OFFICIAL: Power & Light District

[Beltonhawk]

Not really, its a chain that is in most big cities in America.

Not really, it's only in 8

Anaheim
Atlanta
Baltimore
Chicago
Denver
Las Vegas
New York
Washington DC 

[MidtownCat]

I’ve got to say I’m starting to get a bit concerned with this project.

If the intent is to be able to attract a local population as well as conventioneers, I'm beginning to question where the appeal and longtime interest is going to come from to support this district if we’re not offering anything that isn’t already at Village West or Zona Rosa.

Just don’t see how a Barnes and Noble, Montana Mikes or 810 Zone is going to cut it.

I’m hearing through the grapevine that Hard Rock is being designed, but am cautious about it’s viability in light of their failed efforts in downtown St. Louis.  That’s all I’m hearing about right now in terms of a supposedly big league tenant in place.

Somebody please take a stab at allaying my concerns. 

[mean]

I think the places you mentioned are fine--I shop at B&N sometimes, myself--as long as they're comingled with interesting and relatively unique destinations. It is of course only partially about the names. The real selling point is the environment. Still, I think Lucky Strike and Maker's Mark, assuming we get both, could be good and (relatively) unique destinations. On top of that, I'm hoping there's a fair amount of local flavor to sweeten the pot...but even if there isn't much in the immediate "district" it will surely pop up in the surrounding environs, so good enough.

All of which has probably been said 100 times.

[ComandanteCero]

Well, I think we have to think of this project within the larger downtown context and how it relates to existing activity nodes and restaurants.  Even if the inital retail offering seems kind of bland or chainified, it gives the average Kansas Citian an excuse to get out of their car and experience the downtown environment.  Hopefully this added foot traffic will help direct more business to all the other independent non-P+L District restaurants, not to mention encourage people who come down to explore exisiting retail in the area (not only in the Loop, but the Rivermarket and Crossroads).

Beyond the synergy question, I think Kansas Citians want a downtown experience, but they have brainwashed themselves into thinking it's so desolate, crime ridden, and generally unsafe that you need to sock them with something that might err on the safe side.  They want a downtown experience, but they want it to be as homogenized, clean, safe and predictable a downtown experience as possible.  In this sense, I think the P+L district will succeed very well even if it seems the retail options aren't particularly interesting to the rest of us.  As the district's reputation becomes solidified and accepted and Kansas Citians find it normal to head to downtown for entertainment options I think we'll see Cordish spicing things up more over time.  Even if they don't, surrounding businesses elsewhere in the Loop, RM and Xroads can fill that void.....

[ComandanteCero]

I think the places you mentioned are fine--I shop at B&N sometimes, myself--as long as they're comingled with interesting and relatively unique destinations. It is of course only partially about the names. The real selling point is the environment. Still, I think Lucky Strike and Maker's Mark, assuming we get both, could be good and (relatively) unique destinations. On top of that, I'm hoping there's a fair amount of local flavor to sweeten the pot...but even if there isn't much in the immediate "district" it will surely pop up in the surrounding environs, so good enough.

All of which has probably been said 100 times.

yeah, what he said 

[scooterj]

Anyone know where the post is that has all the pictures someone snapped of the model in the Cordish office? 

[Tosspot]

Anyone know where the post is that has all the pictures someone snapped of the model in the Cordish office? 

CLICK HERE

[scooterj]

CLICK HERE

No wonder... I was looking for it in the P&L forum.  Thanks!


The reason I was looking for it is that the model doesn't seem to take into account slope.... the model is a flat surface but the land isn't.    So I was trying to reconcile the model with reality.   For instance, the 13th & Walnut block shows a a smooth transition to the arena in the model and renderings such as this one, but looking at the webcam you can see that the parking garage that on Walnut tops out at-grade looms 3 levels over the street on the Grand side of the block:



So I can't fathom how this is going to work.

[Long]

No wonder... I was looking for it in the P&L forum.  Thanks!


The reason I was looking for it is that the model doesn't seem to take into account slope.... the model is a flat surface but the land isn't.    So I was trying to reconcile the model with reality.   For instance, the 13th & Walnut block shows a a smooth transition to the arena in the model and renderings such as this one, but looking at the webcam you can see that the parking garage that on Walnut tops out at-grade looms 3 levels over the street on the Grand side of the block:



So I can't fathom how this is going to work.

You aren't taking perspective and an apparently mondo-sized telephoto lens into account.  The parking garage does not in fact loom 3 levels over Grand, what you're seeing in the photo is that only the west 3/4 of the garage is complete.  There is still at least one more "bay" that will fit between the completed structure and Grand.  Actually I'm pretty sure that Walnut is lower than Grand . . .

[KCPowercat]

No parking garage above ground.......believe it.

[voltopt]

yeah, the grade is pretty low... don't worry, its not going to be a parking garage wall...
it might be a blank building wall though..

[scooterj]

That sure makes for a pretty impressive optical illusion, then.  Both this cam and thee arena cam make it look like the garage towers over the street.

[KansasCityCraka]

That sure makes for a pretty impressive optical illusion, then.   Both this cam and thee arena cam make it look like the garage towers over the street.

No, it doesn't go over the street. If you have a chance go on top of the 1201 Walnut parking garage and see it. It is actually 5-10 below the surface. I will try and get some pictures of that tomorrow.

[MidWestSider]

That sure makes for a pretty impressive optical illusion, then.   Both this cam and thee arena cam make it look like the garage towers over the street.

No Joke, I had to go see for myself.

[QueSi2Opie]

Suburbanites won't see the parking if it's underground; they'll bitch, moan, and go home. 

[Highlander]

Suburbanites won't see the parking if it's underground; they'll bitch, moan, and go home. 

That is unfortunately a very correct statement.  I know people (from Olathe) who will not
go to the Plaza because they think there is not any parking.  I also know people who refuse to
park in underground or covered parking lots because they think they are unsafe. 

[GRID]

That is unfortunately a very correct statement.  I know people (from Olathe) who will not
go to the Plaza because they think there is not any parking.  I also know people who refuse to
park in underground or covered parking lots because they think they are unsafe. 

This is so true.  Plaza Art Fair, Lighting ceremony etc.  8 of the ten levels of the Valencia garage will be empty.  It's crazy.

[Gladstoner]

That is unfortunately a very correct statement.  I know people (from Olathe) who will not
go to the Plaza because they think there is not any parking.  I also know people who refuse to
park in underground or covered parking lots because they think they are unsafe. 

They probably think they're private lots and their cars will get towed.

[Maitre D]

This is so true.  Plaza Art Fair, Lighting ceremony etc.  8 of the ten levels of the Valencia garage will be empty.  It's crazy.

Whatever.  When was the last time you tried parking on the Plaza on a Thur, Fri or Sat nite?  Good luck.

The parking lot adjacent to the Movie Theatres (above Capital Grille) is jam packed every one of those nites.  If "suburbanites" won't use the free parking on the Plaza, there must be lots of city-dwellers using them, then.

[scooterj]

Whatever.  When was the last time you tried parking on the Plaza on a Thur, Fri or Sat nite?  Good luck.

Whatever.  Two Christmases in a row I have gone there on the last Saturday bfore Xmas (the true busiest shopping day of the year) and had absolutely no problem parking.  I even used the garage by the movie theater last time.    Found open spaces on level 3.