KCK Loses more business to KCMO/JOCO

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 11:52 am

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/s ... st=b_ln_hl

Basically they were pissed about the i635 construction delays(I am too) and the high rent costs at Indian Springs. If KCK had been on the ball it would have had the appropriate office space available for them, but Marinovich doesnt want this kind of business in KCK, she would rather have village west and fairfax built up. We need to grow up and learn to grow for the future. Office buildings, white collar business, less industrial parks and touristy bullshit. Im not mad at KCMO or JOCO, Im mad at KCK for not even trying to keep Western Blue Print.

This brings up my other issue. Why in the world did they decide to basically block off KCK from the world for an entire year doing road construction on I635? This was the most idiotic thing ever. Basically you can get on I635 in Johnson County and cant get off until you are in Missouri. All exits to I635 from I70 are closed too. If the state of Kansas did this, or Marinovich, or whoever, all I can say is fuck you. You only make things worse for my city.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 1:37 pm

the construction surprised me too. I did not think the freeways were in bad condition there before construction. To shut down exits on 635 and on 1-70 practically guaranteed the increased vacancy rate at Indian Springs and the surrounding area. Western Blueprint could have moved Downtown KCK, possibly into the old BPU building. It is suprising that the city did not do more to keep the business in the city. Of course, Western did own their headquarters building in KCMO, so that may have played some into the decision, but at least some effort should have been made.

BTW, dead man, have you checked out the coffee shop at the YWCA behind the new BPU building? Its pretty nice.

ShowME · Post by **ShowME** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 1:56 pm

What's even worse is they basically completely redid one side of the freeway this past year. Starting next summer they'll completely redo the other half. I don't how anything in that area can hang on.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 6:26 pm

tat2kc wrote:the construction surprised me too. I did not think the freeways were in bad condition there before construction. To shut down exits on 635 and on 1-70 practically guaranteed the increased vacancy rate at Indian Springs and the surrounding area. Western Blueprint could have moved Downtown KCK, possibly into the old BPU building. It is suprising that the city did not do more to keep the business in the city. Of course, Western did own their headquarters building in KCMO, so that may have played some into the decision, but at least some effort should have been made.

BTW, dead man, have you checked out the coffee shop at the YWCA behind the new BPU building? Its pretty nice.

Part of the KCK Police Department is moving into the old BPU building so they couldn't have moved there. There isn't much open office space with close proximity to the highway in KCK because the city never seemed interested in that kind of development. They would rather build up industrial parks on the riverfront, railroad yards on the other riverfront, and big stadiums. I swear, Im feeling really down lately about KCK. I might have to move out.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 1:16 am

I kinda liked going over to WB. It was the only reason I ever go to KCK although it will be nicer to have the new facility five minutes from the office.

But I have to agree, that I-635 construction is a mess. Indian Springs is not easy to get to right now and if you are not familiar with the area (which most are not), than it's a real mess.

They had a nice place over there, too bad for KCK.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:17 am

I-70 in Eastern Jackson County is starting a similar rebuild and MODOT wanted to close every interchange from Little Blue to Adams Dairy for something like several months. Independence and Blue Springs organized and fought MODOT on this and eventually got MODOT to back down and modify the project so that at least 2 lanes would stay open in each direction and interchange closings would be kept as short as possible and not be concurrent.

I'd be willing to bet that KCK's government could have fought KDOT for similar concessions on this project if they had really wanted to. But it's too late now, and the middle third of the city remains pretty much inaccessible to passing travelers.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 9:57 am

KCK just lost KSMO 62 to Fairway. Goodbye 35 jobs to Johnson County.

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... st=b_ln_hl
KCTV owner pays $26.8M for WB affiliate's assets

Local CBS television affiliate KCTV Channel 5 is expanding its presence in the Kansas City market.

KCTV owner Meredith Corp. announced Friday that it has bought the non-license assets of WB affiliate KSMO-TV for $26.8 million from the Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Des Moines-based Meredith (NYSE: MDP) also has an option to buy the WB station's license from Sinclair at a later date for $6.7 million, if it is allowed by the Federal Communications Commission.

Meredith spokesman Art Slusark said current FCC rules prohibit one company from owning two television station licenses in the same market.

Through the purchase agreement, KCTV will manage the sales and other operations of KSMO, which airs on channel 62 and is available on cable channel 10.

KSMO's relatively young audience is part of what made the WB station an appealing acquisition, Slusark said.

"If you look at the demographics of the audience, you have a very stable, large audience with KCTV that tends to skew above (age) 30, and then you have the WB, which skews below 30," he said. "That gives us a pretty good mix for us to offer advertisers."

Slusark said KSMO's operations will be merged into KCTV's Fairway headquarters during the next several months. Some of KSMO's 35 jobs will be cut, he said, to eliminate redundancies between the two stations. KCTV also will offer local news, sports and special programming to KSMO to the extent that FCC rules allow, Slusark said.

Meredith, one of the nation's largest media companies, has operated KCTV for more than 50 years. Kansas City is the nation's 31st-largest television market.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 4:28 pm

DMW, you know how you are always saying â€œwhat has KCK taken from KCMO?â€

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Grid, KCK lost its airport when that happened, and KCMO got all the airport traffic, so we still lost something big. Besides you are reaching there, this was all 25 years ago. Name something recently.

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 7:40 am

DeadManWalking wrote:Grid, KCK lost its airport when that happened, and KCMO got all the airport traffic, so we still lost something big. Besides you are reaching there, this was all 25 years ago. Name something recently.

EPA HQ's. But I suspect there isn't much other than that.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 8:39 am

Highlander wrote:
DeadManWalking wrote:Grid, KCK lost its airport when that happened, and KCMO got all the airport traffic, so we still lost something big. Besides you are reaching there, this was all 25 years ago. Name something recently.
EPA HQ's. But I suspect there isn't much other than that.

So true, this building would have fit in nicely along Illus Park instead of being the only modern office building in KCK. It's looking like KCK has taken more from KCMO than viseversa

.

aknowledgeableperson · Wed Nov 17, 2004 1:00 am

KCK did not take the Fairfax plant from KC. The current Fairfax plant replaced an older GM plant located in Fairfax. Believed it was called the BOP plant.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 7:48 am

Wasn't it the Leeds plant?

aknowledgeableperson · Wed Nov 17, 2004 5:45 pm

The Fairfax plant built planes (B-25's I believe) during WW II. Leaving the plant they could be flown from the Fairfax Airport to where they were needed. After the war cars took over. While growing up my neighbor worked at this plant.
The Leeds plant built Chevy's I believe.

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 5:50 pm

aknowledgeableperson wrote:The Fairfax plant built planes (B-25's I believe) during WW II. Leaving the plant they could be flown from the Fairfax Airport to where they were needed. After the war cars took over. While growing up my neighbor worked at this plant.
The Leeds plant built Chevy's I believe.

I believe all three plants (the precursor Fairfax plant) were operating simultaneously for some time until the Leeds plant closed. I think it simply closed, did not move anywhere.

aknowledgeableperson · Wed Nov 17, 2004 6:57 pm

Not sure by what you mean by "three plants".
It is correct that when Leads closed that was it. The new Fairfax, plant built where the airport was, replaced the old Fairfax plant that was next to the airport.

Also, forgot to mention that my mother built planes during WW II at the Fairfax plant.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 7:47 pm

aknowledgeableperson wrote:Not sure by what you mean by "three plants".
It is correct that when Leads closed that was it. The new Fairfax, plant built where the airport was, replaced the old Fairfax plant that was next to the airport.

Also, forgot to mention that my mother built planes during WW II at the Fairfax plant.

"three plants" I'm sure he is talking about the Claycomo Ford plant