KCRag Forum

chrizow wrote:Does MAC want to fix up the building on the SW corner like it said it would 5+ years ago?

Don't know. Personally, if it was taken down and replaced with something larger I wouldn't be heartbroken. But if they can work it into the redesign, that's cool too.

chrizow wrote: Is the plan for new-construction residential with street-facing retail on the other corners?

AFAIK, all 4 corners will be some kind of mixed-use building. And townhouses on the NE corner of Armour and Harrison. There were some sketchup drawings floating around a couple of years ago, but those are the last drawings I have seen.

JBmidtown wrote:Oliver Abnos is coming over to my house today to fix the ceiling in my room. Maybe I can convince him to sell the hotel property while he's here lol.

Good luck with that

Two potentially positive developments around 5300 Troost.

1st is a new redevelopment plan on the table for St. Francis Xavier into Catholic Student housing. It would be scaled down from the last proposal and would attempt to save the existing structure through the use of HTC. This proposal appears to have neighborhood support unlike the last proposal. They are aiming for occupancy by 2018 fall semester.

2nd is development of two empty lots directly south of St. Francis Xavier (and North of Bradys [formerly Mikes Tavern]). UMKC owns these two lots and is ready to develop them. RFPs have returned proposals of market rate housing over retail. They would like to start construction next year with occupancy in 2019.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics ... 33547.html

KCtoBrooklyn wrote:Mixed-use development planned for old bakery building at 30th and Troost. From Midtown KC Post:

Mixed Use Development Starts with a Community Garden

Soil at 30th and Harrison will become a community garden soon, but it is part of a plan to grow more than vegetables.

Denver developer and gardener Ilan Salzberg provided that 20,000 square feet of land called Troostdale Farm. The way he sees it, residents of about 80 new apartments could one day stroll over to get produce.
...

In what would be Salzberg’s first Kansas City project, he wants to turn the building’s 120,000 square feet into the apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space, working with local architect Caleb Buland.
....

In the Wonder Bread Building, he wants to create what is called a third place, a spot where people can gather, a home away from their homes and offices.

That can be done with things like coffee shops or a brew pub, he said, and he is talking with a Denver brew pub and others in Kansas City.

Giant upstairs bathroom space in the two-story building would be perfect for a fitness club, he added. “When you clean it up, it’s going to shine.”

He is working with city planners and with financing groups, he said, and hopes to start the project late this year.

Could be a very interesting and transformative project - especially if the brew pub happens. But like all Troost proposals, I will file this under the believe-it-when-I-see-it category.

Work is still underway on this

Apparently there's a question on if some of the land becomes parking or a greenhouse

Ran into the owner of Ruby Jean's Juicery. He's opening a location at 3000 Troost in about a month. They were doing some work on the interior on Saturday.

Is that going into the old Flavor Trade spot? I noticed the work being done. I believe it is owned by the Denver developers of the Campbell Bakery across the corner.

Yep. They're connected with the Bakery developers somehow.

Startland article about Ruby Jean's coming to Troost: http://www.startlandnews.com/2017/09/ru ... ce-troost/

Also, in the BizJournal, a new grant for home buyers is starting between Harrison and 71, 27th and 47th: https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... uyers.html

It looks like this is a $10k grant for home buyers who make up to the median income amount (which I don't see listed). It doesn't appeared to be tied to rehabs, like the RAMP program. RAMP is still available for all these neighborhoods between Troost and Paseo, with a grant up to $15k for rehabs.

Perhaps the more interesting part of this is the incentive for landlords to sell their rental properties: a $10k grant to spend on rehab of rental properties that must be sold within 18 months. I think this is great if it results in more owner occupants. I wouldn't mind seeing similar incentives expanded to other areas - or at least harsher penalties for slumlords that don't maintain their properties.

There really haven't been many homes for sale between Troost and Paseo lately, and I think much of that is due to landlords sitting on houses, waiting for values to keep going up while doing minimal maintenance. It looks like Squier Park and Center City have had zero homes sold this year. There is only 1 house on the market in Squier Park, but it is on Paseo and there is 1 house under contract in Center City. These two neighborhoods could really take off if the MAC plan for Armour and Troost comes to fruition, but if people are just sitting on the properties, nothing is going to happen.

Other interesting aspects of this TIF plan:

The plan approved Wednesday also calls for forgivable loans of as much as $2,500 a unit for exterior improvements to multifamily properties, $10,000 per lot for single-family new construction gap financing and $5,000 a home, with owners matching dollar for dollar, for improvements to single-family rentals.

I think the City will eventually expand this program east to the area around 27th/Linwood and Prospect. I read awhile back that a vast majority of the single family houses in this area are rentals (over 80 percent), and the City seeks to get more homeowners in the area.

IIRC there have been a few homes sell in SP this year, but they've all been done without a listing.

Charlotte Street Foundation is moving some artists into the old payday loan place at 40th. Not sure what the timetable is on that.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/4000+ ... -94.572553

this place? And moving them in, like to live there?

I think they’re just working there, but I’m not sure. This is not one of my better pieces of info.

chaglang wrote:I think they’re just working there, but I’m not sure. This is not one of my better pieces of info.

The Charlotte St Foundation used to have work space on 12th downtown. I bet it's like that.

I've been told that Andrew Brain sold his land at 25th & Troost to another developer. I don't know what this means for the planned $120 million twin high-rise project, but I'm guessing it will take a much different (less ambitious) form.

Interesting. The high rise was DOA anyway.

Hadley is moving from W18th (formerly between Birdie's and Peggy Noland) to 27th and Troost.

Sad to see a designer leave the Crossroads, but it may be good news for the Eastside!

http://www.hadleyclark.com/

I have a feeling that some of the creative Crossroads will eventually move to areas like the retail node on Troost from 31st south. I think some artists are already around there. There are enough old retail storefronts on the west side (to Linwood) to create a stretch of art-related businesses, coffee shops, hippie cafes, etc.

FangKC wrote:areas like the retail node on Troost from 31st south. I think some artists are already around there. There are enough old retail storefronts on the west side (to Linwood) to create a stretch of art-related businesses, coffee shops, hippie cafes, etc.

The problem with that area is that the majority of the buildings are owned by the same person who has been trying to sell the properties for years, but asking way too much. However, I don't see a current listing for those properties, so maybe something has changed.

This seems to be an issue for many spots on Troost: people holding onto properties waiting for the value to go up, but doing nothing to improve the area so values remain stagnant. There really don't seem to be as many cheap properties on Troost come on the market as you might assume, otherwise we might already be seeing more artist or small/independent shop migration.

The way to get them to sell is exactly what you would think.

Need their taxes to go up so much it's not economic to hold onto them. The last downtown holdouts will get pushed by this.

https://www.troostmarketcollective.org/

Inner Space Yoga moved to 27th & Troost as well. A tattoo parlor moved into where it was at 31st & Cherry.