Status and future of the River Market area??

[aknowledgeableperson]

"one commercial issue downtown is there's not enough modern space and this could help some downtown business move up without leaving downtown"

Anything with the building design that might not make it attractive since the building was built with Populous in mind?

[chaglang]

"one commercial issue downtown is there's not enough modern space and this could help some downtown business move up without leaving downtown"

Anything with the building design that might not make it attractive since the building was built with Populous in mind?

Apart from the oversized staircase/seating area inside, nothing I can think of.

[KC_JAYHAWK]

One step forward for downtown, two steps back. Besides JOCO, seems the Plaza has been the second biggest thorn in downtowns back.

[KC_JAYHAWK]

One step forward for downtown, two steps back. Besides JOCO, seems the Plaza has been the second biggest thorn in downtowns back.


**Double post**

[archiKC]

I was shocked when I read this. My first thought was that it had to be a resurfaced april fools joke. Sad to know it is true. I have talked with coworkers this morning who have close friends at populous. It sounds like there have been difficulties with the current ownership, Orix (who was not the owner when populous built and moved in), for a few years now. I don't understand why the building's owner would be stubborn enough to lose its major tenant like this, but I am merely the public eye and don't know the whole story.

As for future use, I know there was once talk of an art incubator in the river market, as well as the "always in the back of our mind" dream that UMKC would open doors downtown. This is something I definitely just made up in my head right now, but what if the building was converted into a UMKC School of Arts? The open floorplates that populous will leave behind could easily become studio spaces, classrooms, and computer labs. The "grand stair" is something found in higher education buildings all over the country for both circulation as well as lecture space. And we know that there is about to be a housing boom in the rivermarket with all of the current developments being proposed and built. Currently a little pricey for student housing, but maybe something could be worked out..?

[loftguy]

Besides the landlords challenge, the negative to the River Market will be the interim loss of business for Market 3.

So, remember to stop in and grab breakfast, lunch or some of Meghans awesome baked goods.

Populous has been an invisible neighbor, other than emerging for lunch. Zero connection to the community and the city. They are solely focused on world sports.

Yes, the opportunities this presents could be very interesting..............

[loftguy]

Isn't BNIM looking for a new home?

[Eon Blue]

I guess it makes business sense for some reason, but I don't understand how a company would build a subsidized, custom HQ building and then not own it. Like I saw someone else say, this makes about as much sense as the EPA leaving their custom building in downtown KCK. Other large area firms like Burns & Mac and Black & Veatch own their motherships.

[heatherkay]

It's much easier to bill clients for rent than to try to figure in the fluctuating value of a capital asset.

[beautyfromashes]

It's much easier to bill clients for rent than to try to figure in the fluctuating value of a capital asset.

Seems it would be easier to figure the fluctuating value of a capital asset then change every address on every business card, website, and brochure; move every piece of furniture and all your records; setup a new computer system and lose valuable momentum relocating your entire workforce.

[heatherkay]

Which is why you don't do a move lightly. I work for a consulting firm, publicly traded, that works on the billable hours model. We don't own ANYTHING.

[archiKC]

Other large area firms like Burns & Mac and Black & Veatch own their motherships.

I am not entirely sure that this is true...

[taxi]

I think it would be great if the River Market Antique Mall would expand and open up here as their second location.

[kboish]

Isn't BNIM looking for a new home?

They will be if the sale/incentives go through for apartment conversion of their current location

[rxlexi]

So I'm going to take a bit of a different tack re: the Populous move. I was as shocked as anyone upon hearing this, but I don't see it as the huge negative that seems to be the current consensus.

DT/Rivermarket gains available Class A office space in a desirable location, with attached parking. Quite a rarity across the greater downtown area, and surely Orix didn't take lightly the prospect of the building's primary tenant, and initial spec-builder, walking out the door. One would think they are thinking ahead here.

Plaza gains a tenant for the vacant Board of Trade building, and I'm personally extremely excited to see how Populous retrofits the building for their uses (hoping to see lots of metal or glass, something a touch modern and flashy on the Plaza).

Time will tell, I suppose.

Loftguy brings up a good point re: BNIM - if P&L reno goes through, they will soon be looking for a new home, presumably in the greater DT area...

[shinatoo]

I don't know that BNIM will want Populous' sloppy seconds.

Resi conversion?

[Highlander]

So I'm going to take a bit of a different tack re: the Populous move. I was as shocked as anyone upon hearing this, but I don't see it as the huge negative that seems to be the current consensus.

DT/Rivermarket gains available Class A office space in a desirable location, with attached parking. Quite a rarity across the greater downtown area, and surely Orix didn't take lightly the prospect of the building's primary tenant, and initial spec-builder, walking out the door. One would think they are thinking ahead here.

Plaza gains a tenant for the vacant Board of Trade building, and I'm personally extremely excited to see how Populous retrofits the building for their uses (hoping to see lots of metal or glass, something a touch modern and flashy on the Plaza).

Time will tell, I suppose.

Loftguy brings up a good point re: BNIM - if P&L reno goes through, they will soon be looking for a new home, presumably in the greater DT area...

I don't know much about Orix but I have to wonder if they even had their hand on the pulse of Kansas City commercial real estate. They are a pretty enormous company with holding around the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orix_USA

It hasn't been easy to land tenants downtown and that's a lot of space to fill. A few months without any lease on a building that size will easily eat up a few years profit from any better terms they might have received from another company occupying the space. I'm guessing they are just ignorant as to the uphill battle they face and/or the Populous space isn't big enough for them to even sweat it in the overall scheme of their world. Hope I'm wrong as the space is quite important to the area.

[KCMax]

Populous leaving River Market another case of absentee ownership blues

Populous, the sports architecture firm, said it wanted to stay but couldn’t reach a deal to extend its lease with its Texas landlord, Orix. Its new home, as of next year, will be the Board of Trade building by the Plaza. It has only been eight years since Populous moved into the building developed for it at 300 Wyandotte St.

[loftguy]

Populous leaving River Market another case of absentee ownership blues

Populous, the sports architecture firm, said it wanted to stay but couldn’t reach a deal to extend its lease with its Texas landlord, Orix. Its new home, as of next year, will be the Board of Trade building by the Plaza. It has only been eight years since Populous moved into the building developed for it at 300 Wyandotte St.

Oh, did we wake you?

[Critical_Mass]

Tenant finishes in progress for store fronts at 5th and Grand. Based on what I can find with the City, it looks like the corner is going to be a hair salon, the next storefront over (to the west) is going to be a law firm.

nice! this corner is really shaping up, especially with the proposal to build on the SE corner!

Looks like the restaurant is back on the menu...it's tough to see (snapped the photo while waiting at the light in my car) but the new sign on the corner reads 'Nguyen Pho Grill'