Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Discuss items in the urban core outside of Downtown as described above. Everything in the core including the east side (18th & Vine area), Northeast, Plaza, Westport, Brookside, Valentine, Waldo, 39th street, & the entire midtown area.
brewcrew1000
Hotel President
Hotel President
Posts: 3104
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:10 am
Location: Broadway/Gilham according to google maps

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by brewcrew1000 »

longviewmo wrote:Also interesting that the Joe's people are partnering in the new Rye. They don't partner with any other restaurants?
And the Joes people don't set up shop in Missouri
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 33828
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by KCPowercat »

I only went to Rye once but I didn't get the love....and I had the chicken.
shinatoo
Ambassador
Posts: 7392
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:20 pm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by shinatoo »

KCPowercat wrote:I only went to Rye once but I didn't get the love....and I had the chicken.
I had a very bad fried chicken experience at Rye, but everything else I've had has been great. They took care of me on the one bad experience.
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 18141
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by FangKC »

Restoration Emporium going into former Plaza Theater space.

http://fox4kc.com/2017/07/02/restoratio ... a-theater/
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by earthling »

Hopefully a good sign new Plaza owners will target more non-mainstream chain retail. Would love for Plaza to go for ethnic counter eats too but maybe that's too out there for regional draw, Westport covers the bases well enough.

In my ideal world... downtown soon draws real comprehensive range of retail (including high end), Plaza fails limping along as a mall, the Plaza owner dumps it dirt cheap and writes off their losses. A locally minded property owner takes it over cheaply allowing cheaper rents, turns it into a quaint village with mostly local eats, converts upper spaces to housing above, adapts to broad range of cultural entertainment (jazz, blues, theatre rooms, folk venues, etc), a local market and leans toward less chain retail where possible (a Walgreens/CVS though).

Think about it, the Plaza could be a really great village instead of a mall.
User avatar
DaveKCMO
Ambassador
Posts: 20039
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:22 pm
Location: Crossroads
Contact:

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by DaveKCMO »

isn't the market forcing their hand a bit? lots of major retail chains are going bankrupt or downsizing. they are wise to pivot to a more local focus.
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by earthling »

Seems so and it will be interesting to see if more locals can afford the Plaza rent, especially cultural venues like performance theatre space and clubs as I'm suggesting. The new owners paid a pretty penny, not sure if rent is even more than when Highwoods owned it. The new owners are still ultimately retail mall operators though. What I'm suggesting is transitioning the Plaza from a shopping/restaurant district into a residential/cultural village as a strategic vision. Am implying that if new owners flop because mall concept isn't working for Plaza anymore, they theoretically could dump the property with a write off and the following owner (ideally local) gets it cheaper and can potentially attract more local cultural spaces, mix some urbane ethnic counter eats places with cheaper rent. As well as some nice sit down places ideally not Cheesecake Factory/Changs like chains. If I managed it, would also transition most if not nearly all the second+ floor office spaces of Plaza buildings to residential, which would give it more of a village vibe. The bones are there to become an awesome village but under this scenario it would need an owner that focuses on that vision.

Alternatively, Fang mentioned one time about impact of Plaza being sold off in chunks. The Plaza has run its course methinks with a single owner and something that drastic would probably be a good long term if not permanent shakeup, a new direction to become an urban neighborhood with various visions rather than a manicured shopping/restaurant district.
User avatar
beautyfromashes
One Park Place
One Park Place
Posts: 7188
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:04 am

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by beautyfromashes »

What was the piano bar that was on the second floor space above where Restoration Hardware was?
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by earthling »

^The name is escaping me but the Plaza has usually been light on cultural nightlife with clubs, performance theatre, etc. Has especially been downplayed last 10+ years. Plaza III still has jazz downstairs but only Saturday nights. The Plaza seems to be loosing its luster lately and a shakeup from a pure retail/restaurant district could give it new life. Could target about a dozen spots towards nightlife, target mix of urbane Euro/ethnic counter eats and smaller cafes, convert at least half of above office space to residential, etc. Maybe target approx as 1/4 regional draw, 1/2 local residential village and 1/4 nightlife focus (not party bars) or 1/3 each and adjust over time with whatever is working.

The challenge is Plaza's high rent and the high value new owners paid for the district. They'll want a return and drawing local operators could be difficult with high rents.
loftguy
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3850
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2005 12:12 pm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by loftguy »

beautyfromashes wrote:What was the piano bar that was on the second floor space above where Restoration Hardware was?
Harry Starkers
User avatar
rxlexi
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2290
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2003 10:30 pm
Location: Briarcliff

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by rxlexi »

Harry Starkers
Yep. That was a great space. So sad when it was leased to a law firm - the end of a long restaurant/entertainment run.
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by earthling »

^Highwoods broader goal to change the Plaza into an office park with a mall attached.
User avatar
Highlander
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 10168
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 1:40 pm
Location: Houston

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by Highlander »

earthling wrote:^The name is escaping me but the Plaza has usually been light on cultural nightlife with clubs, performance theatre, etc. Has especially been downplayed last 10+ years. Plaza III still has jazz downstairs but only Saturday nights. The Plaza seems to be loosing its luster lately and a shakeup from a pure retail/restaurant district could give it new life. Could target about a dozen spots towards nightlife, target mix of urbane Euro/ethnic counter eats and smaller cafes, convert at least half of above office space to residential, etc. Maybe target approx as 1/4 regional draw, 1/2 local residential village and 1/4 nightlife focus (not party bars) or 1/3 each and adjust over time with whatever is working.

The challenge is Plaza's high rent and the high value new owners paid for the district. They'll want a return and drawing local operators could be difficult with high rents.
They just signed on Nike. The blurb I read said they wanted to make the plaza more attractive to a broader spectrum of people. Not sure what that means, Highwoods was already going down that route and its 180 degrees from what I had read earlier about the new owners - that they wanted more exclusive local places. I think Rye was a step in the right direction. Nike is ho hum.
User avatar
beautyfromashes
One Park Place
One Park Place
Posts: 7188
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:04 am

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by beautyfromashes »

Locally owned 'Hogshead' moving into former California Pizza Kitchen space. Looks like new owners are moving in the right direction!
User avatar
NorthOak
Strip mall
Strip mall
Posts: 212
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 1:37 am

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by NorthOak »

Wouldn't it be great if a resurrected Jardines Jazz restaurant/club or similar restaurant went into the old Houstons location?
Jardines was packed every night and served up live music 5 nights a week.
Besides the coke-snorting non-local owner (she spent most of her time out of town), the only other issues was it was too small and parking was tight.

I think the Houstons location would be perfect for a similar place as parking (especially at night) is plentiful and the room is already set up with old skool dark decor and acoustics. Blow out the booths on the east side of the bar and build a small stage extending just slightly above and into the main dining area. The bar would be packed on one side of the stage and diners the other side. Move the dining booths to the back room for those that want a quieter, dining experience and use small bistro tables up near the stage.
The back room with booths would be perfect as you can still see the stage but not have to be near it. The additional alcohol profits from live music would make this smaller place work.
aknowledgeableperson is currently on your ignore list.
You will no longer see any of her posts.
earthling
Mark Twain Tower
Mark Twain Tower
Posts: 8519
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:27 pm
Location: milky way, orion arm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by earthling »

More signs of Plaza going local when possible, a good direction but still restaurant/retail mall theme. Jardine's revival or something similar would add nightlife and yeah, Houston's would be a good spot.
MidtownCat
Valencia Place
Valencia Place
Posts: 1930
Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 12:05 pm
Location: ~Westwood~

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by MidtownCat »

Went into the new "Nike Store" on the Plaza today. I'm actually pretty sure the the outlet version at The Legends is better. Lol. What a joke.
hartliss
Colonnade
Colonnade
Posts: 791
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2002 4:05 pm
Location: Brookside

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by hartliss »

MidtownCat wrote:Went into the new "Nike Store" on the Plaza today. I'm actually pretty sure the the outlet version at The Legends is better. Lol. What a joke.
Ouch, I was wondering how it was. When it was first announced I, like some, was disappointed.
bobbyhawks
Bryant Building
Bryant Building
Posts: 3890
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:19 pm

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by bobbyhawks »

MidtownCat wrote:Went into the new "Nike Store" on the Plaza today. I'm actually pretty sure the the outlet version at The Legends is better. Lol. What a joke.
Dang. There is a really nice store in downtown Portland. I was hoping this would be like that. The store at the Legends blows.
MidtownCat
Valencia Place
Valencia Place
Posts: 1930
Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 12:05 pm
Location: ~Westwood~

Re: Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

Post by MidtownCat »

bobbyhawks wrote:
MidtownCat wrote:Went into the new "Nike Store" on the Plaza today. I'm actually pretty sure the the outlet version at The Legends is better. Lol. What a joke.
Dang. There is a really nice store in downtown Portland. I was hoping this would be like that. The store at the Legends blows.
Right. The hope was that it was actually going to be one of their experiential Nike stores or at the very least one of their boutiques. They literally rolled out their outlet version. I actually think the Legends store may be a step up. I guess Highwoods was hard up to find something.
Post Reply