KCRag Forum

moderne wrote:Vegan restaurant and a Thai cafe to go in the 3100 block of Gillham.

cool! which spaces? The Bitterman bldg that Butch Rigby bought? Or the vacant storefronts on 31st just W of Gillham (berbiglia and the pad sites?)

One in the Bitterman bldng, and one in the building to the north of that. Most people don't realize that street is Gillham Rd and the parallel street to the west is Gillham Plaza.

And a couple more vintage shops are coming to that area in addition to Urban Mining.

wahoowa wrote:nice! we walked by fud on 17th street this weekend and it's boarded up. renovation or moving?

Moving probably/hopefully. I know the landlady has been trying to evict her for awhile. Btw not sure if it’s obvious but I have a deep and eternal hate for Heidi Belle.

moderne wrote:One in the Bitterman bldng, and one in the building to the north of that. Most people don't realize that street is Gillham Rd and the parallel street to the west is Gillham Plaza.

Why is that, anyway? Why can't Cherry just be Cherry for those 3 blocks? Maybe it made sense on some really old map but it makes no sense at all on the current grid.

Gilham Road curves to the east at 34th Street, then heads north in an alignment on Cherry for three blocks, to 31st, before heading back west in front of El Torreon. Historically, it continued north to 25th Street and then curved into Pershing. When the flatter alignment was established on Locust from 33rd to 25th, the section north of 31st was shifted to the new alignment. Gilham Plaza remained, however, south of 31st.

voltopt wrote:Gilham Road curves to the east at 34th Street, then heads north in an alignment on Cherry for three blocks, to 31st, before heading back west in front of El Torreon. Historically, it continued north to 25th Street and then curved into Pershing. When the flatter alignment was established on Locust from 33rd to 25th, the section north of 31st was shifted to the new alignment. Gilham Plaza remained, however, south of 31st.

This 1925 map shows the "new" Gilham under construction while the old Gilham is still in use.

AlbertHammond wrote:

voltopt wrote:Gilham Road curves to the east at 34th Street, then heads north in an alignment on Cherry for three blocks, to 31st, before heading back west in front of El Torreon. Historically, it continued north to 25th Street and then curved into Pershing. When the flatter alignment was established on Locust from 33rd to 25th, the section north of 31st was shifted to the new alignment. Gilham Plaza remained, however, south of 31st.

This 1925 map shows the "new" Gilham under construction while the old Gilham is still in use.

Get back to work, you two.

It looks like there is a new sign up from the leasing company on the 31 Levy/Velvet Freeze building. I'm not sure if they are waiting to sign retail tenants before ground breaking, but it does look like this project is still in the works and not dead as has been suggested.

Sign not new.

moderne wrote:Sign not new.

I know there were signs up in the past, but I believe the one up right now on the west side is a new one.

Edit: Yep, just looked at the old sign on Google streetview from March 2017 and the one I saw today was different (and I think a very recent addition). I remember the new one had Epoch mentioned on it somewhere, and I think it was larger and a different material (unless I'm remembering it wrong and going crazy).

Also, the project is still showing up on the leasing company's website and Epoch's website (although I know that may not mean anything).

I walk around this corner almost every day. The sign on the west side has been there for ages.

I have talked often to business owners in the area who all say the project is a no go because of the parking issue. It may come back without the new building, just a renovation and penthouse on the old with surface parking to the north, much like what was done with the Battery Lofts. Not ideal, but better than the current eyesore.

Old sign from Google Streetview on March of this year:


New Sign:


I pass by this building on a regular basis and I'm pretty sure this sign has been put up within the past week. It could be that they are starting with the renovation/penthouse of the existing structure.

I'm not sure how new this is, but I just noticed a for sale sign on the vacant lot between Velvet Freeze and what is now the tattoo shop. It has a link to this horrendous website, which seems to indicate that lot, plus much of the west side of Cherry north of 31st are now for sale: http://www.mifiber.com/

Word from Epoch is that they are still working on a few options for 31 Levy - scaling back number of apartments and adding more creative space. They are working on finding an acceptable restaurant for the front.

With all of the IT Indians moving along Gilham and Armour, an Indian restaurant should do well. And city core doesn't have very many. Need a real one with good naan, yogart sauces, Indian coffee/teas, not buffet.

I didn't think they were IT Indians. I was thinking they were mostly all UMKC students. I don't think most would eat out though. I see them in costco all the time buying 20lb bags of rice and lots of yogurt

I'm surprised food trucks don't set up in this area. I think it would be successful just setting it up around dinnertime

There's a mix. And more families too I've seen on bus more recently than in past.

Indian eats have been popular for a while anyway with foodies and adventurous. A legit informal Indian restaurant could do well in that area.

There are plans in the not distant future for a high end restaurant in the Cadillac bldng. The developer wants to put a triangular building in to the hill where McGee meets Gillham and put the rental office and a new gym in it. He then wants to attract a chef restaurant in the current gym spot. No target date for this.

brewcrew1000 wrote: I'm surprised food trucks don't set up in this area. I think it would be successful just setting it up around dinnertime

I think food trucks should set up in more areas around Midtown.

I haven't been yet, but I have heard there is a crepe food truck that sometimes sets up in Gillham Park and does great business - long lines and sells out. I believe the owner is a Hyde Park resident.

I think more food trucks could do well there, as well as on Armour Blvd. I'm surprised MAC properties doesn't set up food truck days.