KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Issues concerning Downtown as described by the Downtown Council. River to 31st Street, I-35 to Bruce R. Watkins.
Post Reply
trailerkid
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 11284
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 4:49 pm

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by trailerkid »

KCPT's Kansas City: Week in Review was intense this week as they discussed Block and Cordish almost the entire time. It will air again on Sunday morning at 11:00 AM...Watch it and tape it!! This episode is basically like the forum come to life.

Here is brief recap:
--Guests were Jack Cashill of Ingram's Magazine, Jim Davis of the Business Journal, and Chris Lester of the Star.

--The first segment was only discussing why Block went downtown.

--It was mentioned that Block has a primo current location at the Plaza and could've just been expanded

--Block is a rapidly expanding company (Could have 2,000 employees in the near future)

--Was the Block move selfish (free land, free parking) ?

--Everyone says no the Block move was NOT selfish (free land, free parking)/ would've gotten more in Jo Co

--Company needs self-interest, but Bloch family has developed a corporate culture that supports doing for the community

--Cashill goes into a rant about how we don't need another Plaza because we already have the Plaza...the development should be similar to Corporate Woods

--Davis explains that KC Live would be more in competition with Legends

--Power and Light is brought up and a commercial is shown for it, and then there is a photo comparing how similar KC Live looks to Power and Light

--Lester says there is a major difference because the current development is housing, corporate offices, and retail whereas Power and Light was a 30 screen theater and more retail than currently planned.

--He explains that downtown is building a 24/7 neighborhood and that is part of the reason this development will suceed.

--He also mentions that the district should be localized with a "Great BBQ place, Great steakhouse, and a Boulevard Brewpub."

--Lester: Westport would be most hurt, clubs could possibly leave and Westport would equate to a more urban Brookside.

--Lester: The deal is not done...there could be a conflict between Block and Cordish over what retail goes where and who is in control of what.

--Davis explains that there is a conflict between Legends and KC Live over tenants like Virgin and Hard Rock

--Legends has the advantage because they already have Cabela's, Speedway, and NFM.

--But downtown is in the center of the metro and more accessable to people in Lee's Summit or East Jackson.

--Cashill goes back into how the development style is off and it should be like Corporate Woods

--Davis cuts him off and says Corporate Woods is a textbook definition of suburban design and not appropriate.

--Cashill says downtown is intimidating to outsiders and suburbanites.

--Davis mentions that Cordish would build an easily navigated development.

--It was mentioned that the Arena is derailed because of Modesa legislation, but is on the drawing board.


Overall, Davis and Lester seemed pretty hard core into this and you can tell they know a lot and love to talk about it. Cashill is more of a wise guy who is skeptical.
User avatar
DiggityDawg
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1393
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: Midtown

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by DiggityDawg »

Just reading this, I wanna smack Cashill upside the head. lol.
macnw
Colonnade
Colonnade
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2002 9:27 pm
Location: Portland

Cashill

Post by macnw »

I couldn't agree with you more dawg. Every time I pick up Ingrams, I feel like I'm looking at JOCO. It seems that there is more emphasis on the burbs than KC. Now we can give them something to salivate about. Seems logical that Cashill would bad mouth downtown, cause he knows that JOCO will never have that kind of development. Last time when I was in KC metro, I was looking at places to live. Just checked out along College Blvd for the hell of it. I remember the agent telling me that there was no reason to go downtown. I thought to myself what is there here in JOCO? Let's see what happens in the next few years. Cahill will probably own a loft in the near future!!
Brooksider
Strip mall
Strip mall
Posts: 278
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2003 10:16 pm
Location: Brookside of course

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by Brooksider »

I used to work with Cashill. He lives in Brookside. I saw the program also. I don't understand why he kept changing the subject to Brush Creek development.
Suburban Sprawl - Cut down all of the trees and name the streets after them.
User avatar
DiggityDawg
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1393
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: Midtown

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by DiggityDawg »

I forgot to mention before - thanks for the rerun heads up, trailerkid. I'll be watching tomorrow.

Whenever I hear someone going off about Downtown I always interrupt & ask "When was the last time you were down there?" . Usually shuts 'em up.
trailerkid
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 11284
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 4:49 pm

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by trailerkid »

I actually like Cashill because he says what he thinks and is often critical of things he should be critical of. But you guys are right on target with that suburban mentality of cutting downtown down as fast as they can. It's sad. It's almost like these suburban warriors think that investment in downtown is threatening to 119th Street or wherever. The ironic thing is that many of downtown's biggest supporters on this board are in the 'burbs.

Again, the repeat of the show is listed for Sun. at 11:00 AM...it was a great episode.
User avatar
DiggityDawg
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1393
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: Midtown

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by DiggityDawg »

Watching it right now.
User avatar
DiggityDawg
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1393
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:31 pm
Location: Midtown

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by DiggityDawg »

Brooksider wrote:I used to work with Cashill. He lives in Brookside. I saw the program also. I don't understand why he kept changing the subject to Brush Creek development.
Man...he really DOES keep doing that, doesn't he? lol.

Watching this rerun, I'm finding Cashill to be overbearingly negative.
KCDevin

KCPT's Week in Review focuses on Block and Cordish

Post by KCDevin »

noooo! I missed it, forgot to record it :(
Post Reply