office development in the SF Bay Area always has to include ground floor retail.  And most of those spaces have remained empty, even before the recession. So, while it's a great idea, for some reason it doesn't seem to work. I don't know why.