OFFICIAL - New Downtown YMCA (former Lyric Theater)

[AJoD]

[mgh7676]

Nothing really new in the article, but excited about the possibility.

The total price tag for all three projects is $60- to- $65 million with the proposed 100,000 square-foot Downtown KCMO project needing $30- to- $40 million of that.

Byrd already has begun lobbying potential donors. He took a group of hospital representatives to Des Moines to see how a Y associated with a hospital there worked.

He’s met with the owners of all five sites being reviewed in downtown Kansas City for the proposed project and gotten solid support so far.

The Y also circulated 1,200 surveys to find out what people wanted, and the list included a wellness center, aquatics facility, medical clinic and specialty programs including massage and women-only exercise space.

By mid-summer, Byrd plans to identify a specific site and have a definite plan ready for fundraising.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/12/34 ... rylink=cpy

[brewcrew1000]

Down to 5 locations:
The five sites are at East Village, Union Station, the southeast corner of 10th Street and Grand Boulevard, 22nd and Charlotte streets near Truman Medical Center, and 10th and Wyandotte streets.

I would like to see 10th and Grand or 10th and Wyandotte. Union Station would be an interesting location.

[aknowledgeableperson]

It may be two locations:

The agency pursuing the East Village redevelopment is pitching a plan to bring a proposed downtown YMCA to the project area along with 400 apartments.

Frank Ellis, chairman and CEO of Swope Community Builders, said today the East Village location at 11th and Cherry streets proposed by his agency is one of two downtown locations to make the Y’s short list.

Ellis said free parking would be available for the proposed YMCA at a city-owned, 780-space parking garage immediate west of the site that also serves the new headquarters of the J.E. Dunn Construction Co.

“We would have 400 units of additional housing in addition to the Y building,” Ellis told members of the Downtowners group at a luncheon. “You get the Y and that leverages the market-rate housing.”

Ellis declined to identify the other location he said that’s made the finalist list for the proposed 100,000 square-foot YMCA facility.

He did observe the competing site would require a garage to be built for the proposed YMCA; an expense that Ellis believes makes the East Village site more economical.

YMCA officials declined to confirm or deny Ellis’ claim regarding the East Village.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... rylink=cpy

[KC-wildcat]

Please be 10th and Grand. That parcel could easily accomodate the YMCA, parking garage, and apartment building. And it would be closer to major bus line and starter line.

[Pork Chop]

Please be 10th and Grand. That parcel could easily accomodate the YMCA, parking garage, and apartment building. And it would be closer to major bus line and starter line.

Personally, I favor the East Village site for purely selfish reasons, but it's about time something better than a 50 unit apartment complex was built in EV.
Also, there's a readily avaliable garage (let's limit the amount of money the city pays for new garages), hopefully the 12th St. streetcar line will be built as well and it will be 3 blocks from where I live. What more can you ask for?

[mgh7676]

Would the YMCA Express in Quality Hill stay if a new downtown location was built?

[KCPowercat]

Would the YMCA Express in Quality Hill stay if a new downtown location was built?

if 10th & Wyandotte, doubt it. East Village or Truman or Union Station, probably.

My guess is it's down to East Village and 10th/Grand. I'd have to see both proposals....I'd like it in either location. Wyandotte would also be good...the Truman and Union Station locations I do not like.

[brewcrew1000]

The Business Journal said 5 locations, didn't see this kc star article

[flyingember]

the site right next to the JE Dunn parking garage makes sense.

the lot they mention is a big nothing right now on one half and parking on the other

[taxi]

Clearly, we could use more young, Christian male athletes in the East Village. You go, Frank!

[earthling]

Looks like East Village with 400 apts is proposed. Article was deeply buried..

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... k=misearch

[GRID]

Looks like East Village with 400 apts is proposed. Article was deeply buried..

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... k=misearch

Wow, this would be awesome. 400 new construction apartments east of grand? This is a big deal and needs to happen.

[Pork Chop]

Looks like East Village with 400 apts is proposed. Article was deeply buried..

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... k=misearch

Wow, this would be awesome. 400 new construction apartments east of grand? This is a big deal and needs to happen.

I totally agree

[KC-wildcat]

Looks like East Village with 400 apts is proposed. Article was deeply buried..

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... k=misearch

Wow, this would be awesome. 400 new construction apartments east of grand? This is a big deal and needs to happen.

How bout 400 new apartments and YMCA on Grand. I mean, aren't projects like these absolutely, eunquivocally necessary to making Grand grand?

[taxi]

No, this would help the EV more than Grand. Grand will get there eventually, but EV needs a push start.

[Pork Chop]

No, this would help the EV more than Grand. Grand will get there eventually, but EV needs a push start.

I agree with this as well. Grand is coming along on it's own now and will continue to do well in the future. EV is a wasteland of fields and old parking lots. The YMCA with 400 apartments would do wonders for the area, as long as the apartments are not like the 50 unit apartment they did where the block is 3/4's parking.

[GRID]

Looks like East Village with 400 apts is proposed. Article was deeply buried..

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/10/38 ... k=misearch

Wow, this would be awesome. 400 new construction apartments east of grand? This is a big deal and needs to happen.

How bout 400 new apartments and YMCA on Grand. I mean, aren't projects like these absolutely, eunquivocally necessary to making Grand grand?

East side of downtown needs a lot of help and a project of this size and mixed use might be just enough to really spark some more interest over there. This project alone will do more for the east side of downtown than five new federal buildings. Hope it happens.

[macnw]

Anything newsworthy on this front? Is it a given that anything will be announced before the year?

[Pork Chop]

Big downtown YMCA is planned, but three others will close

The new proposal calls for building a 100,000-square-foot YMCA on a surface parking lot owned by UMB Bank on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Grand Boulevard.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/12/41 ... rylink=cpy

Ok, since Grand Blvd was chosen (I admit it's a good location for it), can we now remove Swope as the master developer for the East Village? They have been nothing but a disappointment.