atticus23 wrote:I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS for not only your informative comments and rebuttals, but also for their sheer entertainment value especially in regards to "susiesan"
she's humorous. She claimed in the latest article her assessed value is $1 million.
She must not know that the county posts this information online, searchable by address. The assessed value is really $80K. She'll pay 5% more in property taxes as is. The school taxes are 10x the cost of the streetcar tax. Even the River Market CID is taxing more than the streetcar is!
smh wrote:
Without really knowing too much about those buildings, my first idea would be to tear down the left two and replace them with some nice street-fronting 5-7 story buildings. I think I've mentioned that before on here; the only issue is parking I think...
The building on the right is big enough I think it could be renovated. Maybe. I also have no idea how real estate development works outside of Sim City.
I's not too complex to do both actually.
There's currently a small parking lot owned by the left-most building. Those are full 140 foot lots so there's lots of depth and access points from an alley on three spots (where 4th st would be is also an alley)
You put a small shop that fronts the street on one corner and do a faux front/utility space with an entrance point to the other floors next to the shop, and then behind them you don't have anything else at ground level. The building behind the street would be elevated over a parking lot. You could fit a lot larger than the current small one that way, maybe 25-30 cars worth of spots, and you have a nicer face the whole length.
my brother lived next to an apartment building like this. it was 2 floors on tiny pylons
smh wrote:
Without really knowing too much about those buildings, my first idea would be to tear down the left two and replace them with some nice street-fronting 5-7 story buildings. I think I've mentioned that before on here; the only issue is parking I think...
The building on the right is big enough I think it could be renovated. Maybe. I also have no idea how real estate development works outside of Sim City.
I's not too complex to do both actually.
There's currently a small parking lot owned by the left-most building. Those are full 140 foot lots so there's lots of depth and access points from an alley on three spots (where 4th st would be is also an alley)
You put a small shop that fronts the street on one corner and do a faux front/utility space with an entrance point to the other floors next to the shop, and then behind them you don't have anything else at ground level. The building behind the street would be elevated over a parking lot. You could fit a lot larger than the current small one that way, maybe 25-30 cars worth of spots, and you have a nicer face the whole length.
my brother lived next to an apartment building like this. it was 2 floors on tiny pylons
I like the sound of this--we should start amassing capital.
KCPowercat wrote:Channel 4 live dude reported that the "opposition" promises a lawsuit against the TDD? Huh? What opposition? Sue Burke and Crosby Kemper?
AFAIK a TDD formed by a missouri municipality and voted on by real people has never been overturned (especially months after the formation vote occurred). good luck burning as much money as you'd ever pay in assessments. their opportunities were the TWO hearings earlier this year, one of which didn't require participants to have any counsel.
separately, going through the legislature they'd have every developer from here to cape girardeau fighting a challenge to the statute's principles.
also, why didn't mr. libertarian vote if he lives at "18th and central"? that's inside the TDD boundary. the voter list is an open record -- but, of course, they were too lazy to check or even ask.
KCPowercat wrote:Channel 4 live dude reported that the "opposition" promises a lawsuit against the TDD? Huh? What opposition? Sue Burke and Crosby Kemper?
AFAIK a TDD formed by a missouri municipality and voted on by real people has never been overturned (especially months after the formation vote occurred). good luck burning as much money as you'd ever pay in assessments. their opportunities were the TWO hearings earlier this year, one of which didn't require participants to have any counsel.
separately, going through the legislature they'd have every developer from here to cape girardeau fighting a challenge to the statute's principles.
also, why didn't mr. libertarian vote if he lives at "18th and central"? that's inside the TDD boundary. the voter list is an open record -- but, of course, they were too lazy to check or even ask.
the core reason I see why it won't make it past a court is the same general method of voting is used for school funding. Where residents vote on taxes that applies to all property owners even if they're not benefiting directly from the schools.
And yes, if anything, the argument that the voting method is a bad one is worth having and the elections should be moved to a scheduled election date, but you'd without a doubt upset a lot of major developers who like the system as-is. It was obviously designed to give business interests a benefit to building in MO.
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The Neosho TDD fight is still underway. But in this case the argument appears to be that they failed to follow the existing law.
will there be bike parking at each stop for other than the bike share system?
you can put some really tight bike parking in too. Not sure where else they did the same but the Quicktrip at Vivion and Antioch is a good model for how to have it available without taking up space when not in use.
flyingember wrote:will there be bike parking at each stop for other than the bike share system?
you can put some really tight bike parking in too. Not sure where else they did the same but the Quicktrip at Vivion and Antioch is a good model for how to have it available without taking up space when not in use.
Speaking of bikes, will the city incorporate seperatated bike lanes on the route as well? This is a good time as any to make Main Street a complete street along the streetcar route.
I know that 99% of you know what a complete street is already, but for the 1% of you that don't:
Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. They allow buses to run on time and make it safe for people to walk to and from train stations.
from 20th to 10th the road will basically be from one side to the other- parking, driving lane/streetcar, center turn lane, driving lane/streetcar, parking. the street is too skinny to add a bike lane to the mix without taking out parking.
you won't want to encourage bikes on main street. tires can get caught in the tracks if cyclists ride parallel. perhaps there will be sharrows on walnut and baltimore, plus a proper protected bike lane on grand.
^Article mentions overhead cantenary. I thought the KC system would use self-propelled cars to avoid the ugly overhead lines and avoid costs to maintain them.
HDR will develop the final plans for the streetcar, “including the tracks, vehicle maintenance facilities, overhead cantenary systems, control systems and vehicle specifications to prepare the bidding documents,”
earthling wrote:^Article mentions overhead cantenary. I thought the KC system would use self-propelled cars to avoid the ugly overhead lines and avoid costs to maintain them.
HDR will develop the final plans for the streetcar, “including the tracks, vehicle maintenance facilities, overhead cantenary systems, control systems and vehicle specifications to prepare the bidding documents,”
At some point there was discussion of using a hybrid vehicle that could operate for short distances on battery power and then charge while on catenary. The demonstration Kinkisharyo car they put in front of Union Station was of that variety. Obviously vehicles haven't been selected yet so I suspect everything remains on the table?
One thing KC has a HORRIBLE tendency to do is not put up signs on side streets noting construction on a perpinducular street. It's worse with one-way streets than it would be elsewhere.
When 11th was closed from Main to Baltimore if you were going south and wanted to get to 11th you had to go all the way to 13th and double back on Baltimore. There wasn't even a sign telling about it at 11th and Main on the other side of the uneven split or on Main St a block away.
One time I tried to get to Broadway from 9th only to find Broadway down to one lane and crazy backups with no signs even at 9th and Broadway. Central was completely empty a block over because no one was directed to it.
This is something that the streetcar project needs to do better at.
One thing KC has a HORRIBLE tendency to do is not put up signs on side streets noting construction on a perpinducular street. It's worse with one-way streets than it would be elsewhere.
When 11th was closed from Main to Baltimore if you were going south and wanted to get to 11th you had to go all the way to 13th and double back on Baltimore. There wasn't even a sign telling about it at 11th and Main on the other side of the uneven split or on Main St a block away.
One time I tried to get to Broadway from 9th only to find Broadway down to one lane and crazy backups with no signs even at 9th and Broadway. Central was completely empty a block over because no one was directed to it.
This is something that the streetcar project needs to do better at.
Perhaps the city just assumes that the grid is self-explanatory. "Oh, 11th is shut down, well I better use 13th instead." Something like that...
One thing KC has a HORRIBLE tendency to do is not put up signs on side streets noting construction on a perpinducular street. It's worse with one-way streets than it would be elsewhere.
When 11th was closed from Main to Baltimore if you were going south and wanted to get to 11th you had to go all the way to 13th and double back on Baltimore. There wasn't even a sign telling about it at 11th and Main on the other side of the uneven split or on Main St a block away.
One time I tried to get to Broadway from 9th only to find Broadway down to one lane and crazy backups with no signs even at 9th and Broadway. Central was completely empty a block over because no one was directed to it.
This is something that the streetcar project needs to do better at.
Perhaps the city just assumes that the grid is self-explanatory. "Oh, 11th is shut down, well I better use 13th instead." Something like that...
The signs aren't for locals. They're for visitors. Remember, there's a convention district downtown which draws people that don't know the downtown grid.
Locals just benefit as a side effect.
One thing KC has a HORRIBLE tendency to do is not put up signs on side streets noting construction on a perpinducular street. It's worse with one-way streets than it would be elsewhere.
When 11th was closed from Main to Baltimore if you were going south and wanted to get to 11th you had to go all the way to 13th and double back on Baltimore. There wasn't even a sign telling about it at 11th and Main on the other side of the uneven split or on Main St a block away.
One time I tried to get to Broadway from 9th only to find Broadway down to one lane and crazy backups with no signs even at 9th and Broadway. Central was completely empty a block over because no one was directed to it.
This is something that the streetcar project needs to do better at.
Perhaps the city just assumes that the grid is self-explanatory. "Oh, 11th is shut down, well I better use 13th instead." Something like that...
The signs aren't for locals. They're for visitors. Remember, there's a convention district downtown which draws people that don't know the downtown grid.
Locals just benefit as a side effect.
I think if something is "self-explanatory" then it explains itself. Resident or not. It's a grid.
transit action network has posted video of the streetcar watch party and victory celebration, including the statements by mayor sly james and councilmen russ johnson and jim glover: http://wp.me/pV5fE-1ja
council approved the two ordinances yesterday. now that the project is fully funded -- which includes ALL construction and operating costs -- the city now has the authorization to issue bonds construction.
in the next ~60 days:
- TDD board approves sales tax and assessments
- RFP issued for general contractor
- kick-off of Final Design phase (which will take about 6 months and have some public involvement component)
- RFP issued for vehicles
- Final Design team opens streetcar project office on the route
