Revitalize Downtown KCK

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:01 pm

Well I need suggestions on how to do this. I personally am considering that maybe if a flood completely destroyed everything in downtown KCK, and then a fire burned the knocked down crap, we could rebuild it into something a little better. How about some office building other than government ones in downtown KCK. I mean come on the view of downtown is excellent, but the cost would less.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:02 pm

mayor doesn't care, you don't have a chance. She only cares about west of 435.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:26 pm

I think we'll see some major progress in downtown KCK during the next 6 years. They have a lot of $hit on the drawing board for Quindaro, Strawberry Hill, Minnesota, Central, etc., more loot's been rollin' in than it has in the last 25 years.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 1:55 pm

KC wrote:mayor doesn't care, you don't have a chance. She only cares about west of 435.

Stupid bitch Marinovich. She moved the God damn Christmas tree to Nebraska Furniture Mart. She sold out. Simply put if she wanted a tree at NFM, she should have had 2 tress, one for downtown, one for out west. Its obvious that unless a real-estate developer truly builds out Piper the way Johnson county is built(apartments, and townhomes and cheesy subdivisions EVERYWHERE) then this whole village west thing isn't going to work. Piper is a big open farm field, and could easily bring income into KCK. Marinovich needs to find a corporate business or two to build offices out there, to help stimultate growth of regular old businesses.

Anyway back to the subject at hand, downtown KCK. Biggest problems that hold back its growth.

!. Existing Infrastructure. It might displace a lot of people to make KCK's downtown clean, safe and successful.
2. Crime. Downtown KCK is a haven of crime. This scares away business.
3. Competition. Johnson County is the biggest competitor for business on the Kansas side, and they are richer, cleaner, safer, and have a much higher population.
4. Schools. KCK School District sucks. Not quite as bad as the KCMO school district, but it is almost there. This pushes away people in the home market.

We do have some advantages though too.

1. After you hit rock bottom, you can only go up from there.
2. Diversity. This is an advantage. Johnson County has almost no diversity, its all middle class white folks out there.
3. Old and Wise. KCK has been one of the biggest cities in Kansas City since the beginning and is old enough to have learned from the mistakes of the past. Citizens of Overland Park, just remember, at one time KCK was the second largest city in KC, and the second largest city in Kansas. At one time KCK was a true suburb. At one time KCK had huge amounts of economic growth, but THINGS CHANGE. Dont expect Overland Park to always be like it is now.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:15 pm

KCK is overrated. It still sucks and a couple of retail stores out in the sticks hasn't changed that.

Just telling it like it is.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 2:53 pm

This proves my point. The only people that like Carol are the ones who don't live under her control.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 9:28 pm

KC wrote:This proves my point. The only people that like Carol are the ones who don't live under her control.

At least she and Kay Barnes communicate...unlike the JOCO mayors.

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:12 pm

KCK is overrated. It still sucks and a couple of retail stores out in the sticks hasn't changed that.

Just telling it like it is.

What's the point? Either you have a dream or you don't. KCK sho8uld have a dream of becoming the Fort Worth opr St. Paul of KC- anything less is not enough. The point about diversity is great- KCK should use that to pursue minority owned businesses- and with the growth in the hispanic population, should pursue international ties with Mexico. This would help to jump start the area.

They've got the money, now pressure needs to be put on Marinovich to do the right things and to try to get downtown going.

What do they have on the drawing board, Que? Do you have any links?

The Summit · Post by **The Summit** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 11:42 pm

I have only been to KCK a couple of times including a recent trip to the Indian Spring Center. After getting lost (roads are closed everywhere), I ended up touring a large chunk of the city.

I don't know, I can dream up some big time BS, but there is little chance of KCK becoming anything other than what it is now, a struggling blue collar area with bad demographics and a very wierd countryfied/urban feeling.

I can't imagine anyone from another large city ever "wanting" to settle in any part of KCK, unless they want a rural lifestyle within blocks of ghetto shootouts.

But I wish them luck, they still need lots of it.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:18 am

Summitt...maybe this will change your mind about buying in KCK, highest property taxes in the state.

Post by **dangerboy** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:29 am

Summit, there are some redeeming areas in KCK. The downtown area itself is making a comeback with new housing in several different projects, despite the perceived lack of attention from Mayor Marinovich. Yeah it has a long way to go, but it has to start somewhere. There is some potential for people that might wan an urban setting but with a Kansas address.

Plus, the Rosedale and Hanover Heights neighborhoods near 39th and State Line Road are good historic areas that are essentially Midtown, but in a decent urban school district. And everything in the western half will soon look just like any other suburb.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:34 am

GRID wrote:KCK is overrated. It still sucks and a couple of retail stores out in the sticks hasn't changed that.

Just telling it like it is.

I completely agree with you KCK does suck. This is my whole problem. While I don't want KCK to be like Johnson county, I also don't want it to end up like East Saint Louis, or Gary, Indiana. I have no problem with blue collar people, although I can see how some people are so high and mighty that they think that people who work hard are trash.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:55 pm

DeadManWalking wrote:Stupid bitch Marinovich. She moved the God damn Christmas tree to Nebraska Furniture Mart. She sold out.

Maybe she did sell out since she grew up in Strawberry Hill and decided to move the mayor's tree to rural WyCo. However, that whole Village West development will draw at least $5 million annually for other KCK projects. I don't think downtown KCK is being ignored either. You have the EPA Regional Headquarters, the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, the newly renovated Jack Reardon Convention Center, the BPU office building, revitalization and new homes at Cathedral Point, Turtle Hill, Strawberry Hill, loft apartments in the Old City Hall, a new community center and town homes on 27th, a senior housing complex near downtown, biking and pedestrian trails that will connect downtown KCK w/ KCMO, etc. Plus many other plans on the drawing board to revitalize downtown KCK from Strawberry Hill to Quindaro, the Riverfront to Donnelly College.

Post by **dangerboy** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:13 pm

Turtle Hill - $5.5M
Mt. Zion - $6.5M
Old City Hall Lofts - $5.5M
Delevan Townhomes and community center - $10M
EPA regional headquarters - $25M
EPA technology lab - $20M
Hilton Hotel - $17M
BPU headquarters - $16M
Kaw Point park - $2M
Riverfront Heritage - ~$5M Kansas segment

$125 million in recent years is not too shabby, considering there is almost zero investment prior. Plus just south of downtown is the $30M Mission Cliffs development in Rosedale and the tens of millions in expansions at KU Med.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:52 pm

QueSi2Opie wrote:
DeadManWalking wrote:Stupid bitch Marinovich. She moved the God damn Christmas tree to Nebraska Furniture Mart. She sold out.
Maybe she did sell out since she grew up in Strawberry Hill and decided to move the mayor's tree to rural WyCo. However, that whole Village West development will draw at least $5 million annually for other KCK projects. I don't think downtown KCK is being ignored either. You have the EPA Regional Headquarters, the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, the newly renovated Jack Reardon Convention Center, the BPU office building, revitalization and new homes at Cathedral Point, Turtle Hill, Strawberry Hill, loft apartments in the Old City Hall, a new community center and town homes on 27th, a senior housing complex near downtown, biking and pedestrian trails that will connect downtown KCK w/ KCMO, etc. Plus many other plans on the drawing board to revitalize downtown KCK from Strawberry Hill to Quindaro, the Riverfront to Donnelly College.

All good points, however take a look at Minnesota and State from 8th to 18th. They look like crap, with boarded up businesses and the only recurring theme being body shop, used car lot, thrift store. Ok this is just a little west of downtown, but its all within a mile.

Have you been to Parallel or Quindaro or Central before 18th street recently? Huge amounts of burnt down houses that the government won't tear down. Empty lots with no plans of placing anything on them ever. Old churches with boards over their windows. Virtually no businesses. By downtown KCK I mean primarily the most dense population of the city located before I 635. Here KCK resembles troost, or prospect.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:17 pm

I work in downtown KCK, at 11th st and state ave. altough it is a bad part of town, it is light years better than it was 10 years ago. You can't expect to go from loosing population, a complete pit of downtown to a glittering jewel overnight. The population is coming up, more businesses are opening, and the crime is slowly coming down. The school district is improving. Instead of looking at where KCK is compared to other cities, compare it to KCK of 1990. Its a huge difference.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:54 pm

tat2kc wrote:I work in downtown KCK, at 11th st and state ave. altough it is a bad part of town, it is light years better than it was 10 years ago. You can't expect to go from loosing population, a complete pit of downtown to a glittering jewel overnight. The population is coming up, more businesses are opening, and the crime is slowly coming down. The school district is improving. Instead of looking at where KCK is compared to other cities, compare it to KCK of 1990. Its a huge difference.

Ok, you've got me there. It is better than 10 years ago. I get really passionate because until this year I lived at 24th and State Ave. Now I live out around 71st and state. I lived right by Wyandotte High School, and in that area, between Washington Blvd. and Minnesota from 18th to 29th street, the neighborhoods are rather clean and nice, however around Parallel and Brown, they have been shit for longer than Ive been alive.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 7:47 pm

Your'e right about that. But isn't Wyandotte HS an amazing building?

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 9:49 pm

DeadManWalking wrote:Have you been to Parallel or Quindaro or Central before 18th street recently? Huge amounts of burnt down houses that the government won't tear down. Empty lots with no plans of placing anything on them ever. Old churches with boards over their windows. Virtually no businesses. By downtown KCK I mean primarily the most dense population of the city located before I 635. Here KCK resembles troost, or prospect.

Aye, I have an associate that lives off Brown and have taken Fairfax to Quindaro many times to get to his pad. At least the Nation of Islam has invested in some of the area with "Your Food Market", "Your Gas Station", "Your Community Center", etc.

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 8:16 am

Are those Nation of Islam stores still there? I had noticed that too, many years ago while substitute teaching in KCK. But now, with the things going on downtown some Christian organizations are getting into the act too.