wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

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dangerboy
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by dangerboy »

KCMax wrote: I'd guess there are more than enough people in KCK/Midtown/Downtown/Plaza/Brookside to patronize 39th street that not much of the 39th street clientele hails from Olathe or Blue Springs.
Actually 39th Street is lousy with JO license plates.  On a weekend night easily half of the cars are from Joco.  It's a mostly non-threatening way for them to go into "the city" for dinner without going very far into scary Missouri.

Sarcasm side, 39th Street draws from all over the metro, including Blue Springs and Olathe.  It's a regional dining destination.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by KCMax »

Yea, but I'd wager they're from Fairway/Mission Hills/Mission, not Overland Park and Olathe.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by Boognish »

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned. KU Medical Center is a monster. How many thousands of people are there on a busy day? A large portion of the clientelle that helped build the 39th St. corridor come from there rather than just the people living in the surrounding neighborhoods. This also helps explain the large number of Johnson County plates frequenting the restaurants, particularly during the day.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by QueSi2Opie »

mean wrote:That area would be perfect for rowhomes or more apartments, but there's just nowhere to put them.
Aren't they planning rowhouses or condos along Rainbow Blvd?  Those future residents should help keep the businesses busy across State Line.

Personally, I think they need more restaurants that can be transformed into popular nightspots after hours. Lots of young pros and students around W. 39th that are probably looking to unwind on Friday & Saturday night.

I live in Overland Park (not Mission, Fairway, etc.), and I even miss Cafe Rumi...and loved Matadors.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by heatherkay »

Boulevard Row is about 12 higher-end units at Rainbow and 44th.  More promising might be Missions Cliffs at 39th and Lloyd (about a half-mile west of State Line) that will have more than 100 detached and townhomes that will price in the high 100s to mid 200s (http://www.cityvisionministries.org/mission.html)

ETA -- If you go to look at the proposed models for the townhomes (http://www.missioncliffstownhomes.com/docs/models.asp), the floorplans are actually named after Restaurant Row restaurants.
Last edited by heatherkay on Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by staubio »

I've dined far less on 39th than I used to when I was able to walk from West Plaza.  Transit connections to the neighborhood are lousy.  The 39 bus isn't adequate.  39th is a disconnected island in the context of the rest of the city.  It is surrounded by residences and a monolithic hospital.

I love 39th and I think it has a very cool vibe but it'd be nice if we could plop it somewhere into the RCP corridor.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by mean »

Or just connect it to Broadway with consistent urban fabric. Instead of, you know, strip malls and suburban style chinese buffets...
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by ComandanteCero »

chrizow wrote: Rumi, Addis Ababa, Macaluso's, and rumors of Circe - closing. 
RUMI?!?!  NOOOOOOOO!!!

Damn, it was easily one of my favorite places to eat at (whenever i had family or friends in town, we inevitably ate there for one of our meals).  I'll admit i haven't been there in months though  :?
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by dangerboy »

mean wrote: Or just connect it to Broadway with consistent urban fabric. Instead of, you know, strip malls and suburban style chinese buffets...
Right, 39th Street east of Roanoke needs a lot of help to re-create a viable urban corridor, which would go a long way towards shrinking the psychological distance between Broadway and State Line Road.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by mean »

Seriously! It's only what, maybe 3/4 of a mile from Broadway to SLR? Sure feels like forever when you have to walk it, though.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by Steve52 »

Boognish wrote: I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned. KU Medical Center is a monster.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by WinchesterMysteryHouse »

Its a time of healthy turnover on W.39th street.  Better that than Westport's  current lot.  Several closings seem longterm.  Albeit located at the area's fringes, Tizers + Osco locations are stagnant.  Large deadspots, those buildings, and then to the south-  the unfortunate owners of Westport stalwarts ReRuns + Californo's are bracketed by empty (or frankly, pointless) storefronts on either side (the magnetic Murray's Ice Cream closed for winter). 

The Max route along Main bypasses both neighborhoods.  The Max then favors 'projected' areas in the South Loop and trophy clients: Crown Center + the art museums.  Nothing in the Payday Loans District (Main north of 43rd) encourages Max tourist-shuttle riders to hop off, and experience the vibrant, existing neighborhoods W.39th and Westport.

Nor does this Main route indicate a 'legitimate' Kansas City experience.  Or most important, a shopping spree!  Right?  W. 39th is an 'island,' yeah, but most surviving neighborhoods are.  That's the trend discussed so often here. Since even advancements such as Max carve up the city's terrain into warring islands.  Unintentionally or not?
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by trailerkid »

WinchesterMysteryHouse wrote: Its a time of healthy turnover on W.39th street.  Better that than Westport's  current lot.  Several closings seem longterm.  Albeit located at the area's fringes, Tizers + Osco locations are stagnant.  Large deadspots, those buildings, and then to the south-  the unfortunate owners of Westport stalwarts ReRuns + Californo's are bracketed by empty (or frankly, pointless) storefronts on either side (the magnetic Murray's Ice Cream closed for winter). 

The Max route along Main bypasses both neighborhoods.  The Max then favors 'projected' areas in the South Loop and trophy clients: Crown Center + the art museums.  Nothing in the Payday Loans District (Main north of 43rd) encourages Max tourist-shuttle riders to hop off, and experience the vibrant, existing neighborhoods W.39th and Westport.

Nor does this Main route indicate a 'legitimate' Kansas City experience.  Or most important, a shopping spree!  Right?  W. 39th is an 'island,' yeah, but most surviving neighborhoods are.  That's the trend discussed so often here. Since even advancements such as Max carve up the city's terrain into warring islands.  Unintentionally or not?
Why blame MAX? I use transit to get places and connecting to the 39 bus from MAX is easy. Is MAX responsible for connecting every urban node in the city?
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by dangerboy »

Unfortunately half of the #39 trips divert to the Plaza instead of going all the way to State Line Road.  At night the frequency of trips serving W. 39th St. drops down to hourly.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

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KCMax wrote: I'd guess there are more than enough people in KCK/Midtown/Downtown/Plaza/Brookside to patronize 39th street that not much of the 39th street clientele hails from Olathe or Blue Springs.
I'm slowly getting comfortable with admitting that I now live in Olathe. Prior to that I lived in Red Bridge, Marlborough, and before that UMKC, and grew up in KCK.  So, I've lived in and out of the City, and consider the whole metro area my town.

But on this question of 39th street clientele. You may be right, but I gotta tell you I find it really hard to find a decent place to eat in Olathe. It's all chains, and some of these are just plain mediocre or worse.  Here goes a commentary:

On Saturday morning I planned to have coffee with a friend at the Expresso Bar on Olathe Square: closed on a Saturday morning (how stupid is that), so we resorted to a Starbucks near 119th and Starbucks. Once a month this friend and I get together for coffee. Normally, we head downtown, Coffee Girls, River Market Cascones, Jerry's Woodswether, Harvey House, etc. The next place will be that wine bar on Walnut at about 16th street.

A few weeks ago I tried Gimme Sum at 119th and Blackbob. Never again. Normally I prefer Genghis Khan on 39th street and haven't been to the ones farther our in JOCO. There is a fine Thai place (The Thai Place) at 119th and Quivera. I like it better than Arun on 8th street, and I could go to Thai Place in Westport, but the 119th street location is better than their other location.

There is no better pizza in the City than Da Bronx, it's even better than the Crown Center shop.

I believe you when you say that many JOCO types won't drive north of 103rd street. But the best restaurants are definitely in the City or on the Plaza. Best steaks I've had are at Ruth Chris and Mortons. I ate at steak place at 92nd and Metcalf (can't remember the name) and besides being no better than the average Hereford House (which ain't that good in my opinion), it and the Bristol are average in my opinion I plan to try Ted's Montanan, but I don't think it will be exceptional. There's another popular place on 135th called the Bonefish something-packed with people but doesn't quite compare with McCormick and Schmick.

Now some of these places are chains found both within KC and the burbs, but I'll make the effort to have a night on the town anytime over eating at some highly rated restaurant in the burbs. The reason I've eaten at so many is because those are the places my siblings always want to go, and so I'm along for the ride so to speak. It's a good thing because I get a chance to compare. And downtown is consistently a clear winner. IF THERE IS EVER a great restaurant I discover in burbs, I'll definitely mention it and give it widespread praise, but so far it's been lemons for Johnson County.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by QueSi2Opie »

trailerkid wrote: Why blame MAX? I use transit to get places and connecting to the 39 bus from MAX is easy. Is MAX responsible for connecting every urban node in the city?
I wouldn't "blame" MAX, but I think it would be both wise and beneficial if MAX would create an East to West line.  We've been discussing how to make E. 18th Street a "destination" as well as increasing pedestrian traffic along W. 39th Street.  Here's my vision:

1. Start up an East/West MAX line which runs from 18th & Vine to 39th & State Line.
2. Route starts/ends on E. 18th Street between Paseo and Woodland.  
3. Route continues West on E. 18th Street to Main Street.
4. Turn south on Main Street to current 19th & Main MAX Stop (people can choose to connect to South/North MAX line).
5. Turn on W. 19th Street and continue down Southwest Boulevard to Broadway.
6. Route continues south on Broadway to W. 39th Street (or if Broadway closes due to future gondolas, continue on Southwest Boulevard to Summit, which turns into Southwest Trafficway).
7. Continue on W. 39th Street to start/end at State Line Road.

STOP SUGGESTIONS
a. E. 18th & Vine (museums, etc.)
b. E. 18th & Grand  
c. Main & 19th (MAX hub, option to connect with North/South route)
d. Southwest Boulevard & Broadway (Westside meets Crossroads) or Southwest Boulevard & Summit (Westside fountain).
e. W. 33rd & Broadway [or Southwest Trafficway] (Penn Valley Community College)
f. W. 39th & Broadway [or SW Trafficway]
g. W. 39th & State Line (KU Med)    
Last edited by QueSi2Opie on Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

advocrat wrote: Normally I prefer Genghis Khan on 39th street and haven't been to the ones farther our in JOCO.
The original Lenexa location was sold off by the family years ago and now has a completely different class of food - more your typical $5 chinese buffet type place.  Kind of sad because way back in the day when it opened that was one of KC's first "upscale" chinese restaurants. 
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

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advocrat wrote: IF THERE IS EVER a great restaurant I discover in burbs, I'll definitely mention it and give it widespread praise, but so far it's been lemons for Johnson County.
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by ComandanteCero »

Korma Sutra started in a strip mall at College and Metcalf.  There's also a pretty great Moroccan buffet near Metcalf and 119th (they run out of food pretty often though, so it's best to get there early).  Oh, and the Caspian Bistro (don't know if it's still open), over at Metcalf and 91st also has some great food.  By and large I'd much rather eat in the urban core, but there's plenty of independent and good restaurants out in the burbs if you know where to look (although I really dislike eating out at strip malls, if i go out and can't go into the urban core i have a list of indie places i'll hit up out here). 
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Re: wtf is happening to w. 39th?!

Post by dangerboy »

Sure there are good independent restaurants in the burbs, but like everything else they are spread out.  A big advantage of a real neighborhood like Volker is that there is a concentration of several options in one place.  If you want to go out in the burbs you have to plan it out ahead of time.  On 39th you can just show and have many excellent choices available to you.
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