50s/Main development

[Stockton]

Any news on this area?

An urban grocer, at least on the scale of Brookside's grocery stores, would be amazing. I can see this area being a more dense version of the Brookside business district, but surrounded by higher-density, multi-family housing and within walking distance of the Plaza and Loose Park!

If there were a grocery store, I'd certainly consider living in this area. I occasionally see some really inexpensive condos (sub-$100K) for sale here. I'd love to live here and walk to the grocery store, Loose Park, and Plaza with my girlfriend.

[Thaine]

First Milgram's, then Piggly-Wiggly, found it hard to run a grocery store in the area.  Though I guess Milgrams found out over 30 or so years.  What's changed that would make a grocery store viable now that wasn't ten years ago?  I'm not arguing I'm just discussing.

[chrizow]

with two grocery stores (price chopper and brookside market) about 10-15 blocks away and the purported larger Wild Oats going in at 45th and Main, does there really have to be a grocery at 51st and Main?

[Tunnel]

What's changed that would make a grocery store viable now that wasn't ten years ago? 

Not much, I guess.  The Kirkwood development will add some people right next door, but I don't know how many. 

What confuses me is how a grocery store could fail with such close proximity to a large university.

[Stockton]

with two grocery stores (price chopper and brookside market) about 10-15 blocks away and the purported larger Wild Oats going in at 45th and Main, does there really have to be a grocery at 51st and Main?

Maybe I'm being too idealistic, but I'd like an urban neighborhood to live in that is affordable, safe, and at the same time has basic amenities within a quick walking distance.

I mean, this neighborhood is JUST south of the Plaza, near a university, high-density housing, and some top-notch and dense demos.

I want the option to live carfree, and was just interested in this neighborhood's potential future.

[warwickland]

Not much, I guess.  The Kirkwood development will add some people right next door, but I don't know how many. 

What confuses me is how a grocery store could fail with such close proximity to a large university.

as umkc continues to become a 'normal' university with students who live on campus, i think this need will grow. right now, i see students buying frozen pizzas at CVS.

[dangerboy]

Joyce Smith reports that the Double Dragon space will be a British pub/restaurant. I for one can't wait for the Boddingtons and I hope they have some Flake on offer as well.

[KCMax]

Capital!

[NDTeve]

http://www.firkinpubs.com

[dangerboy]

http://www.firkinpubs.com

Oh.  It's a chain.  From Canadia.

[Thaine]

Anybody remember when that building housed the Plaza Bar and Grill?  Place rocked.

[PumpkinStalker]

Back from the dead, I revive this thread.

On the Max today, noticed that the newer strip mall between Planet Sub and Andre's now has a banner on the end space that says Accurso's coming in 09.  Apparently they're moving down the block to a new, modern, and very glassy space.  Looks like they'll have a patio. 

Bittersweet.  I like the old school, mafiaesque space that was dark and dirty.  But I'm sure they'll attract new customers that felt uneasy just walking into the old place without knowing what it's like inside.  Now they can see right in and can check it out.

[NDTeve]

Accursos sandwiches for lunch are the real deal.

[cattlemaster]

I like how the new strip of retail was not set back.  The parking is behind, and the area now has a pedestrian central business district feel.  Even the motor banking center of UMB was brought closer to the street.  The new library and retail (Chipotle, Mixx) were also not set back.  This 3 block stretch is becoming a walkable neighborhood , and a great improvement.  I have to assume this was the city's plan.  Developers and retailers prefer parking in front of their businesses.

[Midtownkid]

SPIN! Pizza is coming to this area!!  I was looking at hammerpress's website (love them) and noticed they did the graphics for Spin Pizza.  Then I remembered that El Dorado did the architecture work for them too.  Spin has 3 locations all 'way out' in the burbs.  I e-mailed them and asked:


" I love the look and design of your restaurants and website.  If you have
employed the artful talent of places like Hammerpress and  El Dorado
architects (who are based in downtown Kansas City, MO) why don\'t you open a
restaurant somewhere in the urban core.  Urbanites would love it! "

They answered later:

"Hi -----,
We are sorta getting close. We plan to open our 50th and Main SPIN! In late
Janurary or early February. Not quite the urban core, but hopefully
accessibly to people in the midtown area.
Thanks for writing!
Hope to see you soon,
Gail - SPIN!"

[trailerkid]

What exactly is happening to the old Accurso's? They're tearing down all the old stuff with character and moving the businesses?

Also, get some retail and not all restaurants. A shiny new CVS on top of one of the surface lots in the style of the NKC location would be a nice anchor. A couple Xroads style retailers would be good...and what about a theater in the coming years? Just like any of the dozens underperforming neighborhoods in the core there is so much potential here. I would also expect there is a demand for mixed use.

[KCMax]

http://www.kansascity.com/199/story/965885.html

Perfect Scents takes over the space vacated by Middle Class Values.

Accurso's and Plaza Ford-Ideal Dry Cleaner will move to the redeveloped DST space in February, rather than January as originally planned. Spin will also open up in February.

[chrizow]

lame.  what will go into the old spaces?  are they being razed?  i wish we could attract more new businesses to the area rather than shuffle all the existing ones around. 

more prescient:  where the hell is trader joe's?!  i have a hard time imagining a more appealing location than smack in the middle of the plaza/brookside axis of Bobo-dom.

[wetpaint]

http://www.kansascity.com/199/story/965885.html

Perfect Scents takes over the space vacated by Middle Class Values.

This amuses me. I went in Middle Class Values once and was overwhelmed by the stench of cat pee. I never went back. I don't imagine that space having a perfect scent anytime soon.

[AJoD]

This amuses me. I went in Middle Class Values once and was overwhelmed by the stench of cat pee. I never went back. I don't imagine that space having a perfect scent anytime soon.

Wow, I never went in that place, but always imagined it would smell of cat pee.  What a strangely named store.