KCRag Forum

that makes me sad

that makes me happy

that makes me anxious

I thought Barney Allis Plaza was trying to offer more activities for the public. Couldn't this be coordinated with the new YMCA. I would think this would be a great opportunity to bring people together and make BA more of an asset to the public.

I'll be very interested in how they retrofit the building to a YMCA. At first glance at least, it just doesn't seem like a good fit. In an era where workout facilities emphasize a lot of natural light, there doesn't seem like there is much you can do with the Lyric to achieve that.

Anyone know who will be the architects/designers?

Opening set for 2018. The architecture firm hasn't been selected yet. An RFP will go out soon.

http://metrowiremedia.com/ymca-plans-38 ... c-theatre/

The parking garage on the NE corner of YMCA has been roped off for awhile now and looks dangerously close to collapsing. It looks like there are plans to tear it down and build a new garage in its place. Was this garage part of the YMCA development plan?

From the most recent PZED meeting:

Rezoning a 1 acre tract of land generally located at 1004 Wyandotte Street from District DC-15 to District UR, and approving a preliminary development plan for construction of a parking garage. (14597-UR)

At one time DST had an office planned for that garage... That was prior to them shying away from the realty game.

Replacing a garage with a garage is kind of a bummer (especially next to a giant surface lot). Hopefully the new garage will incorporate some sort of retail.

It doesn't look to me like there will be any retail: http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/liveweb/Docum ... 4jnQ%3d%3d

Voxide wrote:It doesn't look to me like there will be any retail: http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/liveweb/Docum ... 4jnQ%3d%3d

clearly in compliance with the TOD policy's transparency requirements!

.

DST previously used both the old garage and the surface lot. They needed to replace the old garage any ways and so making it bigger will allow them to consolidate their employees into just the garage and leave the surface parking to the YMCA exclusively. That way, DST is paying for the garage (thru a TIF) and the YMCA gets the free (Im assuming) surface parking.

kboish wrote:DST previously used both the old garage and the surface lot. They needed to replace the old garage any ways and so making it bigger will allow them to consolidate their employees into just the garage and leave the surface parking to the YMCA exclusively. That way, DST is paying for the garage (thru a TIF) and the YMCA gets the free (Im assuming) surface parking.

I'm all for consolidating parking (is it really consolidating if the parking lot remains?), just wish they could add some sort of street level retail.

agreed

Even without retail it can't be worse than the garage there today. That's one of the lowest quality garages downtown right now.

way to raise the bar, raggers!

If there was a public/private partnership, one might be able to construct a City-owned garage on the existing DST garage footprint and the Lyric parking lot. The City could issue bonds to build it, and revenue from the garage would pay off the garage infrastructure. To accomplish this garage, one might need to close the alley that runs east-west on the north side of the block. It might also require demolition of the small building behind the school building. If you put below-grade parking under the Lyric lot, and the existing garage (that is already excavated, and then build above ground structured parking in the interior of the block, you could surround it will some retail along 10th, 11th and Wyandotte frontages.

One problem with doing this though is that it's been reported that the east side of the Lyric is going to have the facade removed and replaced with an all glass exterior. I'm assuming they are doing this to bring more light into the building.
One might solve this problem by creating an all-glass atrium structure between the Lyric building and the garage that would allow light to pass down into the former alleyway.

Then there are two scenarios. One could have just street-level retail in the garage--like is done in several buildings on the Plaza with garage decks above. The second scenario would be to have the retail, but also place apartments for several stories above--with the garage being set in the center of the block. The number of apartments could depend on how many parking spaces would be left in the garage minus the replacement of DST employee parking, YMCA parking, and some public spaces needed for the retail. It would also depend on how many upper decks of parking would be built on the interior block.

I have taken the existing DST garage footprint and moved it south into the interior of the block. I have also copied the Catholic Charities garage at 8th and Baltimore (eight levels--six above, two below-grade), and placed it in the interior of the block on the south part of the parcel. Size-wise, it fits into that block well enough to allow retail and apartments to be built around it.

The way this would work is the City would own the garage infrastructure, and perhaps rent spaces to all parties, or sell them like condo spaces. YMCA would own some, DST would own some, etc. Then another party would build the apartment and retail spaces on the periphery. They would own their own part of the structure. The atrium portion would be owned by the YMCA. The atrium would allow another pedestrian entrance into the Lyric building and the garage.

For this to work, the project would have to provide enough parking revenue (public and private) to pay off the bonds on the City garage.

The other question I have is where do the school employees park their cars currently?

I do think it's important to start re-establishing retail along Wyandotte from 11th to 3rd Street and making it a primary pedestrian-oriented street. It would be nice to draw conventioneers from the hotels in that direction to the River Market. Visitors do like exploring cities and walking along pleasant streetscapes lined with retail. Having a fully-integrated street would do that. Not to mention that it would be nice for local residents.