Crossroads needs greenspace
- grovester
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
You're over-reacting a bit. Just pointing out one reason why KC doesn't have many/any of these. It only recently began experimenting with road diets and traffic calming measures with much more needed.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Ah, so Chuck literally calling them 'stupid' wasn't over-reacting, but supporting them with a tone of humor is. Got it.
There are many streets downtown this can work, certain blocks. But yes, there are some streets that shouldn't have them.
There are many streets downtown this can work, certain blocks. But yes, there are some streets that shouldn't have them.
- KCPowercat
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Please stop trying to derail conversation with this type of minutia. Please.flyingember wrote:"just an empty parking lot" is an owners empty parking lot.KCPowercat wrote:Nobody is suggesting to take land from anybody.
it's implying their rights to use the lot as they will is unimportant enough that we should be talking about alternatives.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Let's look at this thread in sequence of implementation
You think we need park space. A fair point.
The two clauses together implies you think we should take some surface lot space and turn it into parks.
And with that as the first post it's not minutia to be against eminent domain to add park space when there's other alternatives available.
You think there's enough empty surface lots, true.There are more than enough empty surface lots....need some pocket parks or even one bigger park with an artistic fountain as a gathering space.
You think we need park space. A fair point.
The two clauses together implies you think we should take some surface lot space and turn it into parks.
And with that as the first post it's not minutia to be against eminent domain to add park space when there's other alternatives available.
- grovester
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
You're doing it again.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
So back on topic, it would be nice to see more sitdown green spaces in Xroads and other downtown districts - such as pocket parks and sidewalk parklets where it makes sense (and appropriate protection). The streetcar platform at Union Station also lacking seating for such a large platform (especially for the huge Saturday crowds). Hopefully something more robust planned for that.
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- Bryant Building
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Dude, they're all right next to a car sewer in every picture you put in there from your post after I said they're stupid. Those all looked like terrible places to spend any time.earthling wrote:Ah, so Chuck literally calling them 'stupid' wasn't over-reacting, but supporting them with a tone of humor is. Got it.
There are many streets downtown this can work, certain blocks. But yes, there are some streets that shouldn't have them.
Now, if they're parking or bike lane protected, great. If they're on a 15 mph residential street with little traffic, great. That's what we should be building. But, next to a car sewer? Come on, that's just stupid.
- wahoowa
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
new game you guys let's nominate specific places that would work and just assume unless expressly stated otherwise that no nomination inherently entails a wanton desire to disrupt property rights and/or exercise eminent domain and/or construct a monolithic glass wall
i'll start — SW corner of 18th and grand — could do a little more with this space, there's plenty of room to do something better: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0915866 ... 312!8i6656
i'll start — SW corner of 18th and grand — could do a little more with this space, there's plenty of room to do something better: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0915866 ... 312!8i6656
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Got it, you don't like them and wouldn't use them. That shouldn't prevent from others to use them. There aren't enough places to have a seat around downtown and these are great options for those who like them. I've used them in other cities, like them alot. They are big hits in other cities, more urban neighborhoods want them.TheBigChuckbowski wrote: Dude, they're all right next to a car sewer in every picture you put in there from your post after I said they're stupid. Those all looked like terrible places to spend any time.
Now, if they're parking or bike lane protected, great. If they're on a 15 mph residential street with little traffic, great. That's what we should be building. But, next to a car sewer? Come on, that's just stupid.
I've shown examples of what could be, some won't like them. Let Xroads and each district decide what they want in their own neighborhood.
Boston...
Brooklyn...
Chicago (2)..
Downtown LA..
Milwaukee...
Last edited by earthling on Tue Aug 08, 2017 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- KCPowercat
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
19th and grand parking swamp is begging for a large park and gathering space and fountain.
Then...program bowtie park better (the triangle park by Manny's), add a couple parklets, then one more small green/hardscape space in east crossroads and I think I'd be happy.
Then...program bowtie park better (the triangle park by Manny's), add a couple parklets, then one more small green/hardscape space in east crossroads and I think I'd be happy.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
converting that small plaza into more green space seems like the perfect location to do so. At a minimum a few tables with awnings would be affordable and make the space usable.wahoowa wrote:new game you guys let's nominate specific places that would work and just assume unless expressly stated otherwise that no nomination inherently entails a wanton desire to disrupt property rights and/or exercise eminent domain and/or construct a monolithic glass wall
i'll start — SW corner of 18th and grand — could do a little more with this space, there's plenty of room to do something better: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0915866 ... 312!8i6656
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- Bryant Building
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Dude, calm down. I didn't say they should be banned and neighborhoods can't build what they want.earthling wrote: Got it, you don't like them and wouldn't use them. That shouldn't prevent from others to use them... Let Xroads and each district decide what they want in their own neighborhood.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Huh, am quite calm, presenting ideas and simply supporting them. Am hopeful others who live downtown will desire them and am supporting the case for those who disagree. They're desirable in other cities, including parklets directly along street. You said 'who wants to sit a couple feet from traffic that's whizzing by', that they're 'stupid' and that superlative generally came across as a desire to prevent them, thanks for the clarification. The answer apparently is that many do desire these as they are growing in other cities directly along streets, not shrinking.
It's not like parklets are controversial or even pioneering at this point. It's a legitimate option for adding pedestrian vitality to urban neighborhoods.
It's not like parklets are controversial or even pioneering at this point. It's a legitimate option for adding pedestrian vitality to urban neighborhoods.
Last edited by earthling on Tue Aug 08, 2017 5:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Bryant Building
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
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Last edited by pash on Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Bryant Building
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
What about building one on the old Main to Walnut triangle thing?
- WSPanic
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Didn't they paint the crosswalk at 20th and the Blvd green?
https://twitter.com/KCCrossroads/status ... 0439614466
Not sure what else can be done.
https://twitter.com/KCCrossroads/status ... 0439614466
Not sure what else can be done.
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
Looks to me like some of these parklets could be done for about $5K, or more depending on how fancy/complex. Looked up funding/maintaining these and in many cases it's by a sponsor of a nearby biz, which is maybe best way to get KC started with these. Would be nice to see a progressive biz in Xroads sponsor one of these but the City of course needs to be involved with the logistics of street impact/readiness and allow parking spots to be removed for these.pash wrote: Does anybody know how much one of these things costs to build? This is definitely the sort of project I'd contribute time or money to if we had some assurance Public Works wouldn't come along and bulldoze it.
Perhaps Xroads Association could facilitate this with City and seek biz for sponsors.
- wahoowa
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
well screw it i'm gonna keep playing my game. how about this spot near lulu's:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0883528 ... 312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0883528 ... 312!8i6656
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- Mark Twain Tower
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
^Looks good to me! But a street with more foot traffic, like E/W street just off Main might get more use.
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- Bryant Building
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Re: Crossroads needs greenspace
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Last edited by pash on Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.